For decades, UCLA Bruins women’s basketball had built toward this moment, through ups and downs, rising expectations, and the long shadow of several near misses in their quest for a first NCAA crown. On Sunday afternoon, the wait ended.

With a dominant 79–51 performance against the powerhouse South Carolina Gamecocks (36–4) at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, the Bruins finally delivered their breakthrough, etching their names into university history with the program’s first title in the NCAA era and UCLA’s 126th overall NCAA team title.

Head coach Cori Close, the Big Ten Coach of the Year, praised the senior-led team, explaining that their overall mindset helped bring them to this moment.

“All year, we’ve been saying the talent is our floor but our character will determine our ceiling,” she told ESPN’s Holly Rowe. “I’m just so confident in their character, and that’s what determined how they played today.”

Read the whole story at the UC Newsroom

Watch a video of the final seconds of the game below!

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