Key Takeaways from UCLA's Close After Sweet 16 Victory

UCLA is on its way to the Elite 8, following a 80-56 win over No. 4 seed Minnesota.

The Bruins fought hard in this game; maybe a little too hard. But a win is a win, and they get to play in a game that most teams would dream of. Even so, this game proved that UCLA is not perfect, as they had to show real effort against a much inferior Minnesota team. A win is a win.

Adjustment Process

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

For a moment, it really did look like UCLA was about to get upset. Minnesota trailed by only 34–29 going into the second half. As the No. 1 overall seed, UCLA cannot afford to give teams that kind of hope and momentum. Close explained that the solution in the second half was actually very simple.

"I think that when it really all came down, and most of the time it was guard rebounding, but it was rebounding. They're [Minnesota] one of the top teams in the country. At when they get an offensive rebound, kick out threes or production off of their offensive rebounds. And I think they're either one or two in the country off of that. And so it really, when we were able to control rebounds and then get it into our guard's hands quickly, that's when you saw those great kick-outs and decisions."
Cori Close

Offensive Lapses Didn't Affect Defense

Mar 27, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) shoots against Minnesota Golden Gophers center Sophie Hart (52) 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

When teams struggle on one side of the ball, usually the other struggles just as much. But one thing was clear in this game: the Bruins did not fall victim to this. Even though UCLA started slowly, its defense kept it in the game. This is huge in March.

"One of the things I was most proud of today is that we really did not shoot it well...We had nine missed layups in the first half. And then we didn't make many threes. We shot 25% from the three-point line. You know that we didn't let that dictate our defensive intensity, the motions of being frustrated on offense. And that's something we've been challenging them on."
Close

Charlisse Leger-Walker is a Game-Changer

Charlisse Leger-Walker is the backbone of a very strong UCLA team, and that alone says a lot. Her ability to excel on both ends of the floor has made her one of UCLA's most irreplaceable players. But the one thing that stands out most to Close is her elite basketball IQ.

"I think Charlisse [Leger-Walker] specifically is one of the best processing point guards I've ever been around. Her ability to understand how rotations are happening in the second line, what's the next play, and if she makes one mistake, boy, she's not making it a second time. And she just really processes the game intellectually at a really high level."
Cori Close