Grading Every UCLA Starter From Sweet 16 Victory

The Bruins would beat No. 4 seeded Minnesota off the back of a few very intresting performances.

This was a wild game for UCLA. Although the Bruins earned the win, a few performances were questionable. With the Elite Eight now in sight for UCLA, the only way is up for the team for now. Still, there is a lot of room for improvement.

Charlissee — Mar 27, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Charlisse Leger-Walker (5) drives against the Minnesota Golden Gophers 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

Charlisse Leger-Walker had a very typical Leger-Walker game. She finished with four points and eight rebounds, which has been the status quo for her all season. While it would be nice to see her make more shots, her playmaking is really all you can ask for.

She earns a B here, not because the performance was great or poor, but because it was simply solid. Against stronger teams, though, UCLA will need to see her numbers improve. That includes her shooting percentage and overall assist totals. Even so, UCLA will gladly take an 8-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio on any night.

Mar 27, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice (1) brings the ball up the court against the Minnesota Golden Gophers 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

Kiki Rice has been absolutely on fire during this tournament. It is clear she is UCLA’s No. 1B player behind Lauren Betts. Her ability to score at a high rate and control the tempo of the game has made her one of UCLA’s elite players. Her three steals also solidified this as a strong performance.

For those reasons, Rice earns an A. The only thing holding her back from a higher grade was her efficiency outside of scoring. Her three assists compared to three turnovers slightly hurt her grade. It would also be nice to see her contribute a bit more on the boards.

Gabriela Jaquez was decent in this one, but nothing particularly special stood out. She scored 10 points on nine shot attempts, which is fairly efficient. However, going 0-for-3 from three-point range is something that can be improved.

Because of that, Jaquez earns a C+. We know the level she is capable of playing at, which is why expectations are higher for her. Moving forward, Jaquez will be an important piece if UCLA wants to make a deep run. That is why a 10-point outing can feel slightly underwhelming.

This was a rough game for Gianna Kneepkens. As one of UCLA’s most efficient shooters, it was concerning to see her go 2-for-6 from the field. However, she did make up for it somewhat with three rebounds and five assists.

Kneepkens is an elite scorer, and there is no doubt about that. When she has performances like this, however, it puts more pressure on the rest of the Bruins to step up. That is not sustainable basketball, especially for UCLA’s 50-40-90 shooter. Hopefully, she can bounce back soon.

Mar 27, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) and Minnesota Golden Gophers center Sophie Hart (52) run up the court 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

Lauren Betts had a quieter game compared to her performance against Oklahoma State, when she scored a career-high 35 points. While UCLA did not need to rely on her as heavily in this matchup, it is still worth noting how teams are beginning to adjust to her style of play.

Because of that, Betts earns a B. It would be nice to see her grab a few more rebounds, but overall, she did not do anything that hurt the team. Going 7-for-9 from the field is something to appreciate, and her five blocks were a major factor in UCLA’s defensive effort.