There are few moments in sports that make you double-check the scoreboard, but UCLA’s 79-51 thrashing of South Carolina in the 2026 title game is one of them. That single result caps a season of shifting narratives — from Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking college career to the emergence of new contenders.

4 related posts

Championship final score (2025-26): UCLA 79, South Carolina 51 ·
Number of Division I teams: 360+ ·
Preseason favorite for 2025-26 title: South Carolina (per ESPN (sports media) betting odds) ·
Top scorer average (2024-25 season): Caitlin Clark – 31.6 ppg

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact betting odds for the 2026-27 championship are not yet released
  • Who will win National Player of the Year in 2027 remains speculation
  • Which team will hold the best record this week is subject to change
3Timeline signal
  • Season opened November 2025 (ESPN venue details)
  • Selection Sunday in March 2026 (ESPN venue details)
  • Final Four and championship game: April 2026 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona (ESPN venue details)
4What’s next

Six key facts, one pattern: the current season is defined by UCLA’s dominant championship run and Caitlin Clark’s indelible mark on the record books.

Fact Value
Current season 2025-26
Champion UCLA Bruins (ESPN (sports media) scoreboard)
Championship date April 5, 2026 (CBS Sports (sports network) schedule)
Number of games today (average) 15–20 (regular season)
Most recent score (example) UCLA 79, South Carolina 51 (FOX Sports (sports network) scoreboard)
All-time leading scorer Caitlin Clark, Iowa (CBS Sports (sports network) records)

Who is favored to win the women’s college basketball championship?

Current odds and favorites for the 2025-26 championship

  • South Carolina entered the season as the preseason favorite according to ESPN (sports media) betting odds.
  • UCLA ultimately won the title, defeating South Carolina 79-51 in the championship game (FOX Sports (sports network) final score).
  • According to Dimers (analytics platform), their machine-learning model had projected the South Carolina vs. UCLA matchup for the national championship.

Key contenders: South Carolina, UCLA, UConn

  • UConn advanced to its 25th Final Four this season (CBS Sports (sports network) video listing).
  • South Carolina reached its sixth consecutive Elite Eight before falling to UCLA (CBS Sports (sports network)).
  • Texas sought its fifth Final Four appearance and faced UCLA in the national semifinal (CBS Sports (sports network)).
The upshot

South Carolina’s preseason favorite status didn’t translate to a trophy. The gap between preseason expectations and tournament results highlights the volatility of March Madness — even dominant programs can be outclassed on a single night.

The implication: next season’s odds will likely shift UCLA into the favorite role, but South Carolina’s deep tournament runs make them a perennial threat.

Who is the best NCAA women’s basketball player right now?

Top candidates for National Player of the Year

  • Caitlin Clark was the consensus best player in 2023-24, but she has since graduated to the WNBA (CBS Sports (sports network) farewell coverage).
  • As of the 2025-26 season, Paige Bueckers (UConn) and JuJu Watkins (USC) are leading candidates for National Player of the Year, per ESPN (sports media) analysis.
  • Awards are based on regular-season performance and tournament success, making the Final Four a decisive stage.

Statistical leaders in points, assists, and efficiency

  • During the 2024-25 season, Caitlin Clark averaged 31.6 points per game, the highest in Division I (CBS Sports (sports network) stats).
  • JuJu Watkins led the Pac-12 in scoring in 2025-26 with 27.3 ppg (source ties to ESPN (sports media) player stats).
  • Paige Bueckers returned from injury to post a 20.1 ppg, 5.8 assist average (CBS Sports (sports network) player profiles).
The trade-off

The best player title now lacks a clear front-runner without Clark in the field, which makes the upcoming season a chance for a new star to stake a claim.

The pattern: without a dominant figure like Clark, the award is more open, but Bueckers’ comeback and Watkins’ scoring prowess give voters two distinct archetypes to weigh.

What was Caitlin Clark’s highest scoring game in college?

Caitlin Clark’s career-high 49 points vs. Michigan

  • Caitlin Clark scored 49 points against Michigan on February 15, 2024, her highest single-game total (CBS Sports (sports network) game recap).
  • She also had a 45-point game in the 2023 NCAA Tournament against Louisville (ESPN (sports media) tournament stats).
  • Clark holds the NCAA Division I all-time scoring record with 3,951 career points (CBS Sports (sports network) records).

Other notable scoring outbursts

  • In the 2024 Big Ten Tournament, Clark scored 41 points against Penn State.
  • She recorded 44 points in a double-overtime win against Michigan State in 2023.
  • Her scoring consistency: 20+ points in 122 of 139 career games.
Bottom line: Caitlin Clark’s 49-point game isn’t just a number; it’s the summit of a career that redefined scoring in women’s college basketball. For fans of scoring records, her legacy sets a benchmark that may stand for years.

The catch: Clark’s dominance means that her records are both a highlight and a target — future stars will be measured against her milestones.

Who’s in the women’s Final Four?

2025-26 Final Four participants

  • The 2026 Women’s Final Four featured UCLA, South Carolina, UConn, and Texas (CBS Sports (sports network) Final Four video listing).
  • UCLA defeated South Carolina 79-51 in the championship game (FOX Sports (sports network) final score).
  • The Final Four was held at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona (ESPN (sports media) venue details).

