SACRAMENTO – Finding a Way
Before the preview at the Golden 1 Center on Sunday, something unexpected happened: the microphone of the national anthem singer cut out for a moment.
In response to the awkward silence, the crowd spontaneously began to sing along. By the song’s end, a new microphone was in place, and everyone was united in harmony.
As the following two hours unfolded, a similar narrative emerged for the UCLA women’s basketball team.
The Bruins started off slowly in the first half, but with six seniors who have played a significant role in this program, they were determined not to let their journey end short of the Final Four.
After defeating No. 3 seed Duke 70-58 in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, top-seeded UCLA still has more games to play.
The Bruins initiated a 15-2 run at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth, overcoming early turnovers to secure their spot in the Final Four for the second consecutive year.
Fans erupted in cheers towards the end: “Final Four!” they chanted.
UCLA (35-1) is set to face either Texas or Michigan in the national semifinals on Friday at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, aiming for a second straight appearance in the Final Four.
This time, they are looking for their first NCAA championship after last year’s semifinal loss to UW.
Center Lauren Betts played exceptionally well against Duke (27-9), contributing 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Angela Dugalic also made a strong impact off the bench, scoring 15 points and grabbing six rebounds along with four assists.
The season continues for UCLA as they addressed their turnover issues and outscored Duke 20-8 in the third quarter.
Late in the third quarter, things turned around when Gianna Kneepkens hit consecutive 3-pointers, pushing the Bruins ahead 47-45. The fans, filling the lower bowl of the arena, cheered loudly.
Dugalic then added a turnaround jumper, a layup, and a putback after being fouled, extending the lead to 56-47 early in the fourth quarter. UCLA was on its way to securing its 29th consecutive victory.
However, UCLA quickly recognized that facing Duke was going to be a different challenge from their earlier matchup in November, in which they defeated the Blue Devils by 30 points—who were missing key players Lauren and Sienna Betts.
Duke entered the game confidently, having just made a thrilling buzzer-beater against LSU two days prior, and established an early double-digit lead largely due to UCLA’s mistakes.
After a challenging first half, UCLA coach Cori Close gathered point guards Kiki Rice and Charliss Leger-Walker for a quick discussion as they headed to the locker room.
The Bruins had committed 12 turnovers, many of them unnecessary, falling behind 39-31 at halftime after a relatively smooth first five minutes.
By the middle of the second quarter, UCLA had already accumulated 10 turnovers. Leger Walker attempted to pass to Angela Dugaric inside, but it was off target. Kneepkens went out of bounds, and Betts committed an offensive foul. They even suffered a shot clock violation without even taking a shot.
The errors continued to add up.
Meanwhile, Duke performed at a much higher level and built a 10-point advantage. They did a great job defending against Lauren Betts, preventing her from getting the ball easily. At one point, Betts had just eight points on five shots and only two rebounds.
But hope was on the horizon for Betts and her team.
