By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close has preached consistency all season — focusing on daily improvement and making the most of every practice.
After last year’s Final Four run, which ended short of a championship, Close also challenged her team to remember what it felt like to get there — and what it will take to return.
“Everybody else can talk about whatever they want,” Close said. “We’re going to talk about what that takes, and we are completely committed to just being really focused on us and our journey and keeping the main thing the main thing.”
Bruins Fall Just Short of Top Seed
Despite a strong résumé and one of the nation’s toughest schedules, UCLA fell just short of earning the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed. That distinction went to UConn, while the Bruins secured the No. 2 overall seed.
Rounding out the top seeds were Texas (Fort Worth 3 Region) and South Carolina (Sacramento 4 Region).
The seeding decision sparked debate across women’s college basketball, especially given UCLA’s body of work. The Bruins compiled an impressive list of wins against ranked opponents and navigated a demanding schedule, raising questions about how the selection committee weighed performance.
Former Notre Dame head coach and ACC Network analyst Muffet McGraw was among those who publicly questioned the decision.
On March 2, McGraw posted on X:
“Does anyone else think UCLA deserved the overall [No. 1] seed? Undefeated regular season Big Ten champs, beat 11 ranked teams, six of which are currently in the committee’s top 16. They have 14 Quad 1 wins, more than anyone in the country, and their only loss was to another [No. 1] seed.”
UConn’s History Still Looms Large
UConn’s dominance over the years may have also played a role — whether acknowledged or not.
The Huskies have built one of the most storied programs in college basketball history, winning 12 national championships, including their most recent title in 2025 with a 37-3 record. That victory added to a stretch of four consecutive championships from 2013 to 2016.
Their résumé includes six undefeated seasons and a record 111-game winning streak from 2014 to 2017.
It’s hard to ignore that kind of legacy.
You can’t tell me that doesn’t at least cross the mind of selection committee members when teams are closely matched.
“We watched a lot of UConn, we watched a lot of UCLA,” NCAA tournament committee chair Amanda Braun said on ESPN. “The way we watched UConn win throughout the year from beginning to the end — UCLA did a lot of winning too — but ultimately we gave UConn the edge.”
Tough Path Ahead
Now, UCLA faces a challenging road to the Final Four in Phoenix, likely needing to navigate one of the tournament’s toughest regions.
Still, Close’s message remains unchanged: focus inward, block out the noise, and embrace the journey.
If the Bruins are motivated by the seeding, they’ll have an opportunity to prove their case on the court.
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CBU Women Make History with NCAA Berth
The California Baptist University women’s basketball team is heading to the NCAA Tournament after capturing the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) title with a 74-58 win over Abilene Christian.
The Lady Lancers (23-10) earned the program’s first Division I tournament appearance, securing an automatic bid to March Madness.
CBU enters the tournament with momentum, having claimed the WAC championship as the top seed.
This also marks a historic moment for the university, as both the women’s and men’s basketball teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament in the same year — a significant milestone for the program.