UCLA Coach Calls Out Missing Media After Ranked Women’s Basketball Game
UCLA Bruins women's basketball head coach Cori Close had an interesting conversation with sports media personality Stephen A. Smith during her appearance on a December episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show.
"I think that you have to have a broader view of growing the game, if you're going to really appreciate it, as you referred to. The reality is Caitlin Clark has risen [to] a level of fan base that has broadened it, has deepened it, that we are all benefiting from," Close said, per a December 9 Instagram post from Smith's show.
"Let’s build each other up. I think there’s such a thing in that case of, there’s no bad publicity or exposure," Close added.
Her point was to refute the narrative that Caitlin Clark's star power (and the ensuing rise in popularity women's basketball has experienced because of it) could be construed as taking shine away from other players and teams. And her sentiment suggests that she believes all of women's basketball benefits from the star power No. 22 has brought.
Cori Close Frustrated by Media Absence at Ranked Women’s Basketball Game
The hope is that the increase in popularity around women's basketball should mean more media coverage all around. However, that was clearly not the case during the December 28 game between Close's No. 4-ranked UCLA Bruins and the No. 18-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, which UCLA won by a score of 82-75.
“Honestly, if I’m being really blunt with you, the energy in the building was great, but having no media here at all from either team or either — no AP, no nothing, doesn’t say a lot. We’re the only double-ranked game out today; the only one in the country, and we had no media day today. No media here. You’re the only one that’s asked to talk to me," Close said when speaking to Benjamin Royer of The Los Angeles Times, per an X post from Royer. Apparently, Royer was the only media member present at the game.
"And credit to you, but I don’t mind if you print that either. Like, for the only game that had two ranked opponents to not have more coverage over this particular game — disappointing, honestly," Close continued.
UCLA women's bball coach Cori Close said that I (from Los Angeles, not in Columbus), was the only media member to to talk with her after UCLA's win vs OSU. Close said she didn't mind if I printed her response, so here it is in full.
— Benjamin Royer (@thebenroyer) December 28, 2025
Close's full remarks are in the photo below: pic.twitter.com/lQ3kiMcBXf
Close is certainly within her rights to feel frustrated about the lack of media presence at Sunday's game between two ranked teams. For what it's worth, AP journalist Beth Harris responded to this with an X post that read, "#AP had a freelancer in person covering #ucla-#ohiostate today. i can’t speak to the person’s whereabouts post game but I appreciate @CoachCoriClose noticing."
#AP had a freelancer in person covering #ucla-#OhioState today. i can’t speak to the person’s whereabouts post game but I appreciate @CoachCoriClose noticing.
— Beth Harris (@bethharrisap) December 29, 2025
One would imagine that these comments will help ensure that top teams like UCLA and Ohio State will get the media coverage they deserve.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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