In one of its most uncharacteristic showings in recent years, the South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team succumbed 79-51 to the UCLA Bruins in the 2026 NCAA national championship game on Sunday. The 28-point defeat was South Carolina's second straight title-game loss by more than 20 points and the third-largest margin in championship history.

The Gamecocks (36-4), led by head coach Dawn Staley, were bottled up on offense from the start. South Carolina shot just 26% in the first half (9-for-35), their worst half-court shooting performance since December 2022, having entered the game shooting 50.5% on the season. They finished at 29% overall, the third-lowest field-goal percentage ever recorded in a women's NCAA title game. By halftime, UCLA had ramped up a 36-23 lead, while the Gamecocks' starters, outside of Tessa Johnson, combined to shoot 4-for-19.

Nothing worked on offense all game long. South Carolina managed only nine points in the third quarter while shooting 3-for-14, the lowest third-quarter scoring total in championship game history. The Gamecocks botched six layup attempts in the first half and ceded a 40-28 advantage in the paint to the Bruins. UCLA controlled the glass with a 49-37 rebounding advantage and owned second-chance points 25-12.

Individually, Johnson led South Carolina with 14 points, while Agot Makeer scored 11 off the bench. However, the Gamecocks' top scorers, Joyce Edwards, Ta'Niya Latson, and Madina Okot, were all held under 10 points. Edwards, in particular, shot just 3-of-10.

Meanwhile, the Bruins executed efficiently on both ends. All five starters scored in double figures, led by Gabriela Jaquez (21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists) and Lauren Betts (14 points, 11 rebounds), who earned Most Outstanding Player honors. UCLA stretched its lead to as many as 35 points and never trailed, improving to 31 consecutive wins.

The loss dropped South Carolina to 3-2 in national title games under coach Staley, as the Gamecocks could not reproduce their offensive efficiency on the biggest stage.