PHOENIX — South Carolina women's basketball fell to UCLA by a score of 79-51 in the national championship game at Mortgage Matchup Center on Sunday. The Bruins dominated the Gamecocks with their size in the paint, a trend that persisted throughout all four quarters.
"I thought they came out and disrupted from a defensive standpoint," head coach Dawn Staley said. "Then they pretty much got what they wanted offensively. When they did it, they created second-chance opportunities."
If it was defensive success that UCLA desired, it achieved it. South Carolina shot just 29% (18-62) from the field and 13.3% (2-15) from the 3-point line. The Gamecocks racked up 14 turnovers across the 28-point loss.
"We just didn't have it today," Staley said. "We tried, but we just didn't have it today. They were the better team today."
Things became bleak for South Carolina when the team entered the second quarter trailing 21-10. The Gamecocks posted a 16.7% (3-18) success rate from the field in the first quarter and got outrebounded 14-11.
By halftime, that rebound margin grew to 29-17, and UCLA's lead was up to 13.
"They outrebounded us by probably 20 rebounds," sophomore forward Joyce Edwards said. "It made a difference. You've seen it, offensive rebounds, second-chance points, it all kind of contributes to why we lost."
Through two quarters, the Bruins had outscored the Gamecocks on second-chance points 10-2. By the end of the game, that disparity had grown to 25-12 and was outscored 40-28 in the paint across all four quarters.
"Knowing they're so dominant inside, and their leading scorer is inside the paint, ... it was really, really important just following our scout, rebounding, getting in the paint," freshman forward Sienna Betts said.
When the Gamecocks are at their best, Edwards and Okot do the heavy lifting from a scoring perspective. Edwards led South Carolina in scoring this season with 19.5 points per game, while Okot averaged a double-double.
The Bruins limited Okot to just 6 points and three rebounds, while Edwards shot 30% (3-10) from the field and notched just 8 points.
"Just really focusing on defense and rebounding," senior guard Gabriela Jaquez said. "That was a big part of our scouting report."
The Bruin defense held the Gamecocks to just two scorers with a 50% or better success rate from the field: junior guard Tessa Johnson and freshman guard Agot Makeer.
"They outrebounded us by how much? A whole bunch," Johnson said. "We knew that they could rebound, and we still didn't box out or go for the rebounds, do the extra plays and stuff like that."
Johnson led South Carolina with 14 points on 6-12 shooting. Her and Makeer, who came off the bench, were the only two Gamecocks to reach double-figure scoring, while all five UCLA starters scored 10 or more points in the game.
"I think once we get stops, they're just not able to do what they want to do," senior center Lauren Betts said. "I think that's what we want to get in transition, able to score."
Lauren Betts scored 14 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and notched two blocks in the win. Her presence in the paint helped push the Bruins comfortably in front entering the fourth quarter, as she grabbed 6 points and four rebounds in the third quarter alone.
South Carolina entered the national championship game having posted a rather successful season in the paint following the addition of Okot, but UCLA's efficiency on the perimeter, coupled with second-chance opportunities, proved too grand for the Gamecocks to overcome.