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South Carolina vs UCLA prediction, national championship analysis, March Madness expert picks

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South Carolina vs UCLA prediction, national championship analysis, March Madness expert picks


The women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament concludes Sunday as No. 1 South Carolina and No. 1 UCLA battle for the national championship live on ABC and ESPN at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Head coach Dawn Staley and South Carolina are seeking their fourth title since 2017. The Lauren Betts, KiKi Rice and the Bruins are hoping to win the NCAA tournament for the first time in their program’s history.

USA TODAY Sports’ college basketball experts have analyzed all the angles and determined a path to victory for each side. Here’s everything you need to know — including how to watch, betting odds and analysis — before the Sweet 16 matchup tips off.

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Stay up to date with USA TODAY’s team of journalists covering the women’s NCAA Tournament throughout the 68-team dance.

Favorite national championship storyline

  • Nancy Armour: Ta’Niya Latson. She transferred to South Carolina just for this moment and has made the most of it. 
  • Meghan Hall: South Carolina getting to/potentially winning a title with no “stars.”
  • Heather Burns: UCLA winning its first title since 1978.
  • Cydney Henderson: The Dawn Staley-Raven Johnson has been special to watch, as is the Lauren Betts-Cori Close bond. Seeing the seniors close out their college careers will be something to watch. 

South Carolina will win National Championship game vs UCLA if…

  • Nancy Armour: It has another smothering defensive performance.
  • Meghan Hall: It takes away UCLAs ability to move the ball and limit everyone else outside of Lauren Betts.
  • Heather Burns: it plays the kind of disruptive, dominating defense it did against UConn.
  • Cydney Henderson: South Carolina put on a defensive masterclass against UConn and the Gamecocks will walk away with another national championship if they can slow down Lauren Betts and shrink the floor.

UCLA will win National Championship game vs South Carolina  if…

  • Nancy Armour: Lauren Betts can create space for herself inside.
  • Meghan Hall: It can match South Carolina’s defense for four quarters.
  • Heather Burns: It dominates the paint with Lauren Betts on both offense and defense.
  • Cydney Henderson: Three words: Feed Lauren Betts.

South Carolina vs UCLA: 1 Stat to watch

  • Nancy Armour: UCLA had 23 turnovers against Texas and still won. It’s going to need to tighten up against an opportunistic South Carolina.
  • Meghan Hall: Fast break points and second chance points.
  • Heather Burns: Points off turnovers: Whichever teams can score the most points in transition will win.
  • Cydney Henderson: Turnovers. UCLA had 23 turnovers in their Final Four win. South Carolina’s defense is stout and will look to capitalize on takeaways.

South Carolina bold prediction

  • Nancy Armour: Tessa Johnson is going to go off. She won’t go 0-for-3 from deep like she did against UConn. 
  • Meghan Hall: Agot Makeer makes a championship-sealing basket.
  • Heather Burns: Raven Johnson, who spent a lot of her time shutting down Azzi Fudd in the semifinals, will hit at least three 3-pointers.
  • Cydney Henderson: Freshman Agot Makeer will have a career-high points off the bench. 

UCLA bold prediction

  • Nancy Armour: Lauren Betts will have another big game but she won’t get enough help. 
  • Meghan Hall: Lauren Betts scores 40 points
  • Heather Burns: Lauren Betts will notch her second double of the weekend and win MOP.
  • Cydney Henderson: Senior guard Kiki Rice has a signature game to end her college career. 

March Madness Most Outstanding Player winner

  • Nancy Armour: Ta’Niya Latson — She was spectacular against UConn and will be hard for UCLA to contain. 
  • Meghan Hall: Raven Johnson — Johnson is the heart and soul of South Carolina. Everything, on both sides of the ball, starts and ends with her.
  • Heather Burns: Lauren Betts — UCLA won in the semifinals because of her play on both sides and THE block in the final seconds. 
  • Cydney Henderson: Ta’Niya Latson — Sunday will mark Ta’Niya Latson’s first national championship appearance, but she’ll look just at home with an offensive performance that will lead South Carolina to a championship.

South Carolina vs UCLA National Championship winner

  • Nancy Armour: South Carolina
  • Meghan Hall: South Carolina
  • Heather Burns: UCLA
  • Cydney Henderson: South Carolina

No. 1 South Carolina vs No. 1 UCLA

  • Opening Moneyline: South Carolina (-185), UCLA (+154)
  • Opening Spread: South Carolina (-1.5)
  • Opening Total: 133.5

How to Watch South Carolina vs UCLA in the National Championship

No. 1 South Carolina takes on No. 1 UCLA at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 5 at 3:30 PM The game is airing on ESPN and ABC.

Stream March Madness on Fubo

2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament full schedule

  • March 18-19: First Four
  • March 20-21: First Round
  • March 22-23: Second Round
  • March 27-28: Sweet 16
  • March 29-30: Elite 8
  • April 3: Final Four
  • April 5: National Championship



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Recapping South Carolina’s Hot Start to Summer Recruiting As July Approaches

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Recapping South Carolina’s Hot Start to Summer Recruiting As July Approaches


The world of recruiting has been hot for South Carolina so far this summer, especially in the past week. For a class than stood at just 8 commits entering June, the Gamecocks now sit with 13 and have raced up the national rankings. Here is a recap of the month of June and where the Gamecocks may be looking to add in the coming weeks.

