South Carolina WBB vs. UCLA in national title game: How to watch, top storylines
It all comes down to this.
South Carolina women’s basketball is in the National Championship game for the third year in a row and will play UCLA on Sunday, seeking its fourth national title under Coach Dawn Staley. Here’s how to watch and what else you need to know.
South Carolina vs. UCLA game, TV info
- Who: No. 1 South Carolina (36-3) vs. No. 1 UCLA (36-1)
- Where: Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix
- When: 3:30 p.m. ET, Sunday
- TV: ABC
- Radio: 106.7 FM in Columbia area or the USC Gamecocks app
- Stream: Via watchespn.com or the ESPN app
- Betting line: South Carolina by 3.5 points
4 national titles would put Staley in elite group
Staley is already established as one of the best coaches in women’s college basketball history — and basketball in general. She hit a new milestone earlier this week when she led the Gamecocks to their sixth straight Final Four, the second-longest streak in Division-I history.
Another milestone awaits Sunday. With a win, Staley would become one of just four WBB coaches to win four national titles, joining Geno Auriemma (12 with UConn), Pat Summitt (eight with Tennessee) and Kim Mulkey (four with Baylor and LSU).
All of those championships will have come since 2017 in what’s very much a modern-era dynasty. Staley said she’s not motivated by such accolades, though.
“I don’t really compare myself to anybody when it comes to it,” she said. “I do what I do for our players. I do what I do for the coaches that I work with every single day. Those are the people that are in the trenches. Other people outside of us, I’m never really comparing myself to.”
Senior point guard Raven Johnson has made five straight Final Fours as a player under Staley and said the Gamecocks’ appreciation for Staley is a legitimate part of their motivation vs. UCLA on Sunday.
“Coach has done a lot for this program,” Johnson said. “Not even just for this program, for the girls. I mean, she fights for us day in, day out, not just with basketball, but with life aspects. To win it for her, there would be no better feeling — no better way to go out with a bang for her.”
UCLA: An impressive Final Four newcomer
While the Gamecocks are veterans of the big stage, UCLA’s very much a newcomer. The Bruins made their first-ever Final Four last year under Coach Cori Close and advanced to their first-ever national championship game after beating Texas.
The Bruins are the No. 2 overall seed in the field — two spots ahead of No. 4 overall seed South Carolina — and led by 6-foot-7 center and first team All-American Lauren Betts (17.2 points per game, 8.7 rebounds per game). UCLA has three other starting guards who average 12 to 15 points per game: Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez and Gianna Kneepkens.
UCLA’s recent history against South Carolina is good, too. The Bruins upset then-AP No. 1 South Carolina in Los Angeles in their last meeting in November 2024, snapping the defending national champs’ 43-game winning streak.
“It’s really cool,” Staley said. “I’m genuinely happy for Cori and UCLA. Really am. You want to see your program progress in a way of not just 20- and 30-win seasons. You want to see it competing for a national championship.”
Close referenced the Bruins’ other two recent games against South Carolina in the 2022 regular season and 2023 Sweet 16 as learning moments. UCLA lost those games to USC by nine points and 16 points, respectively, after hanging with USC early.
“What I remember is the team that rebounded the best and defended the best down the stretch won both those games,” Close said. “I’ve been on both ends of it. I don’t think (Sunday’s) going to be that different.”
South Carolina vs. UCLA game notes
- UCLA enters Sunday’s national title game on a 30-game winning streak.
- Staley is 3-1 in the National Championship with USC, beating Mississippi State in 2017, UConn in 2022 and Iowa in 2024, and losing to UConn in 2025.
- Gamecocks freshman Agot Makeer has scored 10 or more points in all five of the team’s 2026 NCAA Tournament games after having just three double-digit scoring games in the regular season (and zero against SEC competition).
This story was originally published April 5, 2026 at 6:00 AM.
