How Jaquez's Stellar Play Led UCLA to National Title

The Bruins won the National Championship against the South Carolina Gamecocks, bringing home their first Division I national title in program history.

They overall had a dominant performance and could not have done so without every player, including social media's support, and the help of coach Cori Close, among many other things.

UCLA, Gabriela Jaquez — South Carolina Gamecocks forward Joyce Edwards (8) drives past UCLA Bruins guard Gabriela Jaquez (11) during their NCAA women's basketball national championship game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on April 5, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

However, one player really kicked it into high gear, and that was Gabriela Jacquez, who held the most impressive stat line in the contest.

How Jaquez Attained Best Stat Line Against South Carolina: Rebounds

It is certainly a team effort to get rebounds, but the Bruins can normally rely on Lauren Betts to get boards, and the rest of the team can space out to get back on offense or defense.

Yet against South Carolina, Jaquez fought with a newfound intensity that allowed her to get 10 rebounds on the night, only one less than Lauren Betts, even though it was not normally her role.

But not only was she able to get the ball back in her team's hands, but she was also able to flip a switch on the offensive side of the ball to be UCLA's leading scorer.

How Jaquez Attained Best Stat Line Against South Carolina: Scoring

Jaquez was, and always had been, a big part of the Bruins' offense, and she played the final game of her UCLA career doing what she does best: being a scoring machine.

She had 21 points on the night, more than a quarter of the team's total production, on 8-14 shooting and only three free throw attempts.

From beyond the arc, she went 2-4, or 50%, and was also a big part in keeping the team's overall offense humming with five assists. When she wasn't scoring herself, she was spreading the ball out to those who could.

How Jaquez Attained Best Stat Line Against South Carolina: Turnovers

The Bruins were able to clean up the turnover troubles that had bugged them all tournament, and Jaquez played a big role in that with only one to her name.

On many other nights, with how often she had the ball in her hands, that number could have and likely would have been much higher, but she kept it low instead.

Overall, she was the leading scorer, high in assists and rebounds, and had minimal turnovers, helping her have one of the best, if not the best, stat lines in the National Championship game.