The title arrived in the women’s tournament
Serbia did not get a college champion in the men’s tournament. It did get one in the women’s competition. In the men’s bracket, Balkan Illinois lost to UConn in the semifinals. That result left Serbian player Mihailo Petrović and potential Serbian national team candidate Andrej Stojaković without a place in the final. The celebration, however, came in the women’s game.
Anđela Dugalić won the title with the UCLA Bruins. UCLA was nearly flawless this season. The Bruins posted 37 wins and suffered only one loss in the entire campaign. In the final, they crushed South Carolina 79:51. Their opponent never really had a chance. It was UCLA’s first final and its first title.
A strong season for the Serbia international
Dugalić, who plays power forward, averaged nine points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists this season. She also shot 50.2 percent from the field. Those are strong numbers for a Serbia international who mostly came off the bench. 
She also played very well during March Madness. She recorded two double-doubles. In an important game against Duke, she posted 15 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
A major role in the final as well
The Illinois-born player attended Maine West High School. She has played for UCLA since 2021. Before that, she spent one season at Oregon. This is her fifth year in college basketball, where she has delivered solid performances season after season.
Last season, she was named the top reserve player in the Big Ten Conference, which the source describes as the oldest and strongest NCAA Division I conference. The report also notes that she won the European Championship with Serbia in 2021.
In the final against South Carolina, Dugalić came off the bench and played 28 minutes. She finished with nine points, five rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block.
UCLA dominated in the championship game
The Bruins were led by Hakez, who had 21 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Knepkens added 15 points. Bet posted 14 points and 11 rebounds. Leger Voker and Rajs scored 10 points each. For the losing side, Džonson had 14 points and Makir added 11.
UCLA capped off a dream season and showed it had no equal in the women’s NCAA tournament. Serbia, at the same time, got a college champion in Anđela Dugalić.
Photos: Foto: Printscreen, Gettyimages