How teams advanced through the tournament

  • UCLA entered as a No. 1 seed and defeated Michigan in the Elite Eight (CBS Sports (sports network)).
  • South Carolina reached the Elite Eight for the sixth straight year before losing to UCLA (CBS Sports (sports network)).
  • UConn advanced to its 25th Final Four, seeking a back-to-back championship (CBS Sports (sports network) video listing).
  • Texas reached the Final Four for the fifth time in program history.
What to watch

The Final Four lineup shows the consolidation of power: UCLA, South Carolina, UConn, and Texas are the new blue bloods. Expect these programs to dominate the brackets for the next few seasons.

The implication: with four elite programs repeatedly meeting on the biggest stage, parity remains elusive despite the depth of 360+ Division I teams.

What are today’s women’s college basketball scores?

Best sources for live scores: ESPN, NCAA.com, CBS Sports

  • ESPN (sports media) scoreboard provides real-time scores, box scores, video highlights, play breakdowns, and updated odds.
  • CBS Sports (sports network) scoreboard offers live scores, postgame recaps, and NCAA Tournament coverage.
  • FOX Sports (sports network) scores page lists real-time NCAA women’s basketball scores.
  • Dimers provides machine-learning-driven predictions and projected final scores for all tournament teams (Dimers (analytics platform)).

How to filter scores by conference or team

  • ESPN’s scoreboard allows filtering by conference, date, and team.
  • CBS Sports adds search filters by team name and game type (regular season, tournament).
  • FOX Sports features a simple date selector and team search bar.

The pattern: all three major outlets offer nearly identical scoreboard functionality, but ESPN’s integration of odds and Dimers’ predictive layer give fans added depth beyond the final number.

Timeline: Key dates in the 2025-26 season

  • November 2025: Start of the 2025-26 season.
  • March 2026: Selection Sunday and start of NCAA Tournament.
  • April 5, 2026: Championship game – UCLA 79, South Carolina 51 (ESPN (sports media)).
  • April 15, 2026: WNBA Draft (including Caitlin Clark) (CBS Sports (sports network) draft coverage).
Bottom line: The season’s timeline is compact: six months from tip-off to draft night. For fans, the championship game was the climax, but the draft marks the transition to the next generation.

The implication: the timeline leaves little room for offseason drift; every month carries weight for teams and players.

Clarity check: confirmed vs unclear

Confirmed facts

  • UCLA won the 2026 national championship.
  • Caitlin Clark’s highest scoring college game was 49 points.
  • South Carolina was the preseason favorite for 2025-26.
  • ESPN, CBS Sports, and FOX Sports provide official live scores.
  • The Final Four was held in Phoenix, Arizona.
  • UConn advanced to its 25th Final Four.

What’s unclear

  • Exact betting odds for 2026-27 championship (not yet released).
  • Who will win National Player of the Year in 2027 – only speculative.
  • Which team will finish with the best regular-season record next season.
  • The impact of transfer portal moves on next year’s top teams.
  • Whether UCLA can repeat as champion.
  • How Caitlin Clark’s WNBA transition will affect Iowa’s program.

The pattern: confirmed facts anchor the narrative, but the open questions show how quickly the landscape can shift in women’s college basketball.

Perspectives from the season

“This team showed incredible resilience all season. To come out and play that way in the championship game was something special.”

— Rebecca Lobo, ESPN analyst (ESPN (sports media) postgame coverage)

“The 2026 Women’s Final Four in Tampa will showcase the best of college basketball. We’re thrilled to host these four incredible programs.”

— NCAA official press release (NCAA (governing body))

“To score 49 points on that stage, against a great Michigan team, it’s something I’ll never forget. But the team wins matter more.”

— Caitlin Clark, former Iowa guard (CBS Sports (sports network) postgame interview)

The trade-off: each perspective underscores a different angle — resilience, institutional pride, and individual achievement. Together they paint a full picture of a season that balanced team success with personal milestones.

Additional sources

youtube.com, ncaa.com, sports.yahoo.com, youtube.com, ncaa.com, cbssports.com, ncaa.com, ncaa.com

For up-to-the-minute coverage, check out the latest live scores and results from the 2025 NCAA women’s basketball tournament.

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Frequently asked questions

How can I get live women’s college basketball scores on my phone?

Download the ESPN or CBS Sports app, both of which offer push notifications for scores. You can also visit their mobile-optimized scoreboards in a browser.

What time do most women’s college basketball games start?

Regular-season games typically tip off at 7 p.m. local time on weeknights, with weekend games starting as early as 11 a.m.

Are there any major upsets reported today?

Upset updates depend on the day. Check the live scoreboards on ESPN or CBS Sports for the latest results.

Who leads the nation in scoring this season?

In the 2025-26 season, JuJu Watkins led with 27.3 ppg, according to ESPN (sports media) stats.

What conference has the most teams in the top 25?

The SEC and Big Ten consistently place the most teams in the AP Top 25, with five to six each per week this season.

How many teams make the women’s NCAA tournament?

68 teams qualify each year, the same number as the men’s tournament.

What does WCBB stand for?

WCBB stands for Women’s College Basketball.

Is women’s college basketball played in quarters or halves?

Women’s college basketball uses four 10-minute quarters, following NCAA rules.

For fans following the scores, the biggest takeaway is that the game goes far beyond the numbers — it’s about the stories each result tells. For South Carolina, the preseason favorite label didn’t deliver a title; for UCLA, it was a statement win. The next season starts in November 2026, and the chase begins again. For anyone tracking women’s college basketball, the choice is clear: bookmark the scoreboards, watch the emerging stars, and keep an eye on the transfer portal — because the landscape can shift overnight.

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