- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,171,325
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images attach
How UCLA shut down South Carolina to win national championship game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Both South Carolina and UCLA flexed their muscles on defense in their semifinal wins on Friday, which set the stage for a rock fight of a championship game on Sunday. Only one team was up for the fight.
The Bruins totally shut down the Gamecocks to capture their first national championship of the women's NCAA Tournament era, holding South Carolina to 45 points and just 32 through the first three quarters. UCLA led by as much as 35.
The win is a monumental career achievement for 15th-year coach Cori Close, who drew up a stellar gameplan on short notice and is now a first-time national champion.
Here's a look at how UCLA shut down South Carolina to complete a title run.
MORE:Why Lauren Betts briefly exited national championship game
How UCLA shut down South Carolina
South Carolina had numerous blowout wins this season, but two of the Gamecocks' three losses entering the NCAA Tournament came as the result of a serious offensive drought. They overcame offensive struggles in a Final Four win over UConn, but those problems caught up to them on Sunday.
UCLA played a physical brand of basketball on the defensive end from wire-to-wire in the title game, and the Bruins focused on South Carolina's stars. Tessa Johnson, the Gamecocks' fourth-leading scorer this season, led the team in shot attempts, and UCLA was more than comfortable with that.
The defense focused in on Joyce Edwards, holding her to just a 1-of-8 start from the field before a late basket, and Ta'Niya Latson was limited to only four points. South Carolina was just 1-of-13 from 3-point range, and that kind of luck wasn't nearly enough to overcome the issues the Gamecocks had near the basket.
On the offensive end, UCLA kept South Carolina at bay by cutting down on turnovers. Turnovers were all that allowed Texas to get back in the game against UCLA on Friday night, but without as much carelessness by the Bruins on that end, there was no path to the Gamecocks climbing back into this one.
MORE:Inside UCLA's championship history
South Carolina stats vs. UCLA
South Carolina had a nightmarish day on the offensive end of the floor on Sunday, scoring only 51 points. Here is the breakdown:
| Points | 51 |
| FG% | 29.0% |
| 3-pt% | 13.3% |
| Rebounds | 33 |
| Assists | 9 |
| Turnovers | 12 |
| Steals | 6 |
| Blocks | 4 |
The Gamecocks' inefficiency speaks for itself, as it's hard to shoot less than 30 percent from the floor and under 15 percent from 3-point range and have any chance of beating a team like UCLA.
South Carolina was out-rebounded by UCLA, committed more turnovers and had only nine assists in the loss.
Continue reading...
