3 Takeaways From UCLA’s Elite Eight Win Over Duke

Well, it is official — UCLA is heading to the Final Four following a very tricky win against No. 3-seed Duke.

This was a very sketchy game for UCLA. At one point, the Bruins were down eight with all the momentum on Duke’s side. However, something changed during halftime that allowed UCLA to take the lead back and cruise to a 70-58 victory. It was a great win, but still very rough around the edges.

UCLA's Offense is Limited

Mar 23, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Praise Egharevba (24) and UCLA Bruins forward Angela Dugalic (32) box out for a rebound in the first half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

If there is one thing that is certain, it is that UCLA can only score in the paint right now. Lauren Betts had 23 points, mostly off layups, and Angela Dugalić had 15 points in the paint as well. There is no stopping these two when they are hot. However, it would be nice to see the other Bruins contribute at a similar level.

Betts was the only UCLA starter who was able to score 20-plus points. The rest of the Bruins looked very rough offensively. If UCLA cannot figure out how to be effective beyond the arc and in the post, its offense could become very stagnant in the Final Four.

Another Slow Start

Mar 21, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close in the first half against the California Baptist Lancers at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

While this has not been the theme for most of the season, it is becoming one now. UCLA cannot get off to a hot start to save its life. Against teams like UConn or Texas, the Bruins will not have the luxury of coming back from an eight-point deficit in the second half. Something needs to change.

The golden rule for UCLA this season has been its excellent rebounding. When that is challenged, UCLA begins to look very rough. In the second half, the Bruins did a great job rebounding, which ultimately allowed them to come back. But what will happen against teams that rebound just as well?

Turnovers Are UCLA’s Achilles’ Heel

Mar 29, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Arianna Roberson (21) defends against UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) during the second quarter in the Sacramento Regional 4 of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

The Bruins also have a serious turnover problem. In this game, UCLA committed 18 turnovers, with four players recording three or more turnovers themselves. Thankfully, Duke was not able to capitalize on them, but it still shows that UCLA is far from perfect.

Ball security must be on point in the Final Four and beyond. This is one mistake that can crumble teams from within and ultimately lead to poor results. As mentioned earlier, good teams will not let mistakes like this slide. If there is anything that could send UCLA home, it will be turnovers.

Overall, a win is a win, and UCLA was able to secure a convincing victory. If not for the Bruins’ first-half struggles, they could have won even more comfortably. However, they cannot be satisfied with this performance, as it was far from the standard they set earlier this season.