The defense grabbed four interceptions during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills and forced even more incomplete passes through pressure and pass breakups. There was toned-down contact, but it still produced an audible sound of pads cracking.

“Practice has gotten more physical,” defensive lineman Keanu Williams told reporters. “We needed that. I’m glad to implement it. We’re going into a big conference, we’ve got to play against some big dudes. So we’ve got to be a little bit more physical than we were before.”

Saturday’s practice began with physicality. The entire team huddled and, at the center of the mass, there was a one-on-one shoving match. Select players were predetermined at a team meeting prior to practice to go up against each other to see who could – literally – push the other harder and across a line.

Linebacker Kain Medrano took on running back TJ Harden. Medrano, with a smile, reluctantly admitted to reporters that TJ won.

“It’s just something to get the energy going early at practice,” Medrano said. “Something light just to get the energy going, nothing too hard on the body.”

Ikaika Malloe is in his first season in the dual role of defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach. He’s keeping the defense similar to last season, according to head coach DeShaun Foster and Medrano, aside from some terminology changes.

The defense has to adjust to the Bruins’ new NFL-style offense, which offers longer breaks in between plays.

“That gives the defense a little time to catch their breath,” Medrano said. “So for the defense, it’s max out every play because you’ve got that six, seven seconds right in between each play to catch your breath, realign and go from there.”

Linebacker and current freshman Ty Lee intercepted Luke Duncan during a 7-on-7 drill and early enrollee Khristian Dunbar-Hawkins picked off Justyn Martin in an 11-on-11 drill. Transfer Ramon Henderson, who previously played at Notre Dame, picked two passes from Ethan Garbers in two separate 11-on-11 periods.

“That’s a great day,” Williams said of Henderson. “He’s balling. It’s been a collective effort on the back end. Everybody’s in their cover spots, everybody’s where they’re supposed to be.”

Schlee enters transfer portal

Quarterback Collin Schlee entered the transfer portal Thursday, Foster confirmed.

“I think he wants to be closer to home,” Foster said. “I love Collin, he had a great season for us last season. We’d love to have him stay, but I completely understand. Being across the United States is difficult for some kids.”

The remaining quarterbacks on UCLA’s spring roster are Ethan Garbers, Justyn Martin, Chase Griffin and Luke Duncan. Garbers has been receiving the majority of first-team repetitions at spring practices so far, although Justyn Martin pinpointed a few passes through tight windows Saturday.

Foster did not indicate if he would seek another quarterback in the transfer portal.

“(We have) nine days to see if we want to address that,” Foster said. “But I’m excited about the room, it’s a deep QB room. It gives other guys some reps and I’m excited to see if they’re ready to play.”

LOS ANGELES — It’s fairly easy to find UCLA offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy during practice. Just listen.

Bieniemy, one of multiple new coaches on the staff this season, is one of the most vocal staff members of any kind on the field. His words were loud, commanding and included expletives at times during the third day of spring football practice Thursday afternoon.

But when he spoke with reporters after, he appeared cool and clear-headed. His words were soft and slow.

“You have to learn how to develop your consistent habits,” Bieniemy said. “Every day they get these guys to go step out here, there’s gonna be some everyday drills that they’re required to do. There’s some everyday drills that they need to do to help them to become the best student. Those consistent habits that help carry them over in life.”

Bieniemy spoke of consistency and assessment on Thursday without giving away much information on how the Bruins’ offense might look this season.

He said he envisions the offense as a diverse one and is using this time to evaluate what each player can do and how they might fit into different roles. The dialogue between Bieniemy and first-year head coach DeShaun Foster has been an open one when it comes to designing the offense.

“It’s all-inclusive,” Bieniemy said. “When it’s all said and done with, it’s our offense. I want this to be ours. Yes, I have a ton of ideas. I have a ton of plays. But I want this to be ours. We’re a new coaching staff, so we have to build it together.”

