The UCLA women’s basketball team, ranked No. 1, held a press conference in Sacramento on March 26 as it prepared for its Sweet 16 game against Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins (33-1) will face No. 4-seed Minnesota (24-8) on Friday at Golden 1 Center, with the game scheduled to be broadcast nationally.
The team’s continued presence in the tournament highlights its consistency under head coach Cori Close, who is now in her fifteenth year leading the program. This marks UCLA’s fourth consecutive appearance in the Sweet 16 and their ninth NCAA Tournament berth in eleven seasons, excluding the canceled postseason of 2020.
Coach Close addressed how her team manages expectations and pressure during high-stakes games. “For us, it’s been trying to focus on the present day, over and over and over again,” Close said Thursday. “That may sound like boring coach-speak, but I think that is how we have avoided trying to internalize too much pressure, how we have tried to enjoy the journey more. So really, we are just trying to stack those days over and over again… We’re just going to try to place this brick and prepare the best we can to put ourselves in the best position to fight another day.” Seniors Angela Dugalic and Gabriela Jaquez also participated in Thursday’s media session.
UCLA advanced through earlier rounds with home victories against Cal Baptist last Saturday and Oklahoma State on Monday night. Senior Lauren Betts led scoring with a career-high of 35 points during Monday’s win over Oklahoma State—also recording nine rebounds and five assists—in what was her final game at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Betts was recently named one of four finalists for Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Award.
This season marks UCLA’s twenty-first appearance in the NCAA Tournament; under Coach Close’s tenure they hold a record of 21 wins out of their total all-time mark of 29-20. Last year saw them reach their first Final Four since winning a national title at the AIAW tournament in 1978.
Looking ahead, if UCLA prevails against Minnesota they will play either LSU or Duke next week as tournament action continues.
