UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast: First Round Preview

In the latest episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast, Madeleine Considine dives into UCLA’s road to a national championship as the No. 1-seed Bruins (30-2) prepare to take on No. 16-seed Southern Jaguars (21-14) in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.

With tip-off set for Friday at 7 p.m. PT at Pauley Pavilion, this matchup marks the start of what UCLA hopes will be a deep tournament run.

The Bruins enter the tournament as one of the strongest teams in the country, finishing the regular season with a 30-2 record and capturing the Big Ten Tournament Championship. Among all No. 1 seeds, UCLA had the fewest losses (two) and posted the best winning percentage in Quad 1 games (.866).

Their resume speaks for itself, but now, the focus is solely on going 1-0 in the tournament. Coach Cori Close emphasized the team’s mindset heading into the postseason:

“We’re just really excited. I think there’s two real big focuses for us: being very present … and playing to win, playing to get things, playing to earn what you want,” Close said. “There’s a level of aggression we showed in the second half of our championship game, I think we got a taste of what that feels like, what the mentality was like.”

You can watch the episode below:

For Southern, simply being here is historic. The Jaguars defeated UC San Diego, 68-56, in the First Four on Wednesday, securing their first-ever NCAA Tournament win.

Southern controlled the game with relentless defense, forcing turnovers and holding UCSD to just 34% shooting from the field. They also dominated inside, a key factor in their success.

However, the challenge ahead is a massive one. Facing a No. 1 seed on the road is an entirely different test.

UCLA’s game plan starts in the paint with junior center Lauren Betts, one of the most dominant post players in the country.

“I think patience has always been my biggest thing,” Betts said. “When I'm catching it inside, obviously, there's a few people running at me at a time. So just making sure that I'm not rushing myself.”

Expect Southern to double- and triple-team Betts early, forcing UCLA’s shooters to hit open looks. Southern thrives on on-ball defense and full-court pressure, something Close took note of when scouting them.

“They flat-out defend,” Close said. “The persistence, consistency, athleticism, sort of dog mentality on the defensive end, boy, they caught my attention.”

UCLA has to stay composed against early pressure and avoid turnovers, preventing Southern from turning defense into fast-break points.

This is UCLA’s game to lose. They have superior size, depth, and experience compared to Southern.

For the Jaguars, the goal is to stay competitive, force turnovers, and play freely, but unless they shoot the lights out from deep, it will be difficult to keep pace with the Bruins.

Expect UCLA to establish control early, feed Betts in the paint, and use their defensive pressure to create transition buckets. The Bruins should cruise into the second round with a comfortable win.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @UCLAInsideronSI and @tcav30 and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.