UCLA and Texas are on a mission, looking to avenge last year's Final Four exits in a high-stakes semifinal clash with only one championship ticket up for grabs.
While semifinal losses cut both teams' 2025 March Madness dreams short, UCLA has even more to prove. Texas handed the Bruins their only regular-season defeat last November, dominating 76-65 at the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas.
The Longhorns' physical backcourt forced UCLA into 20 turnovers in that meeting, converting those mistakes into 18 points. All-American center Lauren Betts managed just eight points on eight shots as Texas led by 20 at halftime.
"Coming out with a certain level of aggression is important and I'm going to make sure I do that," Betts said Thursday.
A fierce frontcourt battle is primed to steal the spotlight, as UCLA powerhouse Lauren Betts contends with Longhorns stars Kyla Oldacre and Madison Booker. Betts averaged 18.5 points and 7.6 rebounds this season while shooting 60.1% from the field. For her part, Booker averaged 19.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while leading Texas with 83 steals.
The No. 1 seeds have cruised through the NCAA tournament thus far, with Texas coming off a 36-point Elite Eight blowout over No. 2 seed Michigan. The Longhorns dominated four straight tournament opponents, allowing an average of just 49.4 points per game.
UCLA rebounded from its November loss by subsequently winning a program-record 28 straight games — including four double-digit NCAA tournament victories.
Texas is seeking its first national championship since its undefeated 1986 run. UCLA chases its first NCAA title, having won an AIAW championship in 1978, years before the NCAA took charge of women's basketball.
"This team right here, we're playing our best basketball, and we're doing it while having fun — we're doing it as a sisterhood," Booker said from Phoenix. "Win or lose, I'll be so proud of this group."
"I knew I just wanted to get back here again," Betts said. "This is not the end goal. We want to keep playing."
How to Watch UCLA vs. Texas in the 2026 Women's Final Four
UCLA tips off against Texas on Friday at 9:30 PM ET, live on ESPN.
The winner advances to Sunday's national championship game.
