What We Learned From UCLA's Win vs. Oklahoma State

Taking a look at how tournament-favorite UCLA played against Oklahoma State.

UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close watches the action Saturday, March 7, 2026, during a Big Ten women's basketball tournament semifinals game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

UCLA took on Oklahoma State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where the Bruins would win 87-68.

While a win is a win, there are always a few things to take away from a game like this. UCLA’s next opponent will be a familiar one in Minnesota in the Sweet 16. But for now, the Bruins need to figure out what went wrong against Oklahoma State.

UCLA Relied Too Heavily on Lauren Betts

Mar 23, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Praise Egharevba (24) and UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) battle for position on the court in the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

For starters, it really seemed like the Bruins relied heavily on Lauren Betts throughout this game. She played 34 minutes, the most she has played since Nov. 26 against Texas, when she logged 37 minutes. High minutes for a team's best player show signs of urgency.

However, Betts would go absolutely nuclear against Oklahoma State, scoring a career-high 35 points. While the performance was impressive, it was still concerning to see UCLA rely that heavily on her against an eighth seed like Oklahoma State. UCLA will need to clean that up moving forward.

Cracks Are Showing

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

Even looking at the final score, it was clear the Bruins struggled at times. In the third quarter, UCLA was outscored 21-18, which briefly put the Bruins on alert. Falling behind in any quarter in the early rounds shows that UCLA is still far from perfect. This cannot happen vs Minnesota.

Any sign of weakness from a No. 1 seed gives the next opponent more confidence than they might normally have. Other No. 1 seeds in the bracket have had little trouble blowing past their competition, something UCLA failed to fully replicate in this game.

We Need More Sienna

Mar 21, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Sienna Betts (16) is boxed out by California Baptist Lancers guard Filipa Barros (5) and guard Sofia Alonso (11) in the first half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Bruins also need to figure out how to get Sienna Betts more involved. While her two early turnovers may have contributed to her playing only 10 minutes, it is clear she can be a game-changer as the game progresses.

We saw that in the first round of the tournament against California Baptist, when she played 21 minutes and finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds, earning the first of what could be many double-doubles in her career. Without her rebounding presence, UCLA only outrebounded Oklahoma State 34-32.

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

A win is a win, especially in March, but the way UCLA achieved it was a bit concerning. By this point in the tournament, UCLA should be playing its best basketball. Hopefully, the Bruins can make a stronger statement against Minnesota in the Sweet 16.