Top-Seeded Bruins Aim to Defeat No. 8 Cowgirls on Monday

Mo. Basuony

Published: March 22, 2026 9:43 PM ET

Top-Seeded Bruins Aim to Defeat No. 8 Cowgirls on Monday

UCLA is 32-1 this season. The Bruins play their final home game Monday, March 23.

It is the Second Round of the 2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. The opponent is Oklahoma State, 24-9.

They meet at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT and ESPN will broadcast the game.

As top-seeded Bruins, UCLA seeks to defeat the No. 8 Cowgirls when the teams meet Monday. The winner advances to the Sweet 16.

Game information

Venue: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles. Tip-off: 7 p.m. PT on Monday, March 23.

TV talent assigned to the telecast includes Eric Frede and Christy Thomaskutty. Radio coverage will be on UCLA Digital Radio, Westwood One and SiriusXM 81.

Tickets and access

Single-game tickets and ticket packages remain available for the First and Second Rounds in Los Angeles. Fans may call (310) 206-5991 or email [email protected].

Parking and gameday details are available via Filmogaz.com. Filmogaz.com will also provide pregame coverage and updates.

Matchup history

The Bruins lead the series 2-1 against Oklahoma State. The first meeting dates to Jan. 8, 1985.
UCLA is 2-0 against the Cowgirls at Pauley Pavilion. The teams met in a home-and-home in 2017 and 2018.
Monday will mark the programs’ first postseason meeting.

Last outing

On March 21, UCLA routed No. 16-seed California Baptist, 96-43. The 53-point margin is the largest postseason win in program history.

The Bruins outscored CBU 52-9 in the second half. UCLA dominated the boards, 62-21, and had 21 offensive rebounds.

That rebounding produced 30 second-chance points. Three players recorded double-doubles in the game.

Lauren Betts: 22 points, 10 rebounds.
Sienna Betts: 10 points, 12 rebounds.
Angela Dugalić: 10 points, 11 rebounds.

The result is believed to be the first time siblings recorded double-doubles in the same game. Five Bruins finished in double figures.

Gabriela Jaquez scored 16 points. Kiki Rice added 18 points.

Conference and tournament success

UCLA repeated as Big Ten tournament champions with titles in 2025 and 2026. It is the program’s third conference tournament trophy.

The Bruins also own the 2006 Pac-10 tournament title. The 2026 final featured a 51-point win over Iowa in Indianapolis.

Kiki Rice earned Most Outstanding Player honors for the 2026 Allstate Big Ten Tournament. She averaged 16.7 points, 5.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds over a 3-0 weekend.

Lauren Betts was named to the all-tournament team. UCLA finished 18-0 in conference play this season.

The 18-0 mark represents the fourth unblemished regular season in Big Ten history. Other perfect conference seasons were by Maryland (2015), Purdue (1999) and Ohio State (1985).

Postseason profile

Saturday’s victory began UCLA’s 21st NCAA Tournament appearance. The program’s lone national title came in 1978 under the AIAW banner.

UCLA reached its first NCAA Final Four in 2025 after winning the Spokane 1 Regional. The Bruins enter this tournament for the ninth time in 11 seasons.

UCLA hosted the first and second rounds for the fourth straight season. The Bruins are one of six Division I programs to earn a top-four seed in each recent campaign.

Team overview and statistics

UCLA has 12 ranked wins this season, including seven in Big Ten play. The Bruins posted back-to-back top-12 wins in the Big Ten tournament.

The team carries a +28.9 scoring margin overall and a +21.4 margin in ranked wins. The Bruins put together a program-best 26-game winning streak.

Head coach Cori Close has 353 career wins. This season marked UCLA’s fastest trip to 30 victories in program history.

Key contributors

Lauren Betts: 16.5 points per game.
Kiki Rice: 15.4 points per game.
Gabriela Jaquez: 13.7 points per game.
Gianna Kneepkens: 13.2 points per game.

Angela Dugalić averages 9.0 points and Charlisse Leger-Walker 8.9. The starting five averages 67.7 points combined.

Team strengths

Assist-to-turnover ratio: 1.77, the conference leader.
Total assists: 738 (22.4 per game).
Field goal percentage: .513 (second in the NCAA).
Rebounding margin: +15.7 (second in NCAA, first in conference).
Defensive opponent FG%: .358.

UCLA finished the pre-tournament slate second in the NET. The team compiled a nation-best 19 Quad 1 wins, going 19-1.

Honors and milestones

Four Bruins earned Mid-Season Top 10 recognition for national awards. Kiki Rice, Gianna Kneepkens, Gabriela Jaquez and Lauren Betts appeared on lists.

Lauren Betts was on the Wooden Award Late Midseason Top 20. Both Betts and Rice made the Naismith Trophy POTY Late Season Team.

On Feb. 15, UCLA recorded seven players in double figures against Indiana. Those players helped set a program first since 1999-2000.