In a highly contested game, No. 1 UCLA survived No. 3 LSU 72-65 to advance to the women’s Final Four. It is the first Final Four appearance in the history of the UCLA women’s basketball program.

UCLA led for large stretches of the game, with the Bruins’ largest lead being 14. LSU made the game close in the second half, bringing it to within a single possession in the fourth quarter, but UCLA pulled away late thanks to timely baskets and efficient free-throw shooting.

Gabriela Jaquez led UCLA in scoring with 18 points.

UCLA plays the winner of USC and UConn in the women’s Final Four national semifinal.

Read more below.

After going 1-of-8 from the floor in the Sweet 16 against NC State for a season-low of three points, LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson told reporters she was going to have no problem flushing that performance. When asked what she does to get past a game like that, Johnson said she needed to be reminded what happened in that game. When she was told she had just three points, she said, with a laugh, “For real? I forgot about it.”

And she clearly did.

Against UCLA, Johnson proved to be the perimeter spark the Tigers needed, especially in the second half. After going 2-of-7 from the floor for four points through the first two quarters, the junior showed how she could flush that performance, too, taking over for her team when it mattered most. In the second half, Johnson ignited the Tigers, scoring 24 second-half points on 8-of-9 shooting, almost single-handedly

Johnson has not definitively said whether she plans to return to LSU next season. Since she turns 22 before the end of 2025, the junior could opt to put her name in for the WNBA Draft.