South Carolina Women's Basketball Falls Short in National Title Game

Gamecocks end season as national runner-up for second straight year

Apr. 6, 2026 at 3:52pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the chaotic action of a women's basketball game, with sharp geometric shapes and planes of garnet, black, and gold colors representing the South Carolina Gamecocks.South Carolina's second straight national title game appearance ends in heartbreak, but the program's consistent excellence under Dawn Staley remains clear.Phoenix Today

The South Carolina women's basketball team's season came to a heartbreaking end on Sunday, as they fell to the UCLA Bruins 79-51 in the NCAA national championship game. This marked the second consecutive year the Gamecocks finished as the national title runner-up, though the team still had an impressive season overall.

Why it matters

South Carolina's loss in the championship game continues a trend of the program coming up just short of winning its first national title since 2024. However, the Gamecocks' success in reaching the title game for the second straight year demonstrates the continued excellence of the program under head coach Dawn Staley.

The details

After defeating the top-seeded UConn Huskies in the Final Four, South Carolina advanced to the national championship game to face the UCLA Bruins. The Bruins led wire-to-wire, outscoring the Gamecocks in each of the first three quarters en route to a 28-point victory and the program's first national title.

  • On April 3, 2026, South Carolina defeated UConn 62-48 in the Final Four to advance to the national championship game.
  • The national championship game took place on April 6, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.

The players

Dawn Staley

The head coach of the South Carolina women's basketball team, who has led the Gamecocks to the national championship game in two of the last three seasons.

Raven Johnson

The South Carolina guard who was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the Sacramento 4 region this season, capping off an impressive career with the Gamecocks.

UCLA Bruins

The UCLA women's basketball team, which won its first national championship with a dominant victory over South Carolina in the title game.

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What’s next

The South Carolina women's basketball team will look to build on its recent success and make another run at the national title in the 2026-2027 season.

The takeaway

South Carolina's second consecutive national runner-up finish demonstrates the program's consistent excellence under Dawn Staley, even if they have yet to capture the elusive national championship. The Gamecocks will be among the favorites to win it all next season with their talented roster.