A new national champion will be crowned in women’s college basketball on Sunday afternoon as UCLA and South Carolina meet in the NCAA Tournament title game. All four No. 1 seeds made it to Phoenix for the Final Four, and South Carolina pulled off a surprising upset of previously unbeaten UConn on Friday night. South Carolina ended UConn’s 54-game winning streak and the Huskies’ pursuit of back-to-back national titles. And the Gamecocks caused Geno Auriemma to lose it.
Now, the Gamecocks will meet UCLA, a team on a 30-game winning streak of its own. The Bruins took down Texas on Friday, knocking the Longhorns out with their defense.
South Carolina is in the title game for the third year in a row and is looking for its third title in five years. UCLA, meanwhile, is playing in the NCAA Tournament title game for the first time. Here’s what to know about Sunday’s game and our expert predictions.
UCLA vs. South Carolina: Where to watch
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET | Date: Sunday, April 5
- Location: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix
- TV channel: ABC | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
- Odds (via FanDuel): South Carolina -3.5, O/U: 127.5
Now let’s get to our picks.
National championship game picks
Ayala: I’ve been riding with UCLA all season, though admittedly, I didn’t have them winning a title this season. With South Carolina taking down UConn, and especially considering the way it went down, it’s hard to imagine the Gamecocks won’t be super-charged for Sunday. Lauren Betts will cause problems for South Carolina on the boards and a rim protector. However, the offensive numbers favor South Carolina. UCLA will have to dominate the boards and get red hot from the perimeter to take down Dawn Staley’s team.
Lisa Leslie picked with her heart on the We Need To Talk Now podcast, and got a South Carolina-UCLA championship. My heart pick would be the Bruins winning for the first time since Annie Meyers and the 1978 team. However, the analyst in me predicts another low-scoring game and a fourth title for South Carolina.
Gibbs: I’ve been going back and forth on this pick ever since the matchup was set on Friday night. South Carolina was the more in-form team in the semifinals, but I just can’t stop thinking about how much Lauren Betts bothered Madison Booker in the UCLA-Texas game. Against UConn, South Carolina completely dominated the boards, allowing the Gamecocks to control the game. However, I just can’t see Betts or UCLA’s athletic guards allowing South Carolina such an advantage. The Bruins are a veteran squad on a mission to win the program’s first national championship, and they proved on Friday night that they are capable of gritting out an ugly game. I picked UCLA to win it all before the tournament, but went against that with my pick ahead of the semis. I won’t make that mistake again. Get ready for a celebration, Westwood.
Gonzalez: South Carolina’s defense created major issues for UConn, including for star players Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong. The fact that even 5-foot-8 guard Raven Johnson defended Strong aggressively showed how tough and determined this team is. UCLA’s defense also limited Texas, but that game was ugly offensively for both teams. The Bruins are really good at making in-game adjustments, even if they are just mental. But they cannot afford to let a team like South Carolina hold them to just six points in one quarter. The Gamecocks also have more experience playing at this stage, which I think could play a factor during high-pressure moments.
Maloney: I’ve been hemming and hawing on this and don’t feel confident either way. Ultimately, I’m leaning toward South Carolina because I think the margins — coaching, experience on this stage, athleticism, ability to take care of the ball — will add up in their favor. Plus, while UCLA obviously has the talent to win, it’s hard to overlook how shaky the Bruins have been throughout this tournament, especially offensively on Friday night against Texas.
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