Iveon Lewis, Richmond, Virginia native, is the highest rated recruit Shane Beamer has added in June. The 6-foot-2 receiver is playable both inside and outside for Kendal Briles next year. Andrew Ivins, Director of Scouting for 247Sports, says Lewis passes the eye test for a Power Four wide receiver and has shown the ability to overwhelm opposing defensive backs. Wide receiver is a position group the team can afford to get better at and Lewis is a great piece to do just that.

Jackson Ross is the most recent addition as he committed on June 28. From right in there own backyard, Shane Beamer and his staff land a 6-foot-3 and 215 pound line backer that is an explosive athlete. Over his sophomore and junior season, Ross has averaged 118 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, double digit sacks, and multiple turnovers.

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South Carolina was able to go into rival territory this past week and land Kelvin Millington out of Bogart, Georgia. The 6-foot-3 and 180+ pounder chose the Gamecocks over Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, and Georgia Tech. He brings elite size and great athleticism to the position and South Carolina has been known to develop defensive backs in recent years.

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James Ross is the second player South Carolina has landed right here in Columbia. Ross is a a 6-foot-5 offensive tackle, who doubles as a star in track and field. Beamer won his services over Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State and others.

Finally Clayton Lee is another offensive tackle the Gamecocks were able to land, this time out of the state of Florida. The 6-foot-7 and 290 pound tackle has the ideal size teams covet in the SEC. Randy Clements, South Carolina’s new offensive line coach, has two players added this month that showed help sure up the offensive tackle depth for next season and beyond.

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Names to Keep an Eye on

South Carolina would like to add multiple running backs in this class, after failing to land a high school running back in each of the last two cycles. New running backs coach Stan Drayton was able to land four-star tailback Brayden Tyson back in May. Looking to add to that room here are a few names to keep an eye on: Caden Waye, Elijah Kimble, Caleb Mattison, Franklin Richardson, and Joel Bradford.

Dewey Young is a four-star offensive tackle prospect from Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, Missouri. Young is a top 10 player in the state of Missouri and a top 300 recruit in the country. South Carolina is battling with Colorado, Vanderbilt, Purdue, and Georgia Tech in his recruitment.

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Finally, four-star defensive lineman Seth Tillman is another name to watch. Tillman named the Gamecocks along with Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, and Kentucky. Defensive line coach Travian Robertson is the primary recruiter tasked with landing the great playmaker out of Rock Hill, South Carolina.

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South Carolina Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 results for June 28, 2026

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South Carolina Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 results for June 28, 2026


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The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

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Here’s a look at June 28, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from June 28 drawing

Evening: 2-2-5, FB: 5

Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from June 28 drawing

Evening: 1-9-6-3, FB: 5

Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 28 drawing

Evening: 11

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from June 28 drawing

03-20-23-30-40

Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

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Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:

For prizes up to $500, you can redeem your winnings directly at any authorized South Carolina Education Lottery retailer. Simply present your signed winning ticket at the retailer for an immediate payout.

Winnings $501 to $100,000, may be redeemed by mailing your signed winning ticket along with a completed claim form and a copy of a government-issued photo ID to the South Carolina Education Lottery Claims Center. For security, keep copies of your documents and use registered mail to ensure the safe arrival of your ticket.

SC Education Lottery

P.O. Box 11039

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Columbia, SC 29211-1039

For large winnings above $100,000, claims must be made in person at the South Carolina Education Lottery Headquarters in Columbia. To claim, bring your signed winning ticket, a completed claim form, a government-issued photo ID, and your Social Security card for identity verification. Winners of large prizes may also set up an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for convenient direct deposit of winnings.

Columbia Claims Center

1303 Assembly Street

Columbia, SC 29201

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Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.

For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.

When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
  • Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
  • Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
  • Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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South Carolina pitcher Will Craddock announces transfer to SEC program

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South Carolina pitcher Will Craddock announces transfer to SEC program


The South Carolina Gamecocks baseball program is entering a new era, as head coach Kevin Schnall was hired earlier this month. The Gamecocks are coming off of a program-low 35 losses this past season, as head coach Paul Mainieri resigned early in the season.  

As such, several South Carolina players opted to enter the transfer portal as the program undergoes a huge transition. 

One of those was infielder Will Craddock, who spent his true freshman season with the Gamecocks. Over the weekend, Craddock announced via a post on his Instagram that he would be joining the Mississippi State Bulldogs following his lone season in Columbia.  

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The Anderson, S.C. native had a big season for South Carolina even as a true freshman, hitting .260 with 10 home runs across 51 games for the Gamecocks. But South Carolina struggled throughout the season, so you can’t blame Craddock for wanting a fresh start. In a recent interview with 247Sports, Craddock thinks the experience he had playing in the SEC will help him in 2027 and beyond.  

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“Having that experience will be huge,” Craddock said. “I had a pretty good year last year, but I obviously battled some ups and downs, and I think that will ultimately help me become a better player. In this league, you are going to get beaten up, face adversity, and just go through the gutter sometimes, but you have to find a way to fight out of it.”

Although South Carolina’s baseball schedule has not been released just yet, the Gamecocks will likely face their former player. The Gamecocks played Mississippi State in a three-game series last year, getting swept in all three games.

As for what this means for South Carolina, losing a player like Craddock hurts, but the Gamecocks are bringing in some big hitters over from Wake Forest. In recent days, the Gamecocks have landed commitments from the likes of JD Stein, and Luke and Andrew Costello.

Best of luck to Craddock on the next phase of your career!

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ALSO READ: South Carolina target Davion Jones moves up commit date following visit with Gamecocks

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