UCLA holds off late Texas charge in Final Four victory, reaches NCAA title game

Lauren Betts scored 16 points and made a huge late block, and UCLA held off a late Texas charge Friday night for a 51-44 victory to reach the national championship game of the women’s NCAA tournament for the first time. Manhandled by eventual national champion UConn in their first Final Four a year ago, the Bruins (36-1) dominated their way to another national semifinal with the best season in program history. A chance to play in a first national championship game had to go to the only team to beat them this season. Controlled in the first meeting, the Bruins reversed the situation against Texas (35-4), eliminating All-American Madison Booker while taking a 13-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. The Longhorns are one of the best defensive teams in the country and turned their D on a 12-2 run that cut UCLA’s lead to 47-44. Betts stopped the Texas run. She blocked Booker’s shot with 20 seconds left and Kiki Rice made two free throws, sending coach Cori Close’s team into the title game. The dominating victory gives the Bruins a berth in Sunday’s title game against South Carolina, the three-time national champions who ended defending champion UConn’s undefeated season and left Huskies coach Geno Auriemma furious. It was the same for Booker after a brutal end to what was otherwise a stellar season. She made her first shot, missed her next 17 shots and finished with six points on 3-of-23 shooting. Another agonizing Final Four loss also left Texas coach Vic Schaefer among the discouraged. He lost twice in the national title game to Mississippi State – once on a buzzer – and saw the Longhorns claw their way out of their second straight Final Four appearance. The Longhorns got off to a brutal start with six points in the first quarter, shooting 38% from the floor overall and 2 of 9 from 3-point range. The chance to win a second national title stretches for another year – 40 years and counting. In the teams’ first meeting, Texas dominated early and held on late for a 76-65 victory on Nov. 26 in Las Vegas. The rematch was more like a wrestling match, with players hitting the floor and coaches yelling for fouls that weren’t called — just like in the first Final Four game. UCLA dominated the first quarter to lead by eight and Texas tightened the screws in the second, holding the Bruins to 20-17. Betts was held to a season-low eight points in the first round against Texas, but had some success early in the national semifinals by attacking before the double teams arrived. She enjoyed continued success while her fellow All-American worked, finishing 7 of 10 from the floor with 11 rebounds and three blocked shots — none bigger than the late one against Booker. Associated Press reporting.