# Bruins beat South Carolina 79-51 in title game in Phoenix on Sunday.

*business · news · 2026-04-09 · WTOP*

## Key points

- UCLA won its first NCAA women's basketball championship, previously only holding a 1978 AIAW title.
- The championship game averaged 9.9 million viewers, the third most since 1996.
- Charlisse Leger-Walker became the first New Zealand woman to win a national basketball title.
- A Maori dance was performed at Pauley Pavilion by a group from New Zealand to honor Leger-Walker.

**Countries:** United States, New Zealand

[Read the full story on WTOP](https://wtop.com/ncaa-basketball/2026/04/a-tiktok-dance-a-maori-tribute-and-1-new-banner-uclas-title-night-at-pauley-pavilion/)

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