LAS VEGAS – No. 4 Texas defeated No. 3 โฃUCLA 76-65 Wednesday night in the Players Era Festival,setting up a championship showdown with No. 2 South Carolina.โ The Longhorns built a commanding lead, going up by 20 at halftime, before a late Bruins โฃrally.
rori Harmonโ led Texas with 26 points, 5 assists, andโข 3 rebounds, sealing the victory with a crucial mid-range jumper and late free throws. Harmon now has 768 career assists, just nine shy of Kamie โEthridge’s programโค record.Madison Booker added 16โ points,7 โฃrebounds,and 5 assists for the Longhorns. Texas played without Bryanna Preston, Ashton Judd, and Aaliyah Crump due to injuries.
UCLA mounted a second-half comeback, outscoring Texas 22-17 โin the third and 18-12 in the โfourth. Gianna Kneepkens and Kiki Rice each scored a team-high 17 points for the Bruins, with Kneepkens adding 2 assists and 2 rebounds, and Rice contributing 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Charlisse Leger-Walker finished with 13 points,3 rebounds,and โ2 assists.
Bruins star Laurenโ Betts faced defensive pressure from Texas and briefly left the game in the โขthird quarter โwith an apparent arm โคinjury, โreturning later with only two additional points. She finished withโฃ 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Texas (6-0) will face South Carolina (6-0) โคin the championship game Thursday night. South Carolina โฃdefeated Dukeโ 83-66, led by Madina Okot’s 23 โpoints and โ13 โrebounds, and joyce Edwards’ 22 points. UCLA (6-1) โwill play Duke in the consolation game.
The Players’ Era Festival,held in Las Vegas,awards bragging โคrights,impacts regular-season standings,and provides NIL incentives for participating teams. This year’s tournament โfeatures 18 men’s teams and four women’s teams and is consideringโข expanding toโฃ include โฃmore teams next season following fanโ feedback.