UCLA holds on to defeat LSU, advance to women’s Final Four

In a highly contested game, No. 1 UCLA survived No. 3 LSU 72-65 to advance to the women’s Final Four. It is the first Final Four appearance in the history of the UCLA women’s basketball program.

UCLA led for large stretches of the game, with the Bruins’ largest lead being 14. LSU made the game close in the second half, bringing it to within a single possession in the fourth quarter, but UCLA pulled away late thanks to timely baskets and efficient free-throw shooting.

Gabriela Jaquez led UCLA in scoring with 18 points.

UCLA plays the winner of USC and UConn in the women’s Final Four national semifinal.

Johnson rebounds from poor shooting night in Sweet 16

After going 1-of-8 from the floor in the Sweet 16 against NC State for a season-low of three points, LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson told reporters she was going to have no problem flushing that performance. When asked what she does to get past a game like that, Johnson said she needed to be reminded what happened in that game. When she was told she had just three points, she said, with a laugh, “For real? I forgot about it.”

And she clearly did.

Against UCLA, Johnson proved to be the perimeter spark the Tigers needed, especially in the second half. After going 2-of-7 from the floor for four points through the first two quarters, the junior showed how she could flush that performance, too, taking over for her team when it mattered most. In the second half, Johnson ignited the Tigers, scoring 24 second-half points on 8-of-9 shooting, almost single-handedly keeping them in the game. She led all scorers with 28 points.

Johnson has not definitively said whether she plans to return to LSU next season. Since she turns 22 before the end of 2025, the junior could opt to put her name in for the WNBA Draft.

UCLA’s 3-point shooting explodes

When Betts went to the bench at the end of the first quarter, it felt like a defining moment for the Tigers if they were going to make a run. Instead, the Bruins leaned into their Betts-less lineup and started knocking down 3s.

After going 1-of-4 from beyond the arc in the opening quarter, the Bruins connected on four long-range shots in the second, with one coming from Jaquez and Gardiner going a perfect 3-for-3. That 12-point bump from beyond the arc gave UCLA the cushion it needed in the second quarter as the Bruins outscored the Tigers 22-12.

That hot streak continued into the third as Londynn Jones knocked down a quick 3 to set the tone in the second half. Jaquez knocking down her third of the game midway through the third quarter, causing the Tigers to call a timeout after UCLA’s lead had ballooned to 14. In total, the Bruins made 10 3-pointers on the day, just three shy of their season best.

Even foul trouble doesn’t slow Betts

Even though Betts needed to sit the entire second quarter after picking up her second foul in the final minute of the first, the center still found a way to be impactful and was the main focal point of the Tigers’ defensive energy. LSU senior forward Sa’Myah Smith picked up the main task of defending Betts, but she had help from active double-teams on nearly every touch in the paint as they attempted to not let her post too deep.

Betts — the Spokane 1 region’s Most Outstanding Player — still finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, but the Tigers made her work for every point. Defensively, she was the stalwart, blocking six shots and impacting many others.