How UCLA Won its First-Ever National Championship

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "How UCLA Won its First-Ever National Championship"

No Offseason: The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show
Released: April 6, 2026
Hosts: Zena Keita (A), Layshia Clarendon (B), Sabreena Merchant (C), Chantel Jennings (D)

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into UCLA's historic first NCAA women’s basketball championship, breaking down how the Bruins toppled South Carolina with a confident, physical, and tactical performance. The hosts analyze the game’s turning points, coaching strategies, individual standouts, and what the result means for the future of both programs.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Scene: UCLA’s Historic Win

• [00:20] Zena Keita notes UCLA’s 79–51 blowout over South Carolina to claim their first official NCAA title, contrasting it with their AIAW championship in 1978.
• The team discusses the surprising margin of victory and marvels at how thorough UCLA’s win was.

Game Flow and Momentum

• UCLA’s Energy and Execution
  • [01:53] Chantel spotlights Gabriela Jaquez’s relentless presence: “It was like there were four of her… All Gas Gabs.”
  • The hosts agree UCLA’s offense returned to season form after an uncharacteristic outing against Texas ([03:15]).
  • South Carolina’s bench looked “zoned out,” signaling trouble early on ([02:22]).
• South Carolina’s Fizzled Response
  • South Carolina’s rare use of a press brought momentary life but quickly faltered ([03:15], [25:15]).
  • Dawn Staley’s rapid player rotation signaled how out of rhythm and searching for answers South Carolina was ([06:13], [06:22]).

Coaching & Tactics

• Corey Close Outcoaches Dawn Staley
  • Layshia: UCLA’s defensive physicality and willingness to push the Gamecocks off their sets rattled South Carolina ([04:30]).
  • Sabreena: “This is 15 years into her career. This is not an overnight thing…She had to make this path for herself” ([41:00]).
  • Chantel: “She just out coached Dawn Staley today. I think that’s pretty clear” ([28:35]).
• Rebounding & Team Physicality
  • UCLA “won the rebounding margin 49-37,” a clear indicator of their dominance ([08:00]).
  • Lauren Betts and Gabriela Jaquez led a true team rebounding effort, disrupting South Carolina’s usual edge ([09:06]).

Turning Points & Memorable Moments

• Early Substitutions and Freshman Exposure
  • Both coaches broke norms by playing deeper into their benches early, notably with freshmen like Lena Billich for UCLA ([16:44], [18:18]).
• The Third Quarter Decimation
  • “UCLA beat South Carolina 25–9 in the third quarter. It was the lowest third quarter in national title history.” – Chantel ([26:45])
  • The hosts note the air seemed to leave South Carolina’s sails at this point.
• Aggression and Smiling—and Why It Matters
  • UCLA maintained energy and joy, “just having so much fun…if you are kicking my ass and you’re smiling, you’re psycho” – Zena ([32:41]).

South Carolina’s Struggles

• Outcoached, Outplayed, and Out-energized

  • Layshia: “South Carolina looked small…like, across the board” ([09:29]).
  • Poor shot selection and ball movement—“The assist count was 23-9, advantage UCLA” ([21:28]).
  • Lauren Betts’s size and defensive impact left SC’s post players stymied ([22:05]-[23:23]).

• Leadership and Fire

  • Tessa Johnson showed effort, but the team lacked a vocal, fiery leader to change the team’s energy, especially compared to what UCLA brought ([28:06]-[28:35]).
  • Notably, after a similar defeat in last year’s title game, SC’s key returners still looked shell-shocked ([31:42]).

What’s Next for Both Schools

• UCLA’s Senior Legacy and Portal Prospects
  • The hosts reflect on the senior class’s emotions and legacy, pointing to Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez, and Lauren Betts ([33:32]-[40:46]).
  • “You love to see it for her. Lauren Betts, of course, 14 and 11 with a double double. Gabriela Jaquez, leading scorer of the game, 21 points, adds her own 10 rebounds, five assists” – Zena ([39:30]-[40:10]).
  • Sabreena: “At a program that’s going to have a lot of exposure…that seems like a pretty good selling pitch” for transfer portal prospects ([34:20]).
  • Open question: Will UCLA reload or rebuild? “I don’t think UCLA’s going to be a national title-winning team next year…it’s really hard to be a one-and-done program in college basketball” – Sabreena ([36:42]-[36:56]).
• South Carolina’s Resilience and Youth Movement
  • Agat Makir’s 11-point showing was a spark for the future, but the team needs to find a new emotional leader ([30:06]-[31:05]).
  • Hosts agree that by roster stability, SC is better poised for a quick rebound ([36:56]-[37:17]).

Reflections on Coaching Legacy

• Corey Close’s Journey
  • Corey’s 15-year tenure, learning from the legendary John Wooden, and building a genuine, player-focused culture gets special attention ([41:00]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On UCLA’s Defensive Energy:
  “Gabriela Jaquez was everywhere on the floor. It was like there were four of her. And I get that we call her All Gas Gabs, but…so true tonight.” – Chantel, [01:53]

• On Outcoaching:
  “Corey Close…just out coached Dawn Staley today. I think that’s pretty clear.” – Sabreena, [28:35]

• On Joy and Hunger:
  “If you are kicking my ass and you’re smiling, you’re psycho.” – Zena, [32:41]

• On Rebounding as Destiny:
  “If you can win the rebounding battle, you can beat them…South Carolina has four losses on the season, four of their five worst rebounding performances.” – Chantel, [08:13]

• On Player Development:
  “Watching Lauren Betts handle physicality this year was such a big growth. The way she came off of cross screens and when someone comes off a cross screen, usually the defender bumps them. And she met the contact, forced them to call the fouls…she’s not getting frustrated...not getting defeated…” – Layshia, [38:09]

• On Corey Close’s Journey:
  “She had like a Tuesdays with Maury situation with John Wooden…and he would just like put all of this wisdom into her head…” – Chantel, [41:00]

