In SACRAMENTO, Calif., UCLA triumphed over a formidable challenge presented by a resilient Duke team, staging a comeback from a first-half shortfall to secure a 70-58 victory on Sunday and progress to the women’s Final Four.
Throughout much of the contest, the Bruins found themselves behind the Blue Devils until senior Gianna Kneepkens sank a 3-point shot, seizing a 47-45 advantage in the third period. Subsequently, UCLA extended its lead by outscoring Duke 20-8 in that quarter and held onto their advantage for the duration of the match.
Prior to Sunday’s Elite Eight contest, top-seeded UCLA was considered to have an edge, possessing one of NCAA Division I’s most well-rounded offensive strategies. However, the third-seeded Blue Devils swiftly demonstrated their defensive capabilities, accumulating 16 points from 12 UCLA turnovers and exerting relentless pressure on standout senior Lauren Betts. During the initial half, UCLA converted 6 of 12 attempts when Betts was involved, which included seven turnovers. In situations where Betts was not directly involved, UCLA achieved 8 for 13 attempts, yielding 17 points with four turnovers.
Nevertheless, Betts found her stride in the latter half, with the 6-foot-7 center concluding the game with 23 points and 10 boards, marking her sixth career double-double in the NCAA tournament. She achieved a unique feat, being the sole athlete to register 20 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks in an Elite Eight game or beyond, a milestone not seen since Brittney Griner accomplished it in the 2012 national championship, as per ESPN Research.
The Blue Devils experienced initial prosperity through their guard three: Ashlon Jackson, Taina Mair, and Riley Nelson. This trio of Duke athletes either scored or contributed assists to 35 of Duke’s 39 points during the initial half. Mair personally contributed 12 points in that first half. By the conclusion of the game, Mair had tallied 21 points and seven boards. Achieving six assists, Mair equaled the Duke single-season record of 201 assists, previously established by Chelsea Gray in the 2011-12 season.
However, the Bruins intensified their defense in the latter half, preventing Duke from scoring any baskets for the concluding six minutes of the third quarter. This scoring dry spell persisted until Mair successfully landed a 3-pointer one minute and thirty seconds into the fourth quarter, narrowing Duke’s deficit to six points before UCLA ultimately distanced themselves.
UCLA, which was defeated by UConn last season in the program’s inaugural Final Four showing, is now pursuing the institution’s premier women’s national championship. They are slated to compete against the victor of the Texas versus Michigan match in Phoenix this Friday.