March is approaching fast, and UCLA has still only lost one game. The Bruins fell to Texas in late November. Since then, they have not lost a game and have taken down several ranked opponents. As a result, UCLA has been firmly planted on top of the rankings, trailing only the still undefeated UConn Huskies.
One big reason for UCLA’s success is the experience on the team. Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalić, Gabriela Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkens, Charlisse Leger-Walker, and Kiki Rice—the team’s six most productive players—are all seniors. Betts, Rice, Jaquez, and Dugalić also played big roles during UCLA’s run to the Final Four last year.
Having that much experience and continuity makes a difference and will become even more important once the tournament rolls around. At the same time, however, having so many seniors—most of whom will move on to the WNBA after this season—also puts a lot of pressure on the team. With that much star power, everything that doesn’t match last season’s success in the NCAA Tournament would be a massive disappointment for UCLA. That, in turn, creates a lot of room for disappointment. After all, making the Final Four is no easy task, and getting out victoriously is even more difficult.
UCLA played its best season yet in 2024-25
The Bruins have made the NCAA Tournament many times. Before last season, they had never made it to the Final Four, though. Led by Betts, Rice, and Jaquez, UCLA finished conference play with a 16-2 record, losing to USC twice.
UCLA opened the postseason against the Southern Jaguars and beat them by almost 40 points. Richmond and Maggie Doogan posed a bigger challenge in the second round, but UCLA still secured an 84-67 win behind a 30-point performance from Betts. After that, UCLA beat Ole Miss and LSU, but fell to UConn in the Final Four. Betts played a strong game scoring-wise with 26 points on 11-18 shooting, but the rest of the team produced little and was no match for UConn’s trio of Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and Sarah Strong.
Despite putting together such a successful season, the Bruins had to endure many departures. Six players left the team via the transfer portal, but Cori Close was able to make up for it by adding veterans Kneepkens and Leger-Walker to the team and handily reshaping the roster around Betts and Rice.
After UCLA beat Maryland in January, Close said that she had “a little bit more of a complete puzzle” this season. Considering Close’s comments and the talent that will move on from the team soon, UCLA has to go on a deep run or this season will be a disappointment. Once again, beating UConn won’t be easy, though. The Huskies stomached Bueckers’s departure well and still look like the best team in college basketball.