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Key Timestamps

• 00:20: Setting up UCLA’s historic win—scoreline, context, and why it was unexpected
• 01:53: Gabriela Jaquez’s energy and the psychological impact on South Carolina
• 04:30: UCLA’s defensive game plan: Physicality, pushing off the line, dictating tempo
• 08:00: Rebounding as the difference-maker
• 13:54-15:40: On senior motivation and playing with joy in pressure situations
• 16:44-18:18: Rotation gambles: Why both teams went to their benches so early
• 21:28-23:23: South Carolina’s stagnant offense, trouble against Lauren Betts
• 26:45: Third quarter—historic UCLA beatdown, “lowest third quarter in national title history”
• 28:35-29:13: Out-coached and outplayed—where South Carolina fell short
• 31:42: Surprising lack of South Carolina response a year after their own blowout loss
• 32:41: Smiling assassins: The power of happy, hungry teams
• 34:02-34:20: UCLA’s transfer portal prospects
• 36:42-37:17: Team culture and why South Carolina is “a more ready made team to win”
• 38:09-40:10: Giving flowers to Lauren Betts and Gabriela Jaquez
• 41:00: Corey Close’s tenure, John Wooden’s influence, and program culture

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Conclusion

• Final Thoughts:
  • The episode ends on reflections about legacy, the real work behind building a championship program, and the wide-open prospects for both squads as they head into a pivotal off-season.
  • UCLA’s story is one of joy, culture, and execution—they simply “out-coached, out-played, and out-energized” South Carolina in a way no one predicted for a national final.

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For more on women’s hoops, tune in to future No Offseason episodes or read the team at The Athletic.

Transcript

[A]

Hello, everyone, and welcome to no off season. I'm Zena Kaida.

[B]

I'm Lazia Clarendon.

[C]

I'm Sabrina Merchant.

[D]

And I'm Chantel Jennings.

[A]

There is a new team at the top of the pyramid, folks. UCLA won its first ever national championship under the NCAA era. Important to note, okay, AI championship was won by UCLA back in 1978 under Annie Myers Drysdale and her squad. But the UCLA Bruins have done it now under NCAA dominating South Carolina, 79 to 51. Now, that score, that score was a run up at the end, folks.

[B]

No, not even a little.

[A]

That score was what it was. All right, it should tell you just some of what you need to know about this game. And we're going to break all of that down for you right now. Crew, listen, that size said everything.

[C]

That size said everything.

[A]

This isn't what we expected. Okay?

[C]

I think Chantel and I both picked ucla, so I picked up my six.

[A]

There we go. Okay, so I'll say this. You know, if you're watching this, you know that this side of the table, Malaysia and I were wrong. We were very wrong. Other side of the table, correct. But I don't even know if you could have predicted that.

[C]

I'm only voting because it's the only prediction I've gotten right in the last, like, three weeks.

[A]

That's okay, Serena. That's okay. UCLA did their thing, but it was one of those things where it's like, we could not have predicted this sort of a deficit. I've talked to Lajah. We had a live breakdown right after the game. Go check that out if you haven't seen it. But I want to turn to you guys. Chantel, Sabrina, your immediate thoughts as this game started to get out of hand for South Carolina? Like, what came to mind?

[D]

I think I was focused on just the constant energy of the UCLA players. We were talking about this earlier. Gabriela Hawkez was everywhere on the floor. It was like there were four of her. And I get that we call her All Gas Gabs, but it was so. It's a perfect nickname, but so true tonight. And then at the same time it was. And I get that, like, the lead was ballooning. South Carolina was out of this. But, like, looking at the players on the bench, I was like, they just looked kind of like zonked out a

[A]

little bit on the South Carolina side.

[D]

Yeah, just like very, like not zonked. Zoned out of it, I think.

[A]

Zonked, Zonked out.

[D]

But it was just. I was very surprised by that, that it was like it was just so thorough and so decisive that it was like, yeah, better team one, flat out.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I think this is the UCLA offense that we saw for most of the regular season. I mean, they even put up 70 points on Duke in the Elite Eight. That's a very good defense. Right. The way Texas made them look was uncharacteristic. Right. But this is the number one offense in the country. They looked like the number one offense in the country for most of this game. And really, like, we had our predictions up on the site, you know, right after the semifinals ended. And the one thing I said was, I think UCLA is going to have no problem scoring because South Carolina doesn't press. And I didn't think that they'd be able to stop South Carolina, but I didn't really question their offense and their offense, like, looked the way it was supposed to look.

[D]

That was the surprising thing, though. You are right. South Carolina does not press 3% of possessions this season. That's it. And so it's not something that UCLA would have come into this game thinking, we should really prepare for this. And when they pulled out in the second quarter, it was. I have the notes here somewhere. It was like, backcourt violation, jump ball, turnover, like, three possessions in a row. And it was like, oh, here's some momentum.

[B]

They gotta kill it.

[D]

I think they pulled it within 12 or 13 at that point, and it was like, oh, here we go. Like, build on this, build on this, build on this. And then they didn't.

[A]

Now, Lejea Sabrina just laid this out really well. This. There's not a difference in the offense that we saw from ucla. We know that this the difference. The margin of victory all season long for UCLA has been gargantuan. So this isn't surprising from that perspective, but it is surprising because it's a championship game. It's an addy.

[C]

It's an addy.

[B]

There's no rest to be had at this.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

But thinking about that, when you know your team is so good at offense, get into the headspace of coach Corey Close as she prepares her team for this game. Going up against a team like South Carolina that has great defense and, you know, you have great offense, but you've got to stop them. What is the message to your team? What's the game plan going into this game?

[B]

Oh, I mean, one. It's the last game. So I think for me, seeing the fact that South Carolina took down the Giant, right. They slayed Goliath. So I said this the other day of, like, as soon as they lost, before the Texas and UCLA games started, I feel like that was a little bit of energy. Like, oh, like we could, right? Like, I. The year that Baylor lost to Louisville. Lost to Louisville, we were like, yes. And then like, George also beat Stanford. We're like, yes, we were supposed to get to the Final Four. We're like, you pay attention to that stuff. You don't want to hyper focus on it. But, like, also, you're like, oh, my God, the door just opened, right? To not have to get through UConn, which is a tougher matchup for UCLA. So I thought coming this game, they were like, oh, we can win a natty. Like, this isn't us having to redeem ourselves from last year, which we know what it feels like to play UConn. I think they had the confidence. I think scouting report wise, it was very clear what they wanted to do, right? They wanted to use their length, sag off of South Carolina, dictate who takes shots. South Carolina fell for it. We'll talk about that and use their length. The thing I was really impressed with UCLA's defense was, too, was their physicality. They push South Carolina off their lines constantly. So when you're going to set a screen, right, and you get bumped off your line, then you're not setting the screen. And South Carolina let them do that over and over. And then when they switch, they had to switch. So they jumped out. They took all of the fight to South Carolina from the start of the game. We saw South Carolina start slow against UConn, but they were able to, like, ooh, take a deep breath and bounce back. They did not. And UCLA did like their foot off the gas. I thought that was the difference.

