Texas Tops UCLA to Reach Players Era Championship Final

LAS VEGAS — The Texas Longhorns defeated the UCLA Bruins 76-65 on Wednesday, advancing to the final of the Players Era Championship. Texas built a commanding 23-point lead late in the third quarter before fending off a late surge from UCLA.

Texas guard Shaylee Harmon scored 26 points, providing the critical offensive push as the Longhorns secured the win. “In the fourth quarter, she was about the only one that looked like she wanted it, so I was emptying the playbook for her,” Texas coach Vic Schaefer said. “She made some big shots for us.”

The Longhorns, now 6-0 for the season, will face No. 2 South Carolina in the championship game on Thursday. Meanwhile, UCLA, with a record of 6-1, will compete for third place.

For Texas, forward Kyndall Hunter also made significant contributions with 16 points, while Celeste Taylor added 13 points and ten rebounds. The Bruins made a late run with a 24-7 scoring spree, but costly turnovers halted their momentum.

UCLA’s Rachel Betts left the game early in the third quarter due to an upper-body injury but returned after being treated. Betts was a critical player to watch given her preseason All-American status.

Schaefer’s coaching milestone of 150 wins was celebrated after this victory. “In those moments, we understand that the game is about runs… We just wanted to win that bad,” said Texas player Alana Rice.

The Longhorns will look to maintain their perfect start against a challenging South Carolina team in the title match.