The national championship is like the moon. One half basks in light while the other is left dealing with the shadow. UCLA cut down the net for the first time in program history to win the NCAA Championship by defeating South Carolina, 79-51. The 28-point margin of victory was the third-largest in a Division I women’s championship final. Yet, Gamecocks senior Raven Johnson had a heartfelt message for compatriot Lauren Betts.
All Raven Johnson wanted was to win the National Championship for one last time. “We have one goal, that’s to get to the national championship,” she said. It’s not like she has won it before. She did win as a freshman, but it was veterans like Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke who did most of the work back then. Then, Johnson was key for the Gamecocks’ undefeated run back in 2024 but now she ends her career with a stain. However, she still had some affirmation for Lauren Betts
“I’m honestly happy for Lauren Betts,” Johnson said. “She went through a lot in her college career. She’s a great friend of mine and a great human being outside of basketball.”
Unlike Johnson, Lauren Betts hadn’t even smelled the national championship before today. Last year marked their first Final Four appearance, where UCLA was shown the door by the UConn Huskies. Coming into 2026, it was almost championship or bust for Betts, leading a side with 6 other seniors on it. And Betts rose when it mattered the most. She finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds while defending the paint.
Raven Johnson congratulating UCLA after today’s national championship:
“I’m honestly happy for Lauren Betts. She went through a lot in her college career. She’s a great friend of mine, and she’s a great human being.”@GamecockWBB | @wachfox pic.twitter.com/ZgVWanvDkU
— Matt Dowell (@MattDowellTV) April 5, 2026
That’s especially significant for Lauren after her mental health struggles over the past few years. “I had probably been depressed for six months. It all started at the end of my freshman year at Stanford,” She wrote in her Players Tribune essay. “Then when I transferred to UCLA, there was hype around my name, and I just never dealt with my emotions. Gradually, it became really bad, until I started drowning.”
Betts gradually overcame her struggles, and this National Championship is a testament to her hard work. Despite being the opponent, Raven Johnson recognizes that. Despite losing the Championship, Johnson maintained her composure and presented her rival with flowers. Dawn Staley did the same. “Although we didn’t win, I can swallow it because we lost to a really good human being and a good team that represents women’s basketball well,” Staley said after the game. The fact remains that UCLA was the team that stepped up and everyone in the South Carolina camp recognized that.
Raven Johnson Pinpoints UCLA’s Advantage After Dawn Staley’s Admission
UCLA and Lauren Betts did not really break a sweat. In the biggest game of the year, the Gamecocks shot a season-worst 29% from the floor, made just two 3-pointers, coughed up 14 turnovers and were outrebounded by 12. They conceded 49 rebounds while getting just 32 after averaging 42.6 rebounds a game all season.
“I hope they felt how we got whupped. We didn’t get beat, we got whupped,” Staley said after the game. It’s the consecutive season that Dawn Staley’s team has lost by 25 or more points in the title game. Only Tessa Johnson and Agot Makeer scored in double digits with 14 and 11 points, respectively, while UCLA had all five of its starters scoring 10 or more points. According to Raven Johnson, it all came down to experience.
“They have all their starters as seniors or experienced players. Experience does go a long way,” She said. “They came out ready to play. They outrebounded us, had second-chance efforts, and were ready to play.”
Like mentioned above, UCLA had 7 seniors on the team who have been battle-hardened over the years. Close has created a culture and completely transferred her ideas with the team. Mindset clarity and big game experience often make the difference on the biggest stage. Because on paper, the talent on both teams seems pretty neck-and-neck. The Gamecocks did have 3 seniors in the rotation, but UCLA had the advantage.
