The Women's NCAA Tournament Schedule: Ole Miss Women's Basketball vs. UCLA Bruins

SPOKANE, Wash. – Coming off a big win over No. 14 Baylor on its home court, Ole Miss women's basketball is set for its second Sweet 16 matchup in three years with a matchup against No. 1 UCLA on Friday, March 28. Tip off from Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena is slated for 9:00 p.m. CT, airing on ESPN.

ON THE AIR
Television: ESPN
Play-by-Play: Pam Ward
Color: Stephanie White
Reporter: Holly Rowe

OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Graham Doty

REBELS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

Appearing in its 21st NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, Ole Miss reaches the big dance for the fourth straight season for the first time since 1989 through 1992.

The Rebels have made it past the first weekend of the tournament in over half of their appearances, making 12 Sweet Sixteens before moving on to five Elite Eights.

The trek to Waco was Ole Miss' second NCAA Tournament visit to Baylor, playing against South Dakota in the 2022 First Round. The Rebels have never traveled to Spokane for a postseason game.

AS A NO. 5 SEED

The Rebels are seeded at No. 5 for the third time in school history and the first time since 1994. As a five, Ole Miss is 5-2 overall and advanced to the Sweet 16 during the 1989-90 season as a five seed.

TOURNEY TEAM

In her seven years at the helm, head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has taken the program to new heights, as Ole Miss has found itself among the best of the best in the conference. I

ncluding the two newest additions to the league, Ole Miss is one of only six teams in the SEC that has advanced to the NCAA Tournament each of the last four years, along with good company in LSU, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

MOVIN' ON

Following a dominant 83-65 victory over 12th-seeded Ball State in the First Round and a 69-63 win against 5th-seeded Baylor, Ole Miss moves on to the sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in the last three seasons under Coach Yo. The Rebels are searching for their first Elite Eight appearance since 2007.

OLE MISS VS. UCLA

Ole Miss continues its quest for a national title against No. 1 UCLA in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament. The Rebels and Bruins are set to share the court for the first time ever.

This is the fourth time this season that Ole Miss has faced an opponent for the first time in its 50-year history.

The other instances include going against USC at the Aflac Oui-Play, facing Boston College at the Continental Tire Baha Mar Championship and defeating Ball State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

UCLA is a newcomer to the Big Ten, after having previously played in the Pac 12. The Bruins are coming off its first conference championship as a member of the Big Ten, entering Friday's game with a 32-2 record.

UCLA is the second conference champion from this season that Ole Miss will face in the tournament, the other being the MAC champions, Ball State.

SCOUTING THE BRUINS

Cori Close is in her 14th season guiding UCLA's women's basketball program. She's led the Bruins to over 300 wins in her tenure, and was named the 2025 USBWA Coach of the Year. UCLA has reached the past three Sweet 16's and has made it that far seven times under Close, while reaching the Elite Eight in 2017-18.

On the court, Lauren Betts leads the Bruins and is considered a contender for the national player of the year. Standing a 6-foot-7, Betts is averaging a resounding 19.8 points per game and adding nearly 10 rebounds.

Betts is ranked top 10 nationally in blocks per game and field goal percentage. She has 90 blocks so far this season, averaging nearly three per game, while shooting 64.3 percent from the field.

Her defensive prowess led to her receiving the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year award, while garnering unanimous nods to the Big Ten's First Team all-conference team and the All-Defensive Team.

Her stature has led UCLA to lead the Big Ten in rebounds with 43.7 per game, which is fifth in the country. The Bruins outrebound their opponents by 13, the widest gap in the NCAA.

Kiki Rice runs the point for the Bruins, dishing out 4.9 assists per game. She holds a 2.38 assist-to-turnover ratio, good for second in the Big Ten. She joined Betts on the all-conference first team by averaging 13.1 points per game.

REBELS AGAINST THE BIG TEN

The Rebels hold an 18-15 record against current members of the Big Ten. Ole Miss faced USC in the 2024-25 season opener at the Aflac Oui-Play in Paris, France, dropping the game, 68-66.

Ole Miss last beat a member of the Big Ten on Nov. 20, 2023, when it bested Michigan, 60-49, in the title round of the Battle4Atlantis Tournament.

The Sweet 16 Schedule: Friday, March 28 (Sweet 16)

(2) Duke vs. (3) North Carolina | 2:30 p.m. on ESPN
(1) South Carolina vs. (4) Maryland | 5 p.m. on ESPN
(2) NC State vs. (3) LSU | 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
(1) UCLA vs. (5) Ole Miss | 10 p.m. on ESPN

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