UCLA Defeats LSU To Advance to Women's Final Four

LOS ANGELES, CA — UCLA advanced to the women's Final Four for the first time since 1979 with a 72-65 victory over LSU in the Regional 1 Final Sunday in Spokane, Washington, despite star center Lauren Betts' foul trouble.

Betts did not play in the second quarter after picking up two fouls in the first quarter, the first time this season she missed an entire quarter. However, the Bruins outscored the Tigers, 22-12, in the second quarter, turning a 13-9 deficit entering the quarter into a 31-25 halftime lead.

UCLA (34-2) held its biggest lead, 43-29, with six minutes, 40 seconds left in the third quarter. LSU outscored the Bruins, 9-2, over the final 5:20 of the third quarter cutting the deficit to 46-41.

Guard Flau'Jae Johnson scored the final six points of an 8-0 run that pulled the Tigers within three, 56-53, with 3:24 left.

However, LSU was unable to get any closer as UCLA scored six unanswered points to take a 62-53 lead with 1:30 remaining and led by at least five the rest of the game.

Forward Gabriela Jacquez led UCLA with 18 points, including the final five during the decisive fourth-quarter run on two free throws and a 3-point basket.

Betts added 17 in 25:11 before a crowd announced at 9,299 at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.

Johnson scored 28, while forward Aneesah Morrow added 15 and guard Mikaylah Williams 10 for the Tigers (31-6), who were seeded third in Regional 1 and 10th overall.

The Bruins will face the winner of Monday's Regional 4 final between USC and Connecticut Friday in the Final Four in Tampa, Florida. UCLA is the tournament's overall No. 1 seed.

The Bruins won the national championship in 1978 and finished fourth in 1979 when the tournament was conducted by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. The NCAA began conducting a women's basketball tournament in 1982.