Despite a late rally, No. 1 Texas fell victim to an off shooting night and was eliminated by UCLA in the Final Four.
The second of two battles between No. 1 seeds in the Final Four of the women's NCAA Tournament in Phoenix night featured physicality and poor shot-making throughout, but despite a late rally by the Texas Longhorns, the UCLA Bruins held on for a 51-44 win on Friday night.
UCLA (35-1) advances to face No. 1 South Carolina in the national championship game on Sunday.
Madison Booker, Texas' All-American forward, hit a midrange shot 37 seconds into the game. But after averaging over 22 points per game in the NCAA Tournament, that would be her only made field goal until midway through the fourth quarter.
Texas' (35-3) poor offense began with Booker and impacted the entire roster. The Longhorns entered the game averaging 85 points per game, but the Bruins held them to just 31 percent shooting (20-65).
Through it all, the Longhorns remained close by forcing 23 turnovers and using a 12-2 run in the fourth quarter to get within one possession with a minute remaining.
Booker grabbed a tough rebound, but was rejected by UCLA's 6-7 forward Lauren Betts on the ensuing layup attempt. Her block was corralled by the Bruins with 18 seconds to play, and the Bruins sealed the game with free throws.
Betts led all scorers with 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Bruins shot 49 percent from the field. Booker finished the game 3-23 with six points.
The Longhorns, one of the country's best defenses, were given a taste of their own medicine throughout the low-scoring battle.
Texas shot just 21 percent (3-14) in the first quarter after the Bruins swarmed the ball-handlers, were more physical on the interior, and forced tough shots that didn't drop. UCLA led 14-6 after the first 10 minutes, and the scoring was a season low for any quarter for Texas.
At the two-minute mark, UCLA took a 10-point lead to give Texas its largest deficit in over a month.
"I don't think it's them as much as it's us," said Texas coach Vic Schaefer to reporter Holly Rowe going into the second quarter, clearly frustrated with the shot selection and efficiency.
Booker's first shot was a midrange rise-up from just beyond the free throw line, but then the string of misses began, at which point a Longhorns turnover forced Schaefer to rip off the suit jacket.
Texas point guard Rori Harmon - who scored 26 points in a Longhorns win the only other time these teams met this season - nailed her first three shots to score six of the team's first 12 points. Momentum grew as freshman Aaliyah Crump knocked down a 3-pointer to draw within three, 18-15, with four minues to go in the second quarter.
But UCLA came with an answer; the Bruins closed the half with methodical offense and strong on-ball pressure to stay in front. Kiki Rice turned it back over to Texas after an offensive foul, and with 10 seconds to play, Crump missed a jumper that would've tied the game.
The Bruins held a narrow 20-17 lead at the halftime break. Booker was held to 1-for-12 from the field and the Horns shot just 25 percent overall in the first half.
Longhorns post player Breya Cunningham picked up her third personal foul early in the third quarter, and with Kyla Oldacre doing well in the rebound battle, her shot-making was an unfortunate continuation of the night's theme.
Defensively, Betts presented Texas with problems on the inside. But in the final minute of the third quarter, Justice Carlton challenged the Bruins' paint pressure with a personal 7-0 run to draw with a point at 29-28.
The Bruins made two free throws to take a 31-28 advantage into the final period.
Rice's triple and a coast-to-coast steal and layup helped the Bruins sprint to a 7-0 run at the beginning of the fourth quarter to take a 38-28 lead - their largest since the opening period.
Booker continued to struggle with her shot, but finally got a jumper to go. A few minutes later the Longhorns went on a run to draw within seven, 47-40, with just over two minutes left. Oldacre made her fifth field goal of the game to make it just a two-possession game.
Harmon got a steal and Jordan Lee, who had also struggled with her shot late, made a layup to extend the Horns' late rally, but it all came to the pivotal play between the two teams' All-Americans.
The play with Booker and Betts arriving at the rim told the story of two stars rising to the occasion when it matters most, which was all the more difficult at the end of such a physical battle.
Betts and the Bruins prevailed, putting them one win away from a national title.
