3 Golden Gophers Who Can Ruin UCLA's Elite Eight Bid

Even though UCLA has dominated Minnesota this season, there are still three players who could give the Bruins a lot of trouble.

UCLA is officially in the Sweet 16, where it will face No. 4 seed Minnesota. On paper, UCLA should be able to win this game comfortably. However, as we have seen before, the Bruins can get sloppy and allow certain Golden Gophers players to take over.

Tori McKinney

Tori McKinney has been one of Minnesota’s best players this season. In 28 games, she averages 12.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. She is doing this while shooting 48.2% from the field.

While McKinney has not played her best basketball in the last few games — scoring only nine points in the Round of 32 against Ole Miss — she still has the potential to take over a game. On Feb. 22 against Michigan State, she scored a staggering 29 points.

UCLA cannot afford to let McKinney get hot. Time and time again this season, defensive breakdowns have shifted how comfortable UCLA has been in its wins. Kiki Rice will most likely get the assignment of defending McKinney in this matchup.

Amaya Battle

In terms of rebounding, UCLA will also need to slow down Amaya Battle. This season, Battle is averaging 11.3 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 39.1% from the field. What makes Battle particularly dangerous is her ability to rebound at a high level from the guard position. That could create difficult matchup problems for UCLA on the glass.

Gabriela Jaquez could match up well against Battle. Not only does Jaquez have a slight height advantage, but both players operate in similar roles. By slowing down Battle, UCLA should be able to win the rebounding battle by a large margin.

Grace Grocholski

Grace Grocholski has not played her best basketball in the last two games. In the first round of the tournament, she failed to score against Green Bay. She improved slightly in the Round of 32 against Ole Miss, scoring eight points. However, it is clear she has been very selective with her shots.

This season, Grocholski is averaging 12.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 47.4% from the field and 42% from three-point range. If Grocholski gets hot against UCLA, there may not be much the Bruins can do to slow her down. Even though she is currently in a slump, she still has multiple 20-point games on her résumé.

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

With all of these factors considered, UCLA could struggle to win by a large margin. Even though the Bruins handled Minnesota 76-58 back in January, there are still areas where UCLA can improve. Expect a competitive matchup in the Golden 1 Center.