[C]

And I think the way the game was officiated sort of worked in UCLA's favor because it was a little bit tighter than the games that we saw on Friday night. Like, there was more, not as much contact was getting allowed in this game. And I think that just worked in their favor. The way they want to play the flow that they're trying to get on offense. It was more encouraged by the way this game was riffed.

[D]

And I think we could tell from the jump that South Carolina was like, oh, this isn't going the way we thought it would go. Don Staley played nine players in the first quarter.

[A]

We got to get into that.

[D]

And it was like, turnabees is checking in. I'm like, she didn't even play in the Final Four. She hasn't played more than 10 minutes in, like, two weeks. What is going on here?

[C]

She checks me right away.

[A]

I turned around, Leija was in the row behind me. I said, we're talking about this. Yeah, because Lena Billich.

[D]

Yeah, well, the UCLA side too, but

[C]

we'll get to that.

[D]

Yeah, we saw that.

[A]

Yeah, right.

[B]

But it felt like they were like, wait, what are you doing? What are you. Like this.

[D]

You're going to play someone you don't really play great. Us too.

[A]

Right. John and Corey were like, oh, you got freshmen. We got freshmen too. We're going to try them out in the national championship team.

[D]

There is some first quarter.

[C]

You don't wanna see the text messages that I was sending Chantel during that sequence.

[A]

It was like it made no sense. But let's pause really quickly and I'm happy to talk about the getting off the line because folks like if you haven't played basketball and you haven't been in those situations where if someone is screening and your play is set to have a screen by the three point line and you're having to go around a screen that's maybe five feet off the three point line, it ruins your spacing and then you have to spend considerable seconds within a shot clock to make up for the fact that you are now further away the basket. It's a further dribble drive to get to the basket. And by the time you get there, the trees have recovered. And that's what I feel like UCLA did such a great job of doing. I want to we going to talk about those threshmen. Don't worry, don't worry about that. The rebounding huge, right? That margin was massive and I think that that was probably like one of those. The simple things. UCLA ends up winning the rebounding margin 49 to 37. And that actually got closer than what it was throughout the game. But that in itself is a very small aspect of the game, Chantelle, that when you get that going, offensive opportunities, second chance points, it just makes your offense come easier.

[D]

Yeah, I mean I think one of the consistent things about South Carolina is if you can win the rebounding battle, you can beat them. They're a team that has really good posts. But if you look, they have four losses on the season, four of their five worst rebounding performances in terms of the rebounding percentage. So the total number of rebounds that they got out of the full number of rebounds, they're five, four of the losses are of their five worst performances this season. So it's like UCLA wasn't even the worst. So it's just like that is one thing where it's like, if they're going to lose the rebounding battle, they're in trouble. They're in trouble. And I thought that was a really good example. And it wasn't just Lauren Betts going to work tonight. Like, yes, she finished with 11 boards, the most of any UCLA player. But like, Gabriela Hawkez, absolute beast on the boards. Kiki Rice had six. Gianna Neepkins, oh, she only had one.

[B]

She had one. She had one.

[C]

I was like, you know, it's like doing other things.

[D]

Gianna did many other things. You commented on the defense, but no, it was five. And even Sienna Betts had four. Like, it was very much a team rebounding performance. They had six team boards. Like, if you can beat you. If you can beat South Carolina on the glass, you put yourself in a much better position to win. And I think that's true against any team. Like, that feels like the most obvious thing to say about basketball, but it's important to have. Very true about South Carolina.

[B]

And I thought they did it with their energy, effort, but also the size. We saw the difference tonight was like, oh, South Carolina looks small, like, across the board. Like everybody.

[C]

UCLA brings off the bench. Sienna bets is 6 4. Billets is 6 3. Angela Douglas is 6 4. Maybe even taller than 6 4.

[A]

Gluttonous.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[D]

Just got height and size, tall women.

[A]

And it felt like for me, when I was watching this lady, and I'm curious if you saw this too, the way that the shots were going up were so quick in the shot clock. Like, overall, more shots were going up earlier in the off for UCLA in a way that South Carolina wasn't in position to rebound. And so by the time the shots were going up, you've got Gabriela Hakaz. It's like, I know when my team is putting the shot up, so I'm already on the way to the basket. I'm already going in.

[C]

Such a good nose for offensive.

[A]

Right? Great. Yeah, exactly. And so. And South Carolina felt like they were just waking up to, oh, a shot went up. And I'm not only out of position to rebound, I am now out of position to guard once the ball gets into the hands of ucla. And then they had a second chance opportunity.

[B]

They just looked a step slow all around like that. They were reactive. They were never proactive. The fight was being taken to them. That's a great example. On the O boards, it's like the.

[A]

Huh?

[B]

Oh, and then Hawk is like, scoring. He's like, get the ball. Take it out like they were just. I don't know if it's deflated from the last game.

[C]

He's playing delay smaller and slower.

[B]

No. Right.

[C]

Versus that we doubled what we talked

[B]

about with lots and last game was like she was ferocious on the. Like she was what Hakis was this game. And then you see the difference of having energy, momentum, tenacity, a want, a desire. I think, I think you say like could taste it. And they were like, we're not leaving here with a bitter taste in our mouth this year.

[A]

Sabrina, you called the that South Carolina executed against UConn a masterclass. And the adjustments that Dawn Staley has and how her team executed that being a masterclass today. It was Corey closest team. Like they stuck to the game plan. Did it feel from jump obvious that they were more locked in than South Carolina?

[C]

100%. Like the very first possession, Lauren Betts wins the tip. They set up their offense. Forget exactly how they got the switch, but they got a switch where Okad is now guarding Hawkes and so she sort of just like Nashes around, you know, paint.

[A]

Yep.

