The adage goes, it doesn’t must be fairly. But for the UCLA girls’s basketball staff, that’s not the philosophy. Coach Cori Close preaches thriving, not surviving, and that’s been evident within the Bruins’ lopsided victory margin all season.
That’s why main by 10 factors at halftime in opposition to a No. 16 seed was probably alarming. So a lot in order that UCLA locked in for a 31-4 third quarter in one in every of its most dominant durations all season en path to a first-round NCAA event win.
UCLA (32-1) took down California Baptist 96-43 at Pauley Pavilion, advancing to Monday’s second-round contest in opposition to No. 8 seed Oklahoma State (24-9) for a spot within the Sweet 16.
Senior Lauren Betts earned a double-double with 22 factors with 10 rebounds, whereas her sister, freshman Sienna Betts, had her first profession double-double with 10 factors and 12 rebounds.
UCLA middle Lauren Betts drives in opposition to California Baptist ahead Grace Schmidt within the first half Saturday.
(Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press)
“I think in the locker room, it was made very clear to us that we needed to do a better job, and that was before the coaches came in,” stated Angela Dugalic (10 factors, 11 rebounds). “We took accountability of what we needed to fix, which was a lot of things, honestly.
“All my teammates, from seniors to [sophomore] Amanda [Muse] even said something. And Sienna.”
It was the Bruins’ twenty sixth consecutive win, with the staff’s most up-to-date loss in November in opposition to fellow No. 1 seed Texas.
California Baptist (23-11) had the eighth-worst NET ranking of any NCAA event staff, however the Lancers have a few areas the place they excel. It was not sufficient to beat a No. 1 seed that simply wanted a while to shake off the rust, nevertheless it was sufficient to fend off a extra lopsided rating different No. 16 seeds endured throughout the nation.
“In my opinion, that’s the best team in the country,” Lancers coach Jarrod Olson stated. “For 20 minutes, we gave them all they could handle.”
A No. 16 seed has not upset a No. 1 seed within the girls’s NCAA event since 1998.
The Bruins took the lead with 3:51 left within the first quarter as part of a 10-0 run after beginning the sport one for 5. While the Lancers clawed again to inside 5 factors, the hole solely widened from there.
“We did need to come out more aggressive,” stated Charlisse Leger-Walker (eight factors, 5 rebounds, 5 assists). “I think we were having too many mental lapses in the scout and how we wanted to game plan. We kind of felt that momentum from the first half, and they were true to how the scout was for them, and hitting a lot of three-pointers, we were on the back foot a little bit.”
But, as California Baptist’s Chance Bucher (team-high 11 factors) stated after the sport, the Bruins are a No. 1 seed for a motive.
UCLA’s measurement overwhelmed California Baptist, whose tallest participant is 6-foot-3 Emma Johansson. Johansson, who entered Saturday second within the nation with 2.86 blocks per recreation, picked up only one block and one rebound with 4 fouls. The Bruins’ 62-21 rebounding benefit got here from the numerous top hole throughout all positions. UCLA additionally nabbed a season-high 21 offensive boards.
“I’m really proud of that,” Sienna Betts stated. “Offense is not always going to fall and not always going to be perfect, and it’s important to be able to rely on the little things and crash like that.”
UCLA guard Kiki Rice consults with coach Cori Close on a play in opposition to California Baptist at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Bruins completed with 54 factors within the paint to the Lancers’ 14, together with 30 second-chance factors in comparison with California Baptist’s eight.
The Lancers rely closely on their three-point shot, with the eighth-most within the NCAA at 28.3 makes an attempt per recreation. They went six for 30 (20%) from deep, which stored the deficit from getting out of hand early, however the Lancers couldn’t keep their early sturdy capturing tempo.
UCLA began the third quarter on a 15-0 run. The Lancers didn’t rating till the 7:20 mark. The Bruins shot 10 for 16 from the sector and their 31 factors have been tied for his or her second most in 1 / 4 this season. They completed the sport on a 21-2 run.
“Unfortunately,” Olson stated, “whatever Cori said to them at halftime, it kind of got them going in the second half. We had a hard time scoring.”
The million-dollar query: What did Close say to get the Bruins again on observe?
“It was spirited,” Close stated. “It was spirited. It was unacceptable. It’s not the fact that we missed shots. Those are not the things that get me really fired up. It’s when we don’t execute the scouting report; when we are lackadaisical; when we don’t communicate; when we are not connected.”
California Baptist’s 25% capturing from the ground was the bottom field-goal share UCLA has allowed all season, however they shot 38% within the first half, together with 37.5% from three-point vary, which negated having fewer possessions.
“You have to respect everyone, no matter what number is in front of their names,” Gianna Kneepkens stated. “It really doesn’t matter, because like if you lose, you’re done, the stakes are automatically higher no matter what.”
On Monday, the Bruins will face a Power Four convention foe coming off a formidable first-round efficiency. The Bruins are 1-1 all-time in opposition to Oklahoma State, having final met in a 71-59 win in 2018.
The Cowgirls, who’ve the Twenty ninth-best NET rating, are led by ahead Achol Akot, who paced Oklahoma State with 28 factors in its first-round win over Princeton. They have the 14th-best offense within the nation, averaging 81.5 factors per recreation.
That might be a way more participating matchup for the Bruins’ inside gamers, who gained’t get a half to get again into the sport.
On Saturday, at the same time as some of the skilled groups within the nation, UCLA acquired an essential reminder.
“It’s March Madness,” Kneepkens stated. “That means anything can happen.”
