Explore the latest developments concerning South Carolina Gamecocks.
South Carolina Gamecocks favored in college basketball title game against UCLA Bruins
SEC Network's Nell Fortner, Mike Neighbors and Alyssa Lang discuss what to watch for as the Gamecocks and Bruins are set to battle for a national title. (3:14)
In a battle between women's college basketball's modern dynasties, South Carolina pulled a minor shocker and defeated UConn — which had been favored for the national championship all season — to advance to the finals. That huge result has the Gamecocks now favored to win the program's fourth title.
South Carolina is a 3.5-point favorite over UCLA in the 2026 national championship game, with -185 odds to win the game straight up against the Bruins' +154. The total for the game sits at 131.5, even as both national semifinal contests failed to exceed 110 points. Early wagering at DraftKings has a majority of bets and handle backing the Gamecocks, both on the spread and the moneyline.
Live updates at the 2026 Women's Final Four in Phoenix
Cori Close did get the better of Dawn Staley the last time their teams faced off in Los Angeles last season. The then-No. 5 Bruins stunned the No. 1 Gamecocks in a dominant wire-to-wire 77-62 victory that snapped South Carolina’s 43-game win streak. The win marked UCLA’s first-ever victory over an AP No. 1 team and announced them square in the mix of the nation’s top programs.
The Bruins jumped out the gate with a 15-2 lead in the first quarter and never trailed, going up by 24 points at halftime thanks to a 17-5 run. The Gamecocks couldn't get anything going offensively, shooting a woeful 9 of 34 from the field in the opening half.
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March Madness women's national championship game schedule, how to watch: Keep up with South Carolina vs. UCLA in Phoenix on Sunday
South Carolina and UCLA will square off in the title game to officially wrap up the women’s NCAA tournament. By Sunday afternoon, either the Gamecocks’ dominant run through the sport will have continued for another season or the Bruins will be headed home with the program’s first-ever tournament title.
South Carolina pulled away from UConn late in the first game on Friday night in Phoenix, though things got extremely contentious in that matchup. UConn head coach Geno Auriemma even had to be held back from Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley after a very heated interaction on the sidelines.
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