[C]

Okad still trailing her. That means Joyce is guarding bets one on one and she gets the ball to Lauren and it's like, okay, well, easy basket. Right? And like that's exactly what they wanted to do. They got it on the very first possession. Defensively, it looked, you know, perfect when Lauren was guarding the rim on that next possession. Like if you had scripted like, you know how football players like football teams, like they script their first series exactly what they want. Like that's what UCLA's first five minutes. It looked like it was scripted.

[A]

They didn't look. They looked locked in. And I wanted to talk a little bit before we turn to South Carolina about the energy because lazy. You talked about how these games at the end of the season are not. They're grinds. They're not going to be beautiful, beautiful basketball, you know, even though we saw beautiful basketball out of ucla. But the games themselves are always going to be. They're not going to be those heartbreaking, close cut type of games.

[C]

They have 2019 final four. So special.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So thinking about UCLA not looking fatigued, looking locked in, how do you get to a point like that? Are you playing off? Like, where do you get an extra reserve to be able to show up like that?

[B]

I think there's a few things. I think, like I said, the door opened. I think losing to UConn losing was like a. A confidence builder in a way. Like you just find that extra juice I think South Carolina looked a bit deflated from slaying Goliath. It's no excuse, but I think it was just like, oh, they look like that whole maybe debacle, a scene, the energy of all that, like, took something out of them.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I think ucla, they've never won one. Right. So you can't take for granted, like, South Carolina has been here. It's been more of the standard. It's more normalized.

[C]

They've been in the national title.

[B]

Right. So it's like. I do think. I don't think they took it for granted, but it's like you're hungry when you've never won. Like. Right. Like, when I went to the Final Four, I was like, I've never been there. Like, I want it.

[A]

I want it.

[B]

You know, like. And so I think they just found that little bit of extra sauce. And I think that confidence of seeing the window of opportunity really opened up, like, helped them.

[D]

I also think had.

[C]

Sorry, go ahead. Not only have they never been there before, but, like, they can never be there again.

[D]

That's seniors.

[C]

They can never get back there.

[D]

Right.

[C]

And I forget who we were talking about this. Like, there's obviously a great pressure, and, you know, oh, my God, this is our last game ever playing together, but also, like, hey, this is the last time we get to do this. Like, let's make it look really good.

[D]

Yeah, I think that, to me, really stood out. We were chatting with some coaches the other night, and one of the coaches said to us, senior year, you can get really, really tight toward the end of the season because the pressure gets to you, or you can be really loose. It's like one of the two, and you don't really know what's going to happen. And this specific coach was saying, you know, this is why I think UCLA might play tight, because they know how it went last year against UConn. And this was before the Final Four games, and you don't know what it's going to be like. And they. The last time they were here, it went so poorly. And I think that really stood out to me is that this is also a team that, like, doesn't have a ton of depth. Most of these players are playing, like, 27, 28, 30 minutes a game. Like, their legs have miles on them. I remember hearing the stat, Gabriela Haquez, whatever. It was like, the effort she put forth in the final. Her output was two players worth. Like, they have miles on their legs. But I think the thing that I realized as they were Playing was like. And this is gonna sound so cheesy, but, like, how much they were smiling. They were like, they were just having so much fun.

[A]

Like, it's scary.

[D]

Yeah. Like, as they're at half court, it's like, you know, or free throws are happening or whatever. Like, dead ball situations. Like, they're in, like, great moods. And granted, they were up so, like, you know, they're like, we're up 15.

[B]

Oh, my God, this is great.

[D]

But it was like. It felt like there was an ease and a comfort, and I think it's sort of like, as someone that ran exacting one marathon in my life, it was absolute hell. But you get to that last mile, and you find it, like, you dig deep and you can run that last mile. And I think they got to that place where they saw the finish line. I think you're right. They saw, like, this is it. We can do this. And rather than having that urgency and pressure of like, oh. Like, it was like, oh, let's go get this. And like, they just sprinted to the finish.

[C]

And I think it helped that it felt like UConn ran into their first real, like, time of adversity in that Final Four game. And South Carolina didn't really face an adversity until, you know, this game against ucla. Whereas ucla, that game against Duke, I think, was really important.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

When they're down double digits in the first half, down eight going into halftime, they figured out how this works. And Corey was like, you know, you don't get opportunities to play those kind of game. Like, we haven't had those opportunities. She's like, obviously, I wouldn't trade the way we played in Big Ten. We haven't had those opportunities.

[B]

Did you want.

[A]

I would have come back in that championship game.

[C]

I think it mattered that they had to do that, and they were able to figure it out before they got

[D]

to the Final Four.

[A]

Yeah. I think the senior thing is so real, and I want to touch on these seniors in a little bit because I want to call out their performances from this game, but also what it means for their future. Before we get to the seniors, real quick on these freshmen that came in, Lena Billich comes in, and we were like, I had to go check. I was like, I know she didn't play. I know she didn't play in the

[C]

last game against Texas.

[A]

When she came in against Minnesota, I was like, I just heard Leech at the end of the game, and I was like, oh, Douglas? Nope. Billich. I haven't seen her much. I hadn't seen her much over the course of the season except in the blowout winds. That's when she would get opportunities. Any insight into what spurred that?

[C]

You know, I think the intensity of this game at the start is just, like, so high. Right? Like, they were just, like, all gas, literally. And I think if I were to. I didn't get to actually ask Corey this, but if I were to speculate, it was just, hey, I don't want you to, like, overrun yourself in these first five minutes. So I'm just gonna put Lena out there. You know, she got one good offensive rebound.

[A]

You know, it's like, you know, and like, I. And there's nothing. I mean, there's nothing wrong with. I was just curious.

[C]

She wasn't just, like, a blowout player this year. You know, she got some rotation minutes, like, obviously not in the final Four, because that was a different kind of game, but. But also played a main. Amused, I think, in the first quarter.

[D]

I'm looking back at our notes, and I literally sent you in all caps. This is not the time.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And we're talking about how, like, they all play six, seven players, and I'm looking at nine people down the roster.

[C]

They took Lauren bets out. They put cnn and like, you. South Carolina attacks the basket immediately, right. And one immediately, right. Six points right away. And it was like. Well, then we find out that Lauren had, like, the thing with her throw, like, maybe that's what was part of it. But all of those subs at once was very weird, very concerning, I think, on both sides.

[D]

I think both you sent to me. I am aghast.

