NCAA South Carolina UCLA Basketball

South Carolina guard Tessa Johnson (5) reacts after a play against UCLA during the second half of the women's National Championship Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament game, Sunday, April 5, 2026, in Phoenix.

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After getting 'smacked' again in title game, South Carolina's Staley plots program's next moves

After getting 'smacked' again in title game, South Carolina's Staley plots program's next moves

South Carolina’s quest to win a fourth national title ended in ugly fashion for a second straight season when the Gamecocks lost to UCLA 79-51 in the NCAA women’s basketball title game. Even so, the monster program that Dawn Staley has built over the past 15 years doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere. South Carolina should be one of the top contenders to make a seventh straight Final Four in 2027 and it will have plenty of motivation after Sunday’s debacle. The Gamecocks shot just 29% from the field and the 28-point margin was among the biggest in championship game history.