UCLA Bruins
Pac-12 (24-8, 14-4)
The UCLA Women's Basketball team has parlayed the extra practice time and experience from the WNIT Championship and ran with it this season. Head Coach Cori Close and her staff have recruited very well since arriving in Westwood. Consequently, the mix of talent and chemistry has created a perfect storm of momentum for UCLA heading into the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
Big Wins: 1/4 Oregon State (71-51), 1/24 Stanford (56-36), 2/28 Arizona State (74-61)
Bad Losses: 12/21 at California (104-108), 1/10 at USC (68-71), 1/15 at Washington (56-64)
Coach: Cori Close
Why They Can Surprise:
There is a fearlessness and overall consistency at both ends of the court for the Bruins that set them apart from the underachieving men's team at UCLA. In addition, the mix of experience and talent in the backcourt with senior Nirra Fields, junior Kori Korver, and sophomore Jordin Canada will provide plenty of matchup issues for teams. Fields can score at will and create tons of havoc defensively. Canada is another very effective offensive player who distributes the basketball very well. Korver is the most effective perimeter shooter and can stretch a defense to set up Fields and Canada so they can attack the basket. Monique Billings has taken a big step forward in her sophomore season and will need to be dominant rebounding the basketball as Kacy Swain's health is a concern.
Why They Can Disappoint:
If the defensive intensity is not there for the Bruins then they could have some issues. In losses to California and Notre Dame they allowed 108 and 92 points respectively. While on the other side of the equation, in a win over Stanford on January 24 at Pauley Pavilion, they held the Cardinal to 36 points. So it is going to be very important for UCLA to bring the defensive intensity for 40 minutes every night in the NCAA Tournament. Another potential cause of disappointment will be if the Bruins have to become an outside shooting team and can't attack the basket because outside of Kori Korvet there is truly not a secondary three point shooting threat that can carry the Bruins.
Probable Starters:
Jordin Canada, Sophomore, Guard, 16.1 ppg, 5.9 apg, 2.4 spg
Nirra Fields, Senior, Guard, 15.7 ppg, 1.9 apg, 5.5 rpg
Monique Billings, Sophomore, Forward, 12.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.5 bpg
Lajahana Drummer, Sophomore, Forward, 6.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
Kacy Swain, Senior, Forward, 6.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Kelli Hayes, Sophomore, Guard, 4.1 ppg
Paulina Hersler, Sophomore, Forward, 2.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg
Kennedy Burke, Freshman, Guard, 5.5 ppg, 1.0 apg
Kori Korver, Junior, Guard, 8.1 ppg, 1.7 apg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 75.1 (25th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 64.2 (193, 8)
Field-Goal Percentage: 41.9 (83, 5)
Field-Goal Defense: 37.5 (80, 4)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 4.4 (259, 11)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 33.5 (67, 5)
Free-Throw Percentage: 69.1 (182, 7)
Rebound Margin: 4.8 (58, 5)
Assists Per Game: 13.6 (128, 6)
Turnovers Per Game: 14.9 (97, 6)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
2015 NIT First Round win over Cal State Bakersfield
2015 NIT Second Round win over San Diego
2015 NIT Third Round win over Northern Colorado
2015 NIT Quarterfinal win over Saint Mary's
2015 NIT Semifinal win over Michigan
2015 NIT Championship win over West Virginia
2013 NCAA Round of 64 win over Stetson
2013 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Oklahoma
2011 NCAA Round of 64 win over Montana
2011 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Gonzaga
2010 NCAA Round of 64 win over North Carolina State
2010 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Nebraska
2006 NCAA Round of 64 win over Bowling Green
2006 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Purdue
2004 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Minnesota
*all team stats through 3/3