[C]

I am aghast. Yeah. Literally in my notes, I think that we could do a interpretive. They were just trying to, like, make sure that, like, again, I think UCLA was just so amped.

[D]

I think also when you're that early in the game and you're playing South Carolina and Corey has played South Carolina a lot, like, this is not a. South Carolina is not a team that you put away in the first five minutes. Like, I think she knew that they had to save something in the tank. And it was almost like when this

[C]

run happens, one coach bringing in their freshman, like, allowed the other coach permission to do that.

[A]

Oh, you go do that.

[C]

Yeah, I know.

[D]

I was trying to check her.

[B]

Like, are they trying to go big or are they going small? I was like, yeah, but, you know,

[A]

Elena Bilich is big. Like, she's a big guard. And I just. I was like, this is so interesting. But now it's cool.

[C]

Next year, you know, there you go. And I can say we played in the final.

[B]

There you go. Got the experience.

[A]

The aspect of the runner's high, though, is such a good visual to think about what it felt like UCLA was playing like in this game. Let's turn our attention to South Carolina and what went wrong.

[B]

Mm, a lot.

[A]

And. Yeah, collect another side.

[C]

Let me all take that again.

[A]

Um. All season long, we've talked about the Gamecocks being a team that executes, a team that knows their game plan. And if they. If their game plan needs in game adjustments, they are the best. The most equipped team to be able to, one, make the adjustment with Dawn Staley at the helm. But also being able to receive the adjustment and then go out and execute at will, it did not feel like there was any adjustments to be made because you can't quite adjust size. You can't.

[D]

I mean, you can't grow 4 inches at halftime.

[A]

You can't grow 4 inches at halftime.

[C]

Talk is, heels are not a great

[B]

shoe to have out, but you can not settle for shocks.

[A]

That's what I was gonna get.

[C]

You had to be more disruptive.

[D]

You can try and stay in the press.

[A]

You can have the effort. And it just felt like yesterday you heard or not yesterday, two days ago, you hear Raven Johnson talking about South Carolina coach saying, meet the moment. Don Salig saying, meet the moment. They didn't meet the moment. Malaysia, I'll start with you in ways in which they didn't execute. You already referenced one.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And so I just wanted to get you. I want you to.

[B]

It makes me very frustrated as a point guard, particularly because, Lorraine, one team has a scout, right? Everyone has a scouting report. Ucla, it's like, we're gonna use our length. We're gonna make you settle for outside shots. We're bait you into taking outside shots. South Carolina fel that particularly their bigs, right? Like, rude coaches. I always took this personally when they'd say it, like, to all the players, like, you're open for a reason. You're like, you. But it's like, true, right? It's like they want you to settle for that shot, right? Like, they want you to take the under 3 or A in the shot clock. They want you like, they're like, great, okay, if you're going to beat us from three, great. If you're going to beat us from, you know, free throw line jumpers all night, have 20, right? And so what South Carolina did was they settled for those shots early and they weren't moving the ball. You have to move length. Length can switch. So when you switch, you keep a body on a body. You have have to move and screen even more. I mentioned they're getting pushed off their line, Right? So now you see no ball movement from South Carolina. They're selling for shots. The people South Carolina, once taking the shots, aren't taking the shots. Right. We want Tess Johnson taking shots. Tessa, we want Lassen getting downhill. We want the bigs taking shots, shooting. I know the size really hurt her.

[D]

She was one of five.

[A]

Zero threes.

[C]

Okay? Yeah.

[A]

And she was one of five from the four. And to underscore your point about ball movement, the assist count was 23. Nine. Advantage UCLA. And being. I mean, the baiting, particularly Sybrina, I ain't gonna lie to you. The first time I saw Medina Okot turn around and realize that Lauren Betts was the person guarding her, it felt like she short circuited. She. Like she didn't know what to do with the ball and had to pass it back out. And it was mind blowing because I know you've watched these teams extensively throughout the year, and Medina Ocott has shown up against other bigs.

[C]

She's done shown up against, like, Reagan Beers and Clara Strapp and, you know, good bigs in the sec.

[A]

So this is. I mean, if someone dropped off on the face of the planet and never seen Medina Ocott play, they'd be like, oh, she's a sorry big that doesn't know how to play a good size. You know what I mean? It's like. No, no, no, no, no, no. Don't get it mixed up. It's a very talented big, but the size of Lauren Betts was a lot for these bigs to handle in the South Carolina side.

[C]

Yeah, we spent a lot of time talking about, like, matchups before the game, and we talked about the Joyce Edwards matchup. And I. I just feel like we didn't talk enough about the Lauren Betts matchup.

[B]

You mentioned it, like, casually. We're not talking about.

[A]

I think it's a really good point, but I feel like the Lauren Betts matchup is more so it's like a. More Lauren Betts dome of impact. Right? Because it's not just one person she's gonna pass.

[D]

She changes everything.

[A]

Everything.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, just defensively, there's no one like her in college basketball. Not even close. Like, because. Because they switch her out now, you know, and she can guard perimeter players and she still protects the paint, and she's just so forceful that you don't even want to drive in on her. Right. And it wasn't just, oh God, it was Doubta, it was Hornby's.

[D]

Right.

[C]

All of them were just like a little pump, a little fade. You know, I don't know how to like take a shot directly against you. And I think the level of difference, you know, between bets and all those other bigs we talked about who are very good players, it's just, I think maybe even more than we gave her credit for.

[D]

Yeah, I mean, I think it's pretty wild. Raven hit one, one shot all night. One of seven, I think it was against Lawrence. That was the only shot she hit all night.

[B]

Yeah. And I thought they rush shot the length of UCLA when they didn't necessarily block the shots. Was they alter like South Carolina got to the rim at times and then they just like, it felt like they

[C]

just chucked 9, 21 on layups.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I thought part of it, I thought they looked a little sped up at times and part of it was like, oh, the length is bothering them. That as a player you almost second guess to get blocked and then you're worried.

[C]

It's like you're seeing ghosts.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You're like, yes, length and arms and limbs everywhere.

[A]

You're anticipating. That's what my coach is called. Don't anticipate the foul. You need to just go play through it. And if you get fouled, you get fouled. Chantel. It felt like also, I mean, yes, we've talked about the size difference, we've talked a little bit about being baited and also the bigs, but it felt like there was a window. There was a window that South Carolina felt like they were gonna come through in the second quarter. You saw them press, you saw them press and drop back into a zone and UCLA was like, oh, no, we don't know what's going on. It's like when you're like with your dog, you go across around the corner and they're like, they're gone.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

What's happening?

