UCLA's Kiki Rice One Win from National Championship

A kid from Bethesda is one game away from a national championship in college basketball.

Kiki Rice and her UCLA Bruins defeated Texas 51-44 in the women's Final Four, punching their ticket to Sunday's title game against South Carolina. Rice contributed 11 points and five rebounds in the victory, showcasing the steady two-way play that's made her one of the premier point guards in college basketball.

The stage doesn't get much bigger than this. UCLA faces top-ranked South Carolina on Sunday at 3:30pm for the NCAA championship, with Rice positioned to cap off a breakthrough season on the sport's grandest stage.

This year has been Rice's best yet at UCLA. She averaged a career-high 15.2 points per game during the 2025-26 season and earned Third Team AP All-American honors, recognition that reflects her growth since arriving in Westwood in 2022.

But her foundation was built right here in Montgomery County. Rice moved to the Bethesda area in 2007 and became a legend at Sidwell Friends School in DC, leading the program to a No. 1 national ranking and an undefeated senior season.

Why This Inspires

Rice's high school accolades read like a greatest hits album. She earned Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year and Naismith High School Player of the Year honors in 2021-22, was named McDonald's All-American and co-MVP of the All-American game, and ranked No. 2 nationally by espnW HoopGurlz.

And basketball wasn't even her only sport. Rice dominated on the soccer field too, winning multiple Gatorade District of Columbia Player of the Year awards and leading Sidwell Friends to two state championships.

What makes Rice's journey special isn't just the hardware or the rankings. It's watching a local kid who put in the work, excelled in multiple sports, and carried those lessons all the way to college basketball's biggest moment.

Now she's 40 minutes away from a national championship, representing not just UCLA but a community in Montgomery County that watched her grow into one of the game's brightest stars.