NCAAW South Carolina vs UCLA: Predictions, How To Watch and Best Bets

Written By Dan Angell | Published at April 5, 2026

South Carolina Gamecocks forward Joyce Edwards speaks to the media from Mortgage Matchup Center on April 4, 2026.

For years, UCLA had been building toward this moment. The Bruins had always had the pieces in place to become a solid women’s basketball team, but never had the investment or coach in place to make it happen.

That changed when Cori Close started building the Bruin program in 2011, and UCLA has climbed the mountain slowly ever since. The Bruins finally broke through to the Final Four last season, but weren’t anywhere near the level of Connecticut. This year, they’re back with the lessons they’ve learned and in the national title game for the first time.

In their path is the program the Bruins have long aspired to be: South Carolina. The Gamecocks were once where UCLA started, until Dawn Staley got to work. South Carolina has since become the dominant women’s basketball program in an era where it’s tough to win. Staley has made it look easy, winning three national championships in the past 10 years.

South Carolina is in its fifth straight Final Four and fourth national title game in five years. The Gamecocks also couldn’t handle Connecticut last year, but turned the tables on the Huskies in the semifinals. Now they look to finish the job they missed on last year.

Here’s a look at the national title game.

South Carolina vs. UCLA Prediction

Best Bet: Under 127.5 (BetMGM, -110)

These teams want to focus on defense first. South Carolina knows that it has to find a way to either slow down Lauren Betts or keep the rest of the Bruins from getting her the ball. In the win over Texas in the semifinals, UCLA committed 22 turnovers but won anyway because the Bruins did just enough on offense to survive.

That speaks to how good the UCLA defense is, and that unit doesn’t get enough credit. Betts is a matchup nightmare in the paint, and South Carolina will have to find other ways to get around her and score

It’s likely to take both teams a while to figure it out. That leads to a lower-scoring game and puts the under in play.

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South Carolina vs. UCLA Same Game Parlay

UCLA +4.5

Under 127.5

Lauren Betts Over 9.5 Rebounds

Betts has been at her best when her team has needed her most. UCLA relies on her for a reason: she’s been the best player in the country. She’s secured double-digit rebounds three times in five games in this tournament, including in wins over Duke and Texas in the Bruins’ past two victories.

The spread is moving away from UCLA, and that means it’s a good time to grab the Bruins. The public fell in love with South Carolina after the Gamecocks upset previously undefeated Connecticut, but history shows it’s hard to rebound from beating the Huskies in the semifinals. The past 11 teams to get the better of Connecticut in the Final Four went just 3-8 in the national title game.

That’s because for most teams, facing and beating the Huskies can feel like winning the national title game. South Carolina is not most teams, but the Gamecocks are human. The line feels a couple points too high in what should be a tight affair.

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