[B]

Disappeared.

[C]

You don't know what's going on.

[A]

It's like the second that South Carolina went into a zone or a practice, UCLA was like, we don't know what to do with this.

[D]

Right.

[A]

Why did they not stick with that?

[D]

I don't know. And it was, it was really interesting because not only was the press working in terms of creating disruption and turnovers and steals and all of that great stuff, but it also just impacted the UCLA offensive flow. There was like a four minute stretch there in the second quarter while they Were pressing where even when UCLA was effective in getting through the press, they were like, one of eight from the floor. When they finally got through it, and it was like, oh, you're getting to them. And I forget exactly. I think they still got it maybe within, like, 10 or 11, but it was the best they had looked at the most.

[C]

Yeah, they got to 11.

[D]

They got to 11. It was. It was the closest they had gotten. And I thought to myself, like, okay, here South Carolina comes, like, this is when they start building momentum. This is when they start, you know, like, stacking great possessions. And then they just did it.

[A]

They didn't do. They came out the first. So important to note. First quarter, South Carolina, 10 points, 21 for UCLA. Second quarter, that deficit closes up 13 points for South Carolina, 15 for UCLA going into the half, and you're like, oh, okay, this might be a game, right? First three plays, I literally sent out a post to say the bigs are going to be the factor for South Carolina if they want to get into this game. Medina Ocock comes out and scores the first bucket, and we're like, hold up. It's a basketball game, folks. Yeah, Three straight turnovers.

[D]

Yeah, well. And there's that teni ladson steal where she just, like, jumped into the passing lane. And I was like, yes, some energy.

[A]

The one right before the half.

[D]

Yeah, that one from, like, so much energy.

[A]

She looked like a wide receiver, like a quarterback. Excuse me. Breaking that up. I mean, it was beautiful.

[D]

Yeah, it was. And then again, it was just sort of like, coming out into the third quarter again. We've talked on this podcast so much about Don Staley's famous halftime speeches and sort of, like, you look at that third quarter as such an indicator of, like, great teams making adjustments, coming out with energy, and being the one that really, like, makes their mark there. And UCLA beat South Carolina 25, 9 in the third quarter.

[C]

I feel like you're whispering because it seems disrespectful.

[D]

I mean, it was just so, like.

[A]

It was rough.

[D]

They beat them twice.

[A]

I don't know where things broke down.

[D]

It's just surprising.

[A]

It was very surprising. And you typically.

[D]

It was the lowest quarter in national title history, lowest third quarter in national title history.

[B]

And, like, you can't go ahead, get synergy at halftime. I guess, like, they already, you know, like, don, like, where's the secret stuff? You know, they need to, like, write. Yeah, finished the quarter also. They had that good stretch, but they finished the second quarter okot. I'm pointing out to you, like, they had a moment of. I don't know if it's disagreement, like Raven Johnson's looking otten being like, what you were supposed to be there. Like, they didn't run that offensive play. They finished that second quarter missing out an opportunity to. Didn't even get a shot right. Didn't even get a shot because they were disappointed. So, like, their offense never, ever, ever found a flow.

[A]

And there was something that Raven was upset about with the reference at the end of the half, and she went to go talk to Dawn Staley about it. I think like a ball. I think she got a turnover somehow and she didn't think it was supposed to be a turnover, but that was another thing. Like, it was just like consistent frustration. You typically don't ever see Raven complaining about stuff like that. So they just felt a little bit out of character all night and just discomfort. But Tessa Johnson.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Was the only one that felt like, let's just go at him, you know? But it's tough though, Sabrina, thinking about Tessa. We, like, grown up watching Tessa. Little Tessa. That's like a sweetheart.

[D]

So much experience in these games.

[A]

So much experience in these games.

[D]

Three days.

[A]

But she's also not gonna be the person that's like, get your sh together.

[C]

This is like a more foul mouth podcast than usual.

[D]

It is.

[C]

We're all tired.

[D]

It's been long.

[A]

But, like, she's not gonna be the person to cuss folks out.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

She's just gonna play by example. And it's great to have someone like her be your example, but how much do they need a firestarter, Someone to, like, not only be scoring, but also, like, getting under their skin about effort and energy?

[C]

I mean, I thought they had that, like, the combination of Raven and Tanaya and Joyce and Tessa, like, collectively has been that over the course of the season, I think. I think they were just demoralized by how hard it was to get things done against ucla. And, you know, we talked about the. The Don masterclass last game. Like, Corey Close. Not a coach who gets a lot of credit for her exes and O's, obviously program builder culture. Everybody knows that about Corey. She just out coached Don Saley today. Like, I think that's pretty clear.

[A]

Yeah. And I just. The aggression as well. I mean, it's being out coached. It's X's and O's. But then also UCLA's aggression versus South Carolina. It just wasn't there for South Carolina.

[B]

Yeah. It's two things. It's outplayed and out coached.

[C]

Right.

[B]

There's two the players have to play on the court and then the adjustments are the coach's job. So I thought at times Don could have looked to get right. Your bigs are taking shots you don't want. I look over at Don, she's like, like, she's like, damn it. Like, right? And it's like trying to run a set to be like, hey, we're going to get Tess off of the stagger or whatever. We're going to. There was a play in the third quarter where it was. I think it was lots and joy were in a side pick and roll and it was beautiful. And it was like the game was kind of over at that point. So you're like, is the defense really playing? Come off of a pick and roll on the left side and she hits her in a pocket pass. I'm like, where is that, like getting the two people you want in the position that you want them in to score? Right. That's what Yukon did not do. And today that's what Don did not do. And South Carolina was not able to execute. And then the players just outplayed.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like in her post game, like, yeah, we didn't have it.

[A]

Are any of you encouraged by a gott MC here freshman coming into a national championship game? Come in. Scores 11 points, three or six from the field. Four, four from free throw line. Gets to the free throw line. Is that encouraging thinking about what's going to come for next year with the health that South Carolina has returning and having a player like Odot McKir.

