Bruins Prepare for a Landmark MLK Day Showdown

UCLA women’s basketball will take on Baylor in the inaugural Coretta Scott King Classic, celebrating progress and unity beyond the game.

Dec 20, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close (left) talks with forward Janiah Barker (0) during the third quarter against the Creighton Bluejays at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the UCLA women’s basketball team will take the court for a momentous occasion in the first-ever Coretta Scott King Classic. The classic will feature two games held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey -- one between Texas and Maryland and the other between UCLA and Baylor -- two marquee matchups that go beyond basketball. 

The Coretta Scott King Classic was created to pay tribute to the late Coretta Scott King, a distinguished civil rights leader, advocate for equality, and author who carried forward the vision and mission of her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This historic event is the first to officially bear the names of both Dr. King and Mrs. King, symbolizing their combined impact on the fight for justice and equality. The event stands as a celebration of their legacy, highlighting progress, unity and the empowerment of women in sports.

UCLA coach Cori Close expressed her enthusiasm and recognition of the broader significance of the day.

"I'm really excited for that trip,” Close said. “It's going to be a long trip, but I'm really excited to play Baylor in the significant first classic that's ever been held, the Coretta Scott King Classic. Obviously it represents a lot. And to have it be on Inauguration Day, it doesn't even matter your political persuasion, so to speak. The fact that we are celebrating a lot of our liberties because of the work of Martin Luther King. And then to have that classic be named after Coretta Scott King is really, it's important."

Close also emphasized how the occasion underscores the diversity of women’s college basketball and its unifying power. 

“We have the most diverse sport in all college athletics, and we're competing together on that day,” Close said. “So I think it's a day of unity and to celebrate how far we've come without losing sight of how far we still have to go.”

The timing of the event is symbolic. Falling on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it offers an opportunity for players, fans, and viewers alike to reflect on the struggles and achievements of the civil rights movement. 

The Bruins will face a tough opponent in Baylor. Yet, beyond the competition on the court, the games represent a greater mission. It stands as a reminder of the unifying power of sports and the ongoing need for progress in society.

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