UCLA Celebrated by WCBB Fans as Win vs. Kim Mulkey, LSU Secures 1st Final Four Trip

For the first time in UCLA women's basketball history, the Bruins are headed to the Final Four.

Led by Lauren Betts' two-way brilliance, 1-seed UCLA held off a stiff challenge from 3-seeded LSU on Sunday, winning 72-65.

Betts was fantastic in the victory, putting up 17 points, seven rebounds and six blocks. UCLA needed every bit of it to hold off the pesky Tigers, who were led as usual by the dynamic duo of Flau'Jae Johnson (28 points, four assists) and Aneesah Morrow (15 points, seven rebounds).

Gabriela Jaquez added 18 points and eight boards for the Bruins, shooting 4-of-5 from three.

"This is a team effort, this is not about any individual," Betts said on the ESPN broadcast after the game. "This is UCLA, this is what we do."

It was a massive victory for the women's program at UCLA, and fans and pundits were excited to see the Bruins finally headed to a Final Four:

UCLA took control of the contest in the second quarter, outscoring LSU 22-12 in the frame. From there, the second half was a back-and-forth affair, but LSU could never fully extinguish the Bruins' lead.

Up next for the Bruins is a matchup against either their rivals, 1-seed USC, or 2-seeded UConn, a perennial threat at the NCAA tournament. The Bruins ended their Final Four drought, though it's hard to imagine they'll be too satisfied with that accomplishment alone.