UCLA women's basketball upset South Carolina on Sunday, winning by a final score of 77-62. The upset win over the No. 1 overall team in women's college basketball was impressive to say the least. Londynn Jones led UCLA with 15 points. Lauren Betts scored 11 points and added 14 rebounds and four assists. Betts fired an eye-opening warning following the victory.
"If you've been sleeping on UCLA, you need to stop right now," Betts said, via FOX College Hoops.
UCLA now holds a 5-0 record in 2024. They are emerging as one of the best teams in the sport. There are plenty of talented teams this year, but UCLA is beginning to catch the attention of opponents.
It is worth mentioning that South Carolina had won 43 consecutive games leading into Sunday's matchup. They are still one of the best teams in women's college basketball, but it is clear that UCLA needs to be taken seriously.
An in-depth look at the 2024-25 UCLA women's basketball team
UCLA may not have the most popular players in the sport, but that could change soon. The team is going to continue to see an increase in popularity amid their success. In the end, though, they are more concerned about winning games.
Lauren Betts leads UCLA with 21.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. Timea Gardiner is averaging 14 points per outing. Elina Aarnisalo is averaging 12.5 points and a team leading 7.5 assists per game. Overall, UCLA has four players averaging double-digit points per outing, as Janiah Barker is recording 11.3 points per game.
Will UCLA win the championship this year? Anything is possible, but they will have no shortage of intense competition. Nevertheless, UCLA is unquestionably trending in a promising direction.
UCLA has matchups on the horizon against teams such as Fresno State and Hawaii. They will not play against a currently ranked team again until December 29, though, when they go head-to-head with No. 21 Nebraska. It goes without saying, but a lot can change before December 29, however.
Nevertheless, UCLA needs to take advantage of their schedule over the next few weeks. They may not stay undefeated but they must continue to defeat the teams they are supposed to beat. And if they can continue to upset juggernauts like South Carolina, perhaps UCLA will end up winning the 2024 championship.
UCLA's potential is undeniable and they are playing a quality brand of basketball at the moment.