PHOENIX (AP) — Dawn Staley won a national title nine years ago in her first trip as a coach to the NCAA championship game. Now UCLA is playing for the NCAA title in women's basketball for the first time, and Staley hopes to help South Carolina deny the Bruins on Sunday. Since that first title in 2017, Staley has added two more. A win over UCLA would tie Staley for the third most titles by a coach, trailing only Geno Auriemma and the late Pat Summitt. Meanwhile, the Bruins haven't won a national title since 1978, when women's basketball was governed by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.
PHOENIX (AP) — Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma’s coaching rivalry reached a dramatic peak Friday night. A visibly upset Auriemma went over to Staley in the waning seconds of South Carolina’s 62-48 victory over the UConn in the Final Four and appeared to chastise her before the two shook hands. Staley responded with “don’t do that” while assistant coaches from both teams separated them. Auriemma later said the exchange was about the lack of a traditional pregame handshake between the coaches. Staley said she was confused because she had no idea what happened. Auriemma apologized on Saturday.
PHOENIX (AP) — Raven Johnson was a bright-eyed freshman when South Carolina won the national championship in 2022. While veterans like Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke had competed on the big stage, Johnson had no grasp of the magnitude of the moment. Johnson’s perspective has changed in the past four years, now that she’s the veteran on a Gamecocks team going for its third national title in five seasons. South Carolina will face UCLA Sunday for the national championship after taking down reigning champion UConn on Friday.
PHOENIX (AP) — Dawn Staley and South Carolina are back in a familiar place, reaching the NCAA championship game for the fourth time in five years. They’ll have to beat a title-seeking newcomer in UCLA to win the ultimate prize. South Carolina will be trying to win its fourth national championship in nine years. The Gamecocks played stifling defense to knock off UConn 62-48 and end the Huskies’ 54-game winning streak in the semifinals Friday night. UCLA played incredible defense of its own in its 51-44 win over Texas. The Bruins spoiled a chance at the first all-SEC title game since 2017, when Staley’s team beat Mississippi State, which was led by current Texas coach Vic Schaefer.
PHOENIX (AP) — South Carolina battered and bruised UConn in the women’s NCAA Tournament semifinals, ending the Huskies’ undefeated season while sending their coach to the end of his rope. That was just a prelude to the second Final Four game, in which UCLA turned a rematch into a wrestling match and tapped out Texas’ hopes of a second national title. The officials have swallowed their whistles in this Final Four, which began with the same four teams that played in last year’s national semis. The teams still left standing expect the physical play to continue in Sunday’s national championship game, but they hope it’s not to the same brutal degree.
PHOENIX (AP) — Lauren Betts had 16 points and made a huge block late, and UCLA withstood a late charge by Texas for a 51-44 win to reach the women’s NCAA Tournament national championship game for the first time. Manhandled by eventual national champion UConn in their first Final Four a year ago, the Bruins (36-1) dominated their way to another national semifinal with the best season in program history. A chance at a first national championship game appearance had to go through the only team to beat them this season. Overpowered in the first meeting, the Bruins turned the bully tables on Texas (35-4), shutting down All-American Madison Booker while building a 13-point lead midway through the fourth quarter.
PHOENIX (AP) — Ta’Niya Latson scored 16 and Agot Makeer added 14 points and South Carolina played stifling defense to beat UConn 62-48 on Friday night, ending the Huskies’ 54-game winning streak and advancing to the women’s NCAA Tournament championship game.The Gamecocks have now reached the NCAA championship game in four of the last five seasons, including the past three. They will be looking to win a fourth national title Sunday when they face UCLA, capping off another March Madness. South Carolina (36-3) will be looking to win its fourth national championship. UConn (38-1) entered the Final Four undefeated for the ninth time in school history and for the third straight time left without a title. The Huskies also lost in the 2017 and 2018 national semifinals.
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia has mutually agreed to part ways with women’s basketball coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. The decision came after Georgia finished 22-10 this season with an 82-73 overtime loss to Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Abrahamson-Henderson compiled a 69-59 record in four seasons, with only one finish above .500 in Southeastern Conference games. Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said a search for a new coach would begin immediately. Abrahamson-Henderson played at Georgia under coach Andy Landers, who took the Lady Bulldogs to 31 NCAA Tournaments, including five Final Fours, in his 36 seasons.
