Lauren Betts, UCLA Beat Texas in Final Four to Reach NCAA Title Game for 1st Time in Program History

For the first time in program history, UCLA will play in the national championship game.

The No. 1 Bruins downed No. 1 Texas 51-44 in the Final Four on Friday and will now face top-seeded South Carolina in the national title game on Sunday.

UCLA and Texas played a highly defensive battle on Friday, and the Bruins had just enough to come out on top, though it wasn't pretty. UCLA shot 41 percent from the floor and 31 percent from deep, turning the ball over 23 times.

The Longhorns were even worse, shooting 31 percent from the field, 22 percent from deep and committing 12 turnovers. Kyla Oldacre was the only Texas player in double digits, and the Bruins managed to shut down star Madison Booker, who finished with six points while shooting 3-of-23 from the field.

While neither offense truly found its rhythm, a quick scoring run from UCLA in the fourth quarter helped the Bruins create a double-digit lead.

Texas responded late, though, going on a 12-2 run to cut the lead down to just three points at the one-minute mark. Booker attempted a layup with just 20 seconds left that would have cut it to one, but Lauren Betts delivered a clutch block to help seal the game. From there, the Bruins were able to ice it at the line.

Moving on to the national title game is an impressive feat, but UCLA can't celebrate just yet. The Bruins have a tough matchup ahead against South Carolina, which beat undefeated UConn by double figures on Friday.