UCLA, which went 8-5 last season, ran 7-on-7 drills and 11-on-11 drills in increments of 12- and 15-minute periods during Thursday’s practice. Ethan Garbers, currently a redshirt junior, received most of the first-team reps at quarterback and Justyn Martin took reps with the second team.

Martin, a redshirt freshman, appeared in two games in the 2023 season. Freshman Luke Duncan appeared to be third string and senior Chase Griffin was fourth.

“We got a lot of competition in that room,” Bieniemy said. “There’s been some good, there’s been some bad, there’s been some ugly from all of them, but it’s still early. I’m not expecting us to come out and set the world on fire. What I want us to do is learn how to put consistent behavior on tape.”

Garbers looked at his best at the end of the 12th period of practice when he completed a short pass to Braden Pegan and a long pass to Moliki Matavao. However, he also threw four incomplete passes earlier in the same period.

Martin was fairly consistent with his completions, aside from one interception, and was the only quarterback to run the ball during media viewing. Keegan Jones, Anthony Adkins, Josiah Gonzales and TJ Harden were the main ball carriers.

The offense was operating at a noticeably slower pace than during previous seasons’ spring practices. Bieniemy served as UCLA’s running backs coach from 2003-05 as part of his 23-year coaching career and has spent 16 of the last 18 years in the NFL.

He told reporters that teaching is critical at both levels, and a lot of learning is going on at practice right now.

“You’ve got to make sure that you’re reaching your guys in the room,” he said. “Everybody accepts or retains information differently. That’s our job as position coaches and coordinators to figure that out. We’ve just got to make sure we’re putting the right people in the right place to be successful.”

Resting minds and bodies was a priority the past two weeks, which included spring break, but blue and gold challenges allowed the gymnasts to compete against each other and keep spirits up.

“At least once or twice a week, we warm up with volleyball and it gets so intense,” freshman Katelyn Rosen said. “Sometimes there’s screaming matches, but when we get in the huddle for practice that day, we always say let’s keep that competitive energy and attack our gymnastics with that same intensity.”

Eleventh-seeded UCLA (13-11) will travel to Cal’s Haas Pavilion to compete in the California Regional Second Round’s first session Friday at 1 p.m. against No. 6 seed Denver, Arizona State and Washington.

The second session will feature No. 3 seed Cal, No. 14 seed Auburn, Stanford and the winner of Thursday’s dual meet between Southern Utah and San Jose State.

The two top finishers from each session will move on to the regional finals, which are slated for Sunday at 5 p.m.

The Bruins’ first event of the meet will be floor exercise. They’ll move to vault and uneven bars after that and finally, balance beam. UCLA is used to finishing meets on the floor, an event in which the Bruins are ranked sixth nationally, but the gymnasts are embracing the change of schedule.

“It’s a little weird, I’m not gonna lie, to start on floor,” senior Chae Campbell told reporters Wednesday. “It feels like it’s a finale for our team. But one thing about us is we’re going to be adaptable. We’re gonna have our floor party first and keep that momentum going.”

UCLA enters the competition carrying momentum. The Bruins are finally settled into their lineups after a series of shakeups due to injuries this season and are coming off a second-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships with a score of 197.875.

Selena Harris became the 21st gymnast in program history to earn Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year recognition and also won the all-around at the Pac-12 championships. She’s notched four perfect 10s in her sophomore season.

Campbell and Nya Reed were named All-Pac-12 first team on vault and floor, respectively. Three more gymnasts earned honorable mention nods: Rosen (all-around), Emma Malabuyo (beam) and Brooklyn Moors (floor).

The Bruins have practiced holding each other accountable while focusing on minute details throughout practice this week, like holding finishes.

“It really does take a full team effort every single day in and out of the gym to be able to hold each other accountable to be the championship team that we want to be,” UCLA coach Janelle McDonald said.

The Bruins are also happy to be traveling within the state of California as it goes for their 25th NCAA regional title.

