The Southern University Lady Jaguars’ historic NCAA Tournament journey ended on Friday night in a loss to the top-seeded UCLA Bruins 84-46 in the first round at Pauley Pavilion.
Despite the lopsided score, Southern (21-15) fought hard against one of the nation’s top teams. The Jaguars, fresh off their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory earlier in the week, struggled to keep pace with UCLA’s size and speed.
“UCLA is a great team with so many weapons,” said Southern’s leading scorer Aniya Gourdine, who finished with 10 points. “We gave it our all, but they were just better tonight.”
The Bruins (31-2) showcased their depth, with six players scoring in double figures. Lauren Betts led UCLA with 14 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
Southern head coach Carlos Funchess praised his team’s effort despite the outcome. “I’m incredibly proud of what this team has accomplished this season,” Funchess said. “We made history for our program and represented the SWAC with pride. UCLA’s talent and size were just too much to overcome.”
Battled hard and left it all on the floor!
Southern- 46
UCLA- 84#TheBluePrint pic.twitter.com/C1sDHRzmyf— Southern University Women’s Basketball (@JaguarsWBB) March 22, 2025
The Jaguars’ defense forced 17 UCLA turnovers, converting them into 10 points. However, Southern struggled offensively, shooting just 31.7% from the field compared to UCLA’s 55%.
“We knew it would be a challenge, but our girls never stopped fighting,” said Southern assistant coach Garrick Barr. “This experience will only make us stronger for the future.”
The loss ended a remarkable season for Southern, which included both the SWAC regular-season and tournament championships. The Jaguars’ victory in the First Four round on Wednesday marked the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win.
“We’ve set a new standard for Southern women’s basketball,” Gourdine added. “This loss hurts, but we’re going to use it as motivation to come back even stronger next season.”
This story was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by HBCU Sports journalists.