[D]

Yeah, I mean, I think anytime you have a player, UCLA is a perfect example. They came to the final four last year. They were embarrassed on a national stage. They've all talked about going home, retooling, refocusing, and coming back like agat Makir. Great experience. She's gonna remember this feeling. And I also will say that like I had a front row seat. Like she was talking back and forth with Gianna Neepkins and I was like, yes, do it, fire. Go for it. Like, she's 24.

[C]

Is it hilarious that a Canadian and Minnesotan are trash talking with each other?

[D]

I mean, maybe that's part of it. She was like, I need Minnesota.

[C]

I just.

[D]

But that was like the fire we were talking about. Like we kept waiting to sort of see South Carolina like initiate and like that's not necessarily like the greatest way to say, like, oh, they're initiating. Cause they're. But it was like a dead ball situation. They're both just kind of like this. And I'M like, yes, like, some fight, like, put up some fight, like, whatever it takes and, like, find that fire. And I saw it from Agat, and I think, you know, she's someone that we hadn't talked about a ton coming into the tournament. She had that amazing Elite Eight game, and I think coming into next season, she's someone I'm so excited to see once she has another full, full off season in the South Carolina strength and conditioning program. Like, yeah, she's going to be tremendous next season.

[C]

But it's interesting you mentioned, you know, she'll use this as fuel next time. South Carolina got beat pretty bad in last year's title game.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And to come out like this after getting beat so bad in last year title game is kind of shocking to me. Like, you mentioned the margin with ucla.

[A]

People were part of that, though.

[C]

I mean, Raven, Joyce, Tessa. Like, I didn't see enough out of Raven and Joyce that would suggest that, you know, were beaten so badly last year. Like ucla, they suffered the largest margin of defeat in Final Four history last year. And if they hadn't, you know, messed around over the last fourth quarter, they probably would have set the margin for largest margin of victory in this Final Four.

[A]

Okay, well, let's close this with at least the conversation. I want to get back to the UCLA seniors because, as you mentioned, they're making history all around. It is a beautiful bow on the story of this group. And watching them today, it was super emotional. Just watching them be genuinely happy. And you talk about it like it's like silly Chantel to say it's happy. I think happy basketball teams are scary.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

If you are kicking my ass and you're smiling, you're psycho.

[C]

That is scary.

[B]

That's when we've seen teams who win and they don't like each other and they don't like each other, and you're like, oh, yeah.

[A]

When they like each other and old assignment. Worse. That's why. Hi, it's Eep. The fact that they did it again, y'. All. UCLA won the game by how many points? 28.

[C]

And then they. They danced on him.

[A]

And they did the dance, y'.

[D]

All.

[A]

They did the dance for a bigger audience this time.

[C]

It was.

[A]

It just hurts you. It hurts you on a different level. But, Sabrina, you wrote that they accounted for every point that UCLA scored in the national championship game on Sunday and the national semifinal game and the national SEM semifinal. So shout out to them. Amazing way to end their college careers. But what's left?

[B]

Ucla.

[A]

Like, what else Portal the portal. The portal is okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, let's talk about it. What is Corey closest thoughts as she goes into next year?

[C]

Well, in her press conference, she said, I was just talking to my mom. The portal got a lot easier now.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, yeah, that's a great point.

[C]

So you've got Sienna Bats coming back. You've got Lana Village coming back. Back. You've got Amanda Muse, who had, you know, some minutes in this game. You had Tamia Gardner who missed the whole season. So you got a nice little front court rotation there. At least no guards. That seems like an important thing, but

[D]

I think they can go into the portal for that.

[C]

You know, Jada Williams was originally committed to UCLA before she went to Arizona. She's in the portal out of Iowa State. That could be a reuniting. You know, she's a Southern California kid. I think other guards, you know, probably going to be really interested in this opportunity to get a ton of minutes.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

At a program that's going to have a lot of exposure. You know, that seems like a pretty good selling pitch.

[D]

Yeah. I found the UCLA ad specifically on the floor after the game because I was like, talk to me about investment because there are multiple things here, right. There's Rev share and there's outside nil. And we've seen, like, Corey Hustles to get her players outside nil.

[A]

She cares about that.

[D]

Yeah, she really cares about it. And they also, when you do those, like the players era, that is nil money, a lot of that can come in, like hundreds of thousands of dollars come in for nil money because of that. And so when you see them, different documents. Yeah. The documentary, the ucla.

[C]

Yes.

[D]

The uc.

[C]

Very clever.

[A]

And just for clarity, those that are listening and are like, players era. What's that? The tournament.

[D]

The tournament that they were in. Yeah. And so you can. They can bring in all of this money and Corey hustles to find those. But part of this, too, is the commitment from the university and their AD is like, I mean, what better example do you need of saying, okay, yes, this was worth it for us to invest? And he. He just said, I. I don't have the quote directly in front of me, but he just said, you know, this is. This is what it takes. It takes an invested athletic department. And we're that like, they're an athletic department that is invested.

[A]

How is that going to translate to a ranking, Sabrina?

[C]

Well, when you only have four players that I can name.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I put them in my top 25 out of a courtesy usually when I Do this. I always put the defending champ at number one just because it feels like the nice thing to do. I couldn't do that.

[B]

You're like a journalistic integrity.

[D]

Give it a few weeks. Give it a few weeks in the portal. I do think UCLA is going to be a place to land because of playing time, because of la, because of we just won a national championship. And also, like, they're money.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

Okay. And so before we close this out, if you're a guard, Laysha, who are you trying to go to next year? South Carolina to help them redeem themselves? Or do you want to go to UCLA where there's a wide open pool to jump right into too?

[B]

Oh, I mean, I'm a California kid, so I love, like, I want to be by the beach, but also that's real. If I'm just purely like a program and I want to win, I would have to look around, like, who else are they signing? That's probably when I went to Cal, I wanted to know, like, I want to play with good people. So I think as, like the conversations are happening, the momentum's happening, you're kind of looking like.

[C]

I think it kind of depends on how many years you have left because, yeah, I don't think UCLA is going to be a national title winning team next year. Like, it's just really hard to be a one and done program in college basketball where, whereas South Carolina, you have so many pieces coming back. You've got Jersey Robinson coming in, you

[A]

know, and you have an established culture of winning.

[C]

Yeah. I mean, I wouldn't say that UCLA doesn't have a culture, but, like, it's a lot harder to maintain that culture when so much of it is out.

[A]

Everyone who scored in the last opportunity. We're established, right?

[B]

That established, like the coaching staff, you

[C]

know, has like the right habits.

[B]

Like, they both have good culture. But if you want to win, South Carolina is the more ready made team to win.

[D]

Right.

[C]

Again, unless you're like, you know, the Iowa State example. Right. Like, I'm Jada Williams. I'm like, addie, you want to come with me to ucla? You know, like, you gotta pull together, we gotta recruit together.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

This sounds like the package deals they used to do back in the day. All right, y'. All. I just feel like I wanted more.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Shout out to ucla.

[C]

I just think it's a really cool story. Like, we talked about this the other day, like the narrative of them losing South Carolina in their first tournament and like Kiki Rice specifically Said she wanted to come to ucla. I remember talking to her before her first tournament and she's like, I came here because we'd never been to a Final Four, we've never been to a national championship, and I want to do those things and I'm really excited to start that journey. She said that before they played their first tournament game.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

And then look at that.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Kiki Rice, who was phenomenal as a guard today, just managing traffic and, and managing her team online and then also getting to the bucket. Like, I thought she was really good offensively as well.

[B]

I have to give some flowers to Lauren Betts because I think.

[A]

Yeah, no, I want to go through this one.

[B]

I was gonna say. Okay. I will say watching Lauren Betts handle physicality this year was such a big growth. And it makes you think about the W. I think about Brittney Griner, who her whole career, like, that's always in the battle, deal with the physicality. So I thought, particularly in this game, the way she came off of cross screens and when someone comes off a cross screen, usually the defender bumps them.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And she met the contact, forced them to call the fouls. Right. Versus other times you see those bigs like, dance around. And she talked about it in the post game was like, I'm used to physicality, I get beat up. But she's like building a different relationship with it, knowing, like, it's a part of the game and I have to. And I thought her growth and the way that's setting her up to go in the woods and even raising her draft stock of what you're looking at as a scout is like, okay, she can handle it. She's not getting frustrated, she's not getting defeated, she's not putting her head down. So shout out to her and how vulnerable she's been and the things she said afterwards, like I was up there kind of teary eyed, like listening to the whole thing afterwards. Even though it was a bit hard for me to watch UCLA win. I'm not gonna lie as a Golden Bear as a uc, but I'm really proud of California, but I'm really proud of like the entire UCLA squad. And I know Corey Close well of like their culture and their impact and how much they do actually care about the people in their program. Right. Like, there's so much money involved now you want to win. And that meant a lot to me to see, like the story still also bigger than basketball. And they're good. And they won tonight. Like dominated.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Corey Close crack, like her voice Cracking as she was explaining how much she's so proud of Lauren Bets and the person that she is, we've shouted out. Kiki Rice ends up with 10 points on the game, 42% from the field. You love to see the that. You just love to see it for her. Lauren Betts, of course, 14 and 11 with a double double. Gabriella Haquez, leading scorer of the game, 21 points, adds her own 10 rebounds, five assists, only one turnover, a steal as well. Unreal. I. I want to just hit on her really quickly. I know we talked about all gas gabs, but thinking about the draft,

[C]

I feel like I have been nationally the highest person on Gabriela Hakis all year. I'm obsessed with her. She just looks like a player who can fill any role in WNBA because she plays basically four positions for ucla. I don't think she'll be doing that wnba, but she plays hard, she rebounds, she moves off the ball. She's not going to try to be a star on a WNBA team, but she doesn't know exactly how to play next spot. She plays hard. That's a skill.

[A]

The main thing I wanted you to say, because we're going to get into a WNBA conversation another day, is that she will be a sweetheart for whoever decides to draft her. And that's, I think, the truth for all of these UCLA Bruins.

[D]

I just want to add one more thing. I do feel like Corey close here, like what we've talked about, her ability to coach this game that she out coached Dawn Staley. But I think what's just really cool is like this is 15 years into her career. Like this is not an overnight thing. This is not in this class what she's done with it. You know, Kiki and Gabriela have been here for four years, but like she's been at UCLA for 15. Like she has been there forever. And it takes a while to win national championships. And I think we see different programs around the country where it's like win now or you're out. And it's like ucla. She had to make this path for herself. And she's talked to me a lot about like in the 90s when she would go over to John Wooden's apartment and like sit on his floor and he would just like put all of this wisdom into her head and she was like learning from him and trying. Like she'd show up with ice cream and he would give her wisdom and that was like their exchange. And she had like a Tuesdays with Maury situation with John Wooden and he passed away the year before she got the job. And she was just saying when she took the job, she was like, I feel so ready for this because of that experience that I had when I was an assistant here and that I learned from, you know, the greatest ever to do this at UCLA in any sport. And that, you know, it must have been so emotional for her to be up there tonight holding that national championship trophy, knowing he did that 10 times and like, obviously different eras, all these different things, but like, what a beautiful sort of story for her. And yeah, I feel really, really happy for her for that.

[A]

In class act, winning the women's coach award and thanking her entire village and accepting it on behalf which you expect from Corey. Very much so. Very much so. Both these coaches, both these programs, amazing years, amazing performances across the year to get to this moment. But ultimately UCLA wins. The Natty closes out NCAA season for us and we're gonna close out this show. Cause we could go on forever, but we're gonna take some much needed rest. Malaysia, you got a flight to catch.

[B]

So we're gonna let on portals.

[D]

Are we taking risks? Portals open literally 32 minutes ago.

[A]

On that note, we're gonna head on out. We have a show that is going to go live on Monday, so wherever you're listening, please make sure that you are liking it. There's also free agency that got announced today at the time that we're recording this. So we got a lot to cover, but we just need a little bit, maybe a catnap.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

For now, thank you for listening. On behalf of the Athletic Shantel, Sabrina Lajah and myself, Zena Keda. We appreciate you listening and we'll see you next time. No off season is hosted by Zena Kada with Chantelle Jennings, Sabrina Merchant and Laysha Clarendon. It's produced by Tanika Burrell. Our executive producer is Andrea B. Scott. Monica Compton is our video editor and Charles Childers is our social video editor. Our theme music is by Marcus Bogala. Shannon Ryan is managing editor of women's basketball at the Athletic. Tim McMaster is our director of operations and Jesse Burton is global head of series.