“The Cal Regional is exactly what we wanted,” Rosen said. “It’s a shorter flight time so our bodies won’t be as tight or sore. We’re really happy with where we’re going.”

The win-or-go-home stakes of the NCAA postseason have been softened by the valuable recovery time UCLA has received the past two weeks, in addition to the guidance from upperclassmen like Campbell and graduate students Reed and Margzetta Frazier.

“We’re not focusing on the added pressure,” Rosen said. “That’s something the seniors talked about. It’s the same sport, it’s the same team. We’re just gonna do what we love and love what we do.”

No. 11 seed UCLA (13-11) at NCAA California Regional Second Round

When: Friday, 1 p.m.

Where: Haas Pavilion, Berkeley

TV: ESPN+

The room was glum but not tearful. Although a Final Four appearance continues to elude the Bruins, there’s a good chance they’ll make another run at it next season with the involvement of Betts, Jones and the rest of their classmates.

“My job this offseason is to figure out how we can earn more,” Close told reporters. “I think that has to be our next step, and we have to be able to. No excuses. We’ve got to find ways to adjust, to pivot, to overcome, to conquer in relentless pursuit of the excellence that we’re going for.”

Close could make her next move with the support of most of this season’s roster. Guards Charisma Osborne, who is slated to begin a professional career after being an all-around force in five decorated seasons at UCLA, and Camryn Brown have used up their eligibility, but a loaded sophomore class will likely return in full force.

That includes the post presence of the 6-foot-7 Betts, the leadership of Kiki Rice, the silky 3-point shooting of Jones, the competitiveness of Gabriela Jaquez, the defensive potential of Lina Sontag and the forcefulness of Christine Iwuala. It became common to see four sophomores on the court at a time this season.

Angela Dugalić and Emily Bessoir, a pair of 6-4 seniors, have a year of eligibility left. Dugalić averaged 8.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game this season. Bessoir was one of the best shooters on the team last year, at 9.4 points per game and with a .413 field goal percentage, but was sorely missed after suffering a season-ending knee injury in December.

Both could return to UCLA, which finished 27-7 this season, to fill the experienced veteran roles that will be vacant when Brown and Osborne are gone.

“I think their leadership and who they are off the court – you definitely have a sister in them,” Jones said of Brown and Osborne. “We’re really disappointed and we wanted this for them, but looking forward to amazing things they’re going to do because of the people that they are.”

UCLA relied on its sophomores against LSU on Saturday in a 78-69 loss. The Bruins struggled to make 3-point shots at the start of the game and were 0 for 8 from behind the arc in the first quarter and 2 for 17 in the first half.

They went into halftime trailing by seven points, but Jones found her rhythm to create a scoring run and keep UCLA in the game. The Bruins held the Tigers to 14 points in the third quarter, but gave up 30 points in the final frame.

The top-scoring players in the game were all sophomores. Betts had a double-double of 14 points and 17 rebounds and was named to the NCAA Tournament Albany 2 All-Regional team. Jones and Jaquez each scored 14 points and Rice added 13 points despite fouling out late in the game.

Close was cautiously optimistic about the group of returners after the loss.

“Yes, we have really a great young team, but we talk all the time about in these games that defense and rebounding,” she said. “I thought we rebounded pretty well, but we allowed 30 points in the fourth quarter. It’s going to be tough.”

UCLA has high-level incoming talent. The 2024 recruiting class was ranked second nationally by ESPN in early November and includes three five-star recruits in Avary Cain, Kendall Dudley and Zania Socka as well as Finnish international player Elina Aarnisalo.

Dudley, a 6-2 wing, and Socka, a 6-3 forward, come from Sidwell Friends School – the same Washington, D.C., prep program that produced Rice – and could bolster UCLA’s post presence so it doesn’t have to rely so heavily on Betts.

Aarnisalo, a 5-10 point guard, averaged 12.2 points per game and shot 48.2% from the field and 42.2% from 3-point range as an 18-year-old in Belgium’s top division. Cain, a 6-1 shooting guard, will be traveling a much shorter distance and can add to the defensive play Close is seeking. She averaged 3.2 steals per game, to go with 21.5 points and 6.5 rebounds, in her senior season at St. Joseph High in Santa Maria.

The Bruins welcome this highly ranked class with heightened interest from the SoCal basketball community as fandom increased throughout this season’s tournament run and even before that.

UCLA came into the season ranked No. 4 in the AP poll and took off on a 14-game win streak that included wins over ranked opponents like UConn, Florida State and Ohio State. Alumni like Jordin Canada, Earl Watson and Nina and Russell Westbrook came out to support the team and help set a single-game attendance record of 13,659.

“We want to be a part of this incredible momentum that women’s basketball has garnered,” Close said. “We want to make Southern California really proud, and we want to get more eyeballs from the East Coast on our sport here in Southern California.”

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  Alabama guard Mark Sears, center, celebrates after a win over Clemson in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Clemson forward Ian Schieffelin (4) grabs a rebound over Alabama guard Aaron Estrada (55) during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Alabama and Clemson players scramble for a loose ball during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Clemson forward Ian Schieffelin (4) reaches for a rebound over Alabama guard Aaron Estrada during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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  Clemson head coach Brad Brownell gestures from the bench during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game against Alabama in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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  Clemson guard Chase Hunter (1) shoots over Alabama guard Mark Sears during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Alabama forward Grant Nelson celebrates with teammates on the bench during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game against Clemson in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) celebrates after scoring during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game against Clemson in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Alabama guard Mark Sears, right, shoots over Clemson guard Chase Hunter (1) during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Clemson guard Joseph Girard III (11) shoots against Alabama during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) shoots over Clemson forward Jack Clark (5) during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Alabama forward Grant Nelson (2) dunks past Clemson forward Ian Schieffelin during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Alabama forward Grant Nelson (2) blocks a shot from Clemson center PJ Hall (24) during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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  Clemson center PJ Hall celebrates after a dunk during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game against Alabama in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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  Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) celebrates after scoring during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game against Clemson in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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  Clemson center PJ Hall (24) reacts after scoring against Alabama during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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  Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) dribbles past Clemson forward Jack Clark (5) during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Clemson forward Ian Schieffelin, center, grabs a loose ball next to Alabama forward Nick Pringle, left, during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Clemson guard Joseph Girard III (11) bites on his jersey in the closing seconds of a loss to Alabama in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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  Alabama guard Rylan Griffen, facing camera at left, celebrates with guard Aaron Estrada (55) after a win over Clemson in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Alabama forward Nick Pringle (23) celebrates after a win over Clemson in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Alabama players hold the winner’s trophy after a win over Clemson in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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  Alabama guard Mark Sears holds the winner’s trophy after defeating Clemson in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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  Alabama guard Mark Sears cuts down the net after a win over Clemson in Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

LOS ANGELES — The offense of the fourth-seeded Alabama men’s basketball team came alive in the second half to beat No. 6 seed Clemson 89-82 at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night in the NCAA Tournament West Regional Elite Eight matchup.

Alabama’s Mark Sears’ explosive second-half efforts led him to 23 points and Nick Pringle recorded a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Rylan Griffen added 13 points and eight assists and Jarin Stevenson came off the bench to contribute 19 points.

The Crimson Tide (25-11) made school history and will head to Phoenix for the program’s first-ever trip to the Final Four. Alabama will play top-seeded UConn, which beat No. 3 seed Illinois 77-52 on Saturday.

“They’ve just been all about winning,” head coach Nate Oats said. “I mean, nobody really cares who’s scoring the points. I’ve got multiple guys telling me to keep other guys in the game. There’s been no selfishness in this four-game run.”

Alabama’s Mark Sears came into the matchup at the SEC’s top-scoring player and was averaging 24.7 points in the tournament, but Clemson (24-12) had limited the 6-foot-1 senior guard early on.

“Two different halves,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. “Certainly, the start of the game was our way. I told the guys before the game that if we’re up 10, then we’re down 10. When you’re playing Alabama, that’s about five.”

The Tigers’ man defense imposed dramatic force on the Tide in the paint and rarely left Sears unguarded. The senior was able to kick out to teammates for 3-pointers, which helped Alabama go on an 11-point scoring run that ended as the clock reached the five-minute mark.

The Tide pulled down 28 rebounds to win the battle on the boards in the first half, but the offense went cold early on. Alabama’s offense slowly warmed up but made 13 of 39 shots before halftime.

Clemson led by at 13 points with 7:54 left in the opening half thanks in part to Ian Schieffelin’s early hot hand that led him to 10 first-half points. He ended the game with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Schieffelin made a two-handed dunk within the first 1:30 of the game and followed up with a layup after that to set the Tigers up for a 6-0 scoring run.

Four other Tigers finished in double-digit scoring figures in Hunter Chase (12), Joseph Girard III (19), PJ Hall (14) and RJ Godfrey (12).

Alabama escaped with a narrow 35-32 lead after a Griffen layup, an optimistic look ahead of the rest of the game.

Offensive efficiency skyrocketed in the second half for the Tide, who had made seven of nine field goals and five out of nine shots from behind the arc by the eight-minute media timeout.

“They made some runs on us in the second half,” Oats said. “And it seemed like we just hit timely 3 after timely 3, whether it was Jarin or Rylan or Mark. Mark hit one, felt like it was from half-court. And it was big 3 after big 3.”

Hall was flexing after a one-handed dunk that gave Clemson a 42-41 advantage three minutes into the second half, but Grant Nelson responded with a dunk of his own to put Alabama out front once again.

Sears got loose to score 18 points in the second half. He exuded confidence, sticking his tongue out while holding up three fingers on each hand after draining a three from the top of the key for a 68-59 lead with 6:22 to go in the game.

“Even though it’s intense, we play the game because we have fun with it,” Sears said. “To be in those moments you dream about it as a kid and just to have fun with it. Even though it’s a business to go out there, we still gotta have to have fun with it.”

It was all downhill from there for Alabama, which made 67% of its shots in the second half.

Alabama’s appearance in the Elite Eight was its first since 2004 and second in school history. Head coach Nate Oats has now won seven NCAA Tournament games in four seasons.

Oats introduced “mudita” to the team this season — a dharmic term that refers to vicarious joy. The Tide has been experiencing happiness through seeing the success of others, and Alabama seemed to be at the pinnacle of that on Saturday night.

“Ever since we first heard of it when conference play started, it really stuck with us and really changed our season around,” Sears said. “We started out 6-5. And we heard the word mudita, and that changed our season around. It really helped us win this.”

Nate Oats cuts down the net in Los Angeles. Alabama is headed to the school’s first Final Four. pic.twitter.com/SW2uLoIzUY

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) March 31, 2024

Nelson finished with a season-high 24 points, 19 in the second half, to go with 12 rebounds and he blocked RJ Davis’ attempt at a tying layup after giving Alabama the lead. Rylan Griffen added 19 points, tying his career high with five 3-pointers, and Aaron Estrada also scored 19 for the Crimson Tide (24-11).

“We’ve been working for this all season, but this wasn’t our end goal,” said Nelson, a 6-foot-11 senior who played at North Dakota State his first three years. “It’s good we got here. It’s something that the school has done one other time. We’re going to celebrate it a little bit and then move on, next game.”

Mark Sears, Alabama’s leading scorer this season, finished with 18 points after making just two field goals in the second half when Nelson dominated.

“I was very proud of him,” Sears said. “He was struggling the first two games. To see him carry us, it was very amazing.”

The Tide will face sixth-seeded Clemson in the West Regional final on Saturday at 5:49 p.m. for a berth in the Final Four. The Tigers defeated second-seeded Arizona, 77-72, in the first semifinal, to help set up a regional final between schools that have so often met in titanic college football clashes.

“These guys are bringing their competitive side out at the right time,” said Tide coach Nate Oats, whose squad became the first team in this year’s tournament to oust a No. 1 seed. “You want to be peaking in March and we’re peaking in March.”

After Nelson blocked Davis’ shot with 25 seconds left, Davis furiously dribbled around before missing a layup and the Tar Heels got called for a shot-clock violation with eight seconds left.

“I thought I had an advantage on Nelson and he was able to swat it,” Davis said.

North Carolina was then forced to foul, sending Nelson to the free-throw line where he calmly made both for an 89-85 lead.

Armando Bacot scored inside with one second left, leaving North Carolina trailing 89-87. The Tar Heels fouled Nelson again with 0.9 seconds left. He missed both and time expired on the Tar Heels, who own six national championships.

“Always in the closing minutes, it comes down to a play here or there,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “I’ve talked all season about the little details that make big things happen, not just necessarily shots – rebounds, free throws, loose balls. At the end of the day, they made down the stretch more plays than us. And unfortunately, we came out on the short end.”

Bacot finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds in his final game for UNC (29-8). Cormac Ryan had 17 points and made five 3-pointers and Davis had 16 points.

“I’m definitely hurt. I think we all are a little shocked,” Bacot said. “Felt like we hand a chance to win the national championship this year.”

Davis shot 4 for 20 from the field and missed all nine of his 3-point attempts.

“I just wasn’t good enough, missed a lot of easy shots that I normally make,” Davis said, his voice trailing off as he lowered his head and rubbed his eyes.

The Tide, who will be making their first Elite Eight appearance since 2004, trailed 54-46 at halftime.

The shots weren’t falling for North Carolina at the start of the second half. The Tar Heels missed eight field-goal attempts and six 3-point attempts before the first media timeout, which allowed Alabama to grab the lead.

Nelson and Sam Walters combined to score nine of Alabama’s first 13 points to take a 59-57 lead. The Tar Heels struggled early when the 6-foot-11 Bacot picked up his third foul five minutes in, but they tied it at 59-all on a basket by Harrison Ingram.

Nelson, Estrada and Griffen teamed to score 21 of Alabama’s next 23 points that produced an 82-77 lead. Nelson ran off seven in a row, capped by a 3-pointer.

“It was coaches, players giving me confidence to go out there and just giving me the ball and being able to make plays on their bigs,” Nelson said. “If they shrunk in I’d be able to kick it out.”

Carolina scored eight in a row, including six straight by Davis, to take its last lead at 85-82.

The Tar Heels opened the game on a 19-9 run for their largest lead of a half that included eight ties and seven lead changes.

Mark Sears went on a tear, scoring nine points – hitting a 3-pointer and turning to blow a kiss to the crowd – to help the Tide lead 39-34. Sears finished with 18 points.

“Mark Sears has competed as hard as he’s ever competed since he’s been at Alabama these last three games,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said. “When the season’s on the line, we’ve been challenging these guys all year. They’ve stepped up.”

North Carolina regained control with a 20-7 spurt to end the half ahead 54-46. Ryan and Ingram had two 3-pointers each and Bacot dunked, slithered around Mohamed Wague for a layup and scored off his own steal.

UNC’s Davis was coaching against Alabama in the tournament for the first time, but had played against the Tide back in 1992 in Cincinnati in the second round of the Southeast Regional. He led the Tar Heels in that game with 16 points.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Basketball alumni like Jordin Canada, Earl Watson and Nina and Russell Westbrook have come out. Alyssia Brewer, Darxia Morris, Debbie Willie Haliday. Softball coach Kelly Inouye-Perez and countless current student-athletes. The list goes on.

But one Bruin has come into the fold to unexpectedly impact the women’s basketball team this season: former UCLA gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field, known to most as Miss Val.

“She knows how to bring the best out of every single person that she teaches or every single person that she’s around,” senior guard Charisma Osborne said.

Kondos Field is ingrained in UCLA history after winning seven national championships but hadn’t kept up with women’s basketball since she retired from coaching at the school in 2019.

She was re-introduced to the program when Osborne and guard Camryn Brown showed up in her Philosophy of Coaching and Leadership class.

@haleymsawyer

UCLA women’s basketball has gotten unlikely inspiration from legendary gymnastics coach Miss Val. full story at dailynews.com! #basketball #journalist #sports #reporter #collegebasketball #womensbasketball #ucla #marchmadness #collegesports #gymnastics #coaching #inspirational

♬ original sound – Haley Sawyer

The two Bruins are part of the Transformational Coaching and Leadership masters program, which is part of UCLA’s graduate school of education. Kondos Field co-teaches her class with a philosophy professor.

“Anything of truth in leadership and motivating human beings, there’s nothing new,” Kondos Field said. “Whenever we bring something up that Coach Wooden said or Pat Summit said or Pete Carroll said, the philosophy professor can go back to the philosopher Socrates and Plato and Zeno and say, ‘Yeah, they said the same thing.’”

The class is largely discussion-based, which draws on Kondos Field’s coaching techniques. She would host what became known as “great debates” between gymnasts the night before a meet, presenting absurd prompts like: Why should UCLA become a nudist campus?

The gymnasts would deliver a one-minute, 30-second speech arguing for or against the prompt and be judged on content, presentation and eye contact.

Philosophy of Coaching and Leadership takes a similar approach, although the discussions are centered around leadership. In one class, Brown and softball player Maya Brady volleyed back and forth as to whether trust is earned or given.

Kondos Field said Brown, who is a poised athlete and speaker, shined. Brown embraced the class so much that she asked coach Cori Close if Kondos Field could speak to the team the morning of Selection Sunday.

“To motivate our team and get us to remember how to play in confidence and how to play in freedom,” Brown said, “because I think she did that so well when she was a coach here. She’s just done that so well in life and motivating so many other people.”

Kondos Field told the players how she led the gymnastics program to success despite never having done gymnastics herself. She spoke of how she strived to develop her gymnasts into champions in their own right and how that led to success in competition.

She also taught the basketball team dance choreography – with varying results. Some players mimicked the movements with ease and others struggled to find their rhythm. A few playfully wanted to know if they were better dancers than the softball team.

Brown separated her team into two lines and kept windows between people so they could see Kondos Field delivering the instructions. It was unified chaos.

“It was hysterical,” Kondos Field said. “They had enthusiasm to learn. And they were in it. They were not embarrassed. They were team bonding, they were having fun, they were helping each other out.”

Osborne said she could still do the choreography weeks later, at least if she heard the music. She was affected by Kondos Field on an individual level and was one of the students who groaned when Kondos Field told her class they couldn’t have their back toward anyone while speaking and that eye contact must be maintained.

The class’ final exam required students to deliver a speech about the values of their own coaching philosophy. Brown volunteered to go first and confidently spilled forth words about safety, comfort and service, then picked Osborne to go next. Nervous, she remembered a lesson from Miss Val:

“You don’t have to be anybody else,” Osborne said. “Just be yourself and that’s more than enough. Even in class, she pushes me out of my comfort zone. She was like, ‘It’s OK to be uncomfortable, but just be yourself in that.’”

“I just knew that with the experience that we had from that previous season, this season we’d be able to go all the way.”@CharismaOsborne believes this NCAA tournament run could be historic for @UCLAWBB pic.twitter.com/WtBHJheykj

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 28, 2024

Osborne was a guest on ESPN’s SportsCenter for a solo interview Wednesday and talked with ