Gophers Set for UCLA Sweet 16 Rematch—Can Minnesota Pull the Upset?

The Gophers are officially set to take on No. 1 seed UCLA in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT in Sacramento, California. It will be Minnesota's first time playing the Bruins since losing 76-58 at Williams Arena on Jan. 14. Will this time be different?

We are officially down to 16 in the women's NCAA Tournament.

The Gophers' first Sweet 16 game since 2005 will tip off at 6:30 p.m. CT on Friday evening against No. 1 seed UCLA. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

Full bracket. 👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/0JGzeIpzhe
— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) March 24, 2026

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How to watch

Day: Friday, March 27
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN
Location: Sacramento (Golden 1 Center)

Minnesota is one of four teams remaining in Region 2, which is played in Sacramento, California at the Golden 1 Center this year. They will face UCLA in the first game on Friday before No. 2 seed LSU and No. 3 seed Duke square off around 9 p.m. CT.

UCLA is playing in California, so it might seem like a home-court advantage, but Sacramento is nearly a six-hour drive from Los Angeles. That would be comparable to the Gophers playing a game in Chicago. There could be more Bruins fans than anyone else in the arena, but it should be far from a deciding factor in the game.

UCLA preview

UCLA was the preseason favorite in the Big Ten, and they've played like it all season. All-American center Lauren Betts is one of the most dominant players in the country. She's averaging 17.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 blocks per game this season. She had 35 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists in their second-round game against No. 8 seed Oklahoma State on Monday night.

The Bruins didn't lose a single game in regular-season conference play, nor in the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis. Out of their 21 wins against Big Ten opponents this season, only two have been decided by fewer than 10 points. Their lone loss came on a neutral court against fellow No. 1 seed Texas in November.

Prediction

The Gophers have opened as 19.5-point betting underdogs for Friday's game, and it's for good reason. UCLA and the rest of the elite teams like UConn, South Carolina and Texas have shown that they're a level above the rest of the sport in this tournament.

They call it March Madness for a reason, but the Bruins look like they're on a mission to get to this year's Final Four in Phoenix, Arizona. I think Minnesota struggles to slow down Betts and star guard Kiki Rice in this matchup once again.

Score: UCLA 83, Minnesota 65

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.