How UCLA Women's Basketball Has Fared in Recent Sweet 16s

UCLA is in the Women's Sweet 16 for the fourth straight season.

Mar 23, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice (1) drives to the basket in the first half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The No. 1 seed UCLA Bruins have reached the Sweet 16 in the Sacramento 2 Region of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, continuing past the event's first weekend for the fourth straight season.

The Bruins are among the favorites to compete for the national championship, but how have they fared in their recent Sweet 16 games?

Moving on! ➡️

The Bruins are back in the Sweet 16 for the 4️⃣th-consecutive postseason!

🆚: No. 4 Minnesota
📅: Friday, March 27
🕟: 4:30 pm PT#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/EvaPLLnNpX

— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) March 24, 2026

2023: UCLA vs South Carolina

The Bruins were overmatched in their 2023 Sweet 16 game, drawing an unbeaten South Carolina team that was favored to win the National Championship. While the Gamecocks ultimately fell short in an upset loss to Iowa in the Final Four in Dallas, South Carolina dominated this game.

UCLA managed to score just 43 points, shooting 36% from the floor in a 59-43 loss. It also committed 15 turnovers against one of the most vaunted women's college basketball teams in recent memory.

Mar 23, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close argues a foul call in the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the second round of the women’s NCAA tournament at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

2024: UCLA vs LSU

UCLA's string of bad luck in the Sweet 16 continued in 2024, as the Bruins faced a second straight SEC foe and defending National Champion LSU. Current players Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, and Gabriela Jaquez, as well as former Bruin Londynn Jones, all had standout games, but it wasn't enough against a loaded LSU team.

The Tigers had several players returning from their championship squad, including star guard Flau'jae Johnson and future WNBA forward Angel Reese. They also added former Louisville guard Haley Van Lith. All three were among four LSU starters to score at least 12 points, as UCLA fell 78-69.

Mar 23, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Achol Akot (11) defends UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) in the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

2025: UCLA vs Ole Miss

The Bruins finally made it over the hump in last year's Sweet 16, facing a third consecutive SEC opponent and taking down Ole Miss in Spokane. While allowing three Rebels players to combine for 40 points, UCLA was able to limit Ole Miss to 62 points.

Meanwhile, Betts and Rice stole the show to send the Bruins to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2018. Betts scored 31 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and blocked three shots, while Rice put up 13 points and seven assists in a 76-62 win.

Mar 21, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice (1) is defended under the basket by California Baptist Lancers guard Chance Bucher (10) and California Baptist Lancers forward Grace Schmidt (33) in the first half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

2026 Stakes

That set the stage for UCLA to make a run to the Final Four, where it lost to the eventual national Champion UConn. The Huskies are the national title favorites again this year, and the Bruins are one of the few teams that can challenge them, should they survive the Sweet 16 against Minnesota this weekend and any subsequent matchups.

Getting to a rematch would be a great full-circle moment for the players on the current team, having the opportunity to take another step forward and finish what they started.