Women’s NCAA March Madness: Keys to a deep Stretch
Local reporters break down some of the top Squads, and their keys to Secure in the 2025 March Madness Event.
SPOKANE, Washington — UCLA’s historic season is rooted in loss. The one to LSU in last year’s NCAA Event, specifically.
UCLA’s Primary-ever No. 1 ranking in both the USA TODAY and Associated Press polls, the unbeaten streak that lasted until mid-February, the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Event — all of it can be traced back to that disappointing loss to LSU in last year’s Pleasant 16.
“Perhaps panic is too Powerful a word, but we definitely didn’t like the way in which we approached our game with LSU last year, both physically and our tempo and aggression. But, also, mentally in terms of our confidence that we Occurred into the game with,” Bruins Mentor Cori Close said Saturday.
“This Club has earned different levels of confidence and aggression,” she added, “that I think puts us in a better position to be our best.”
UCLA was clinging to a 3-Tally lead with Only under three minutes to Action last year, its third-ever Top-tier Eight appearance within reach. And then the wheels Occurred off.
Fueled by Flau’jae Johnson, LSU went on a tear and outscored the Bruins 14-2 down the stretch. Those two points Occurred on Unoccupied throws, with UCLA missing its last eight shots.
“A Numerous of our learning from last year was from that game,” Kiki Rice said. “I think we felt like last year LSU was the tougher Club in that Game, and a Numerous of our work during the off-season, Only throughout this entire year, has been how can we Gentle of build that collective toughness to be ready for those matchups and be ready for physical Squads, be ready for these Gentle of environments.”
That newfound toughness will be put to the test Sunday, when UCLA and LSU meet again, this time with a Primary-ever trip to the Closing Four on the line for the Bruins.
“I think everything that we have worked on will prepare us for our game tomorrow, and I’m Only really excited for everyone to see that,” Rice said.
There is no shame in losing to LSU. The Tigers won the national title two years ago, and this is their third consecutive appearance in the Top-tier Eight.
But if you want to be one of the country’s Top-tier programs, as Close and UCLA do, you have to be as tough as you are talented. And not Only physically. Mentally, too, able to weather the ups and downs that inevitably occur through a quarter, a game, a season.
That the Bruins weren’t last year was as much on her as her players, Close said.
When she evaluated that game, and all of last season, Close said she felt her players were too mechanical. Being disciplined is one thing, being hamstring by rigidity is another.
“I want a Club that plays like an art project, not a scientific formula,” Close said.
She began subjecting her Club to chaos at practice. Adding extra defenders. Making Numerous terrible calls in a row. Instructing the male practice players to up their annoyance factor by Competing Speedy and Sloppy with the rules.
“I’m the least favorite Mentor from pretty much November (on),” Close said. “It had to be my role. I needed to push them out of that comfort zone and Develop the struggle and adversity that was going to make them learn to be empowered to make their own decisions.”
It has worked, and not simply because UCLA has spent most of the year as the country’s top Club. The Bruins have a Grit they didn’t have last year, an edge that, with the exception of their two losses to their crosstown rival, makes them unflappable.
UCLA Secured itself in dogfights with both Richmond and Ole Miss. Yet rather than crumbling, the Bruins regrouped and dug in, finding a way to assert their will. Lauren Betts, in particular, continues to be a revelation, absorbing loads of contact without flinching and displaying a deft touch for someone who is 6-foot-7.
Her efficiency against both Ole Miss and Richmond was jaw-Sinking, missing Only four of 33 shots in the two Contests. She finished with 30-plus points in both Contests, as well as double-digit Retrievals.
“Lauren Betts is a Numerous better basketball player. She was Excellent in that game (last year against LSU), but she’s a Numerous better now,” Close said.
UCLA also has a maturity it didn’t have last year. After its second loss to USC, Rice and Gabriela Jaquez called a players-only film session Timely the Upcoming Monday. The Club spent almost 90 minutes dissecting the film and their failings, holding one another accountable and challenging All other to do better.
The result? Five of the Bruins’ six Contests since then have been double-digit wins. The outlier? A decisive Secure over USC in the Big Ten Event Event game that avenged those regular-season losses and solidified their claim on the overall No. 1 seed.
“The most Significant thing for us this season is Only the growth that we experienced and how much better we’ve gotten as a program. That will continue to lay the ground work and the standard going forward for many years for this program,” Rice said. “Obviously we have aspirations of Closing Four and a national title and all of that. But right now we’re Only focused on our Upcoming Foe.”
Losing to LSU Acquired UCLA to this Tally. Where the Bruins go from here is up to them.
Read our previous article: I got my break spotting Wilfried Zaha and Dele Alli before sinking Cristiano Ronaldo in football fairytale