Grading Each UCLA Starter’s Performance in Elite Eight

UCLA fought past Duke, 70–58, but it was clear that the Bruins were off individually.

This was not a great game for UCLA’s starters. Once again, Angela Dugalic outscored four of the five starters, marking two consecutive games in which she has outscored the majority of the starting lineup. Moving forward, we need to see more from UCLA's starters, or the Final Four will be its last round.

Charlisse Leger-Walker definitely struggled in this one. However, this was the theme amongst most of UCLA's starters, so you can't discredit her that much. During UCLA's amazing third quarter, she assisted on most of the team's points. Without this impact, UCLA might've lost this one.

Looking to the Final Four and beyond, it is clear that Leger-Walker needs to increase her offensive output across the board. Her impact when she is on is second to none for the Bruins. When she fails to accomplish this, grades like these make the most sense.

Like Leger-Walker, Gianna Kneepkens had a huge third quarter, allowing UCLA to build a comfortable lead entering the final stretch of the game. Even so, her scoring production has been down significantly. UCLA brought her in to be that game-changer, and throughout the tournament, she has failed to reach those expectations.

A D- might seem harsh, but, honestly, this is a little generous. Other players on this list scored similar points, but they had the assists and rebounds to offset the lack of production. For Kneepkens, this was not the case, so anything below a "C" feels right here. Hopefully, she will turn up soon.

Ricv — Mar 27, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice (1) drives against Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Brylee Glenn (12) during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Sacramento Regional 2 of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Again, another ugly offense performance for one of UCLA's starters. It was a difficult game; there is no other way around. But in times like these, Kiki Rice needs to step up and prove why she is one of UCLA's most dangerous players. 2-of-10 from the field is simply an unacceptable stat line.

The only reason her grade is not as low as the others' is her rebounding abilities. Eight boards from the guard position is more impactful than most people think. Without her rebounds, UCLA could have lost control of both the game and the glass. Two things that ruin the team's tournament runs.

This was a decent, but not great game from Gabriela Jaquez. As one of UCLA's leading scorers, we could definitely see a little bit more production. Either way, 50% from the field is not something you can be upset about. Moving forward, we need to see more volume to get the most out of Jaquez.

She earns a B here because it was not a bad performance. Along with her nine points, she added five rebounds, which, again, was the decisive factor in this matchup. The Final Four will be interesting for Jaquez. Last season, she would score zero points in UConn's rout of UCLA. She cannot replicate this.

This was the exact performance that UCLA was hoping for. By far, Lauren Betts is the Bruins' most impactful player, and once again, she proved that on one of the biggest stages in college sports. The only problem is that if she can't maintain this, the rest of the Bruins have proven they cannot be trusted.

She honestly could have earned a higher grade. But she has set the bar very high for herself, so an A feels perfect here. Rebounding has been the name of the game for UCLA's postseason success, meaning Betts will be the spearhead in UCLA's potentially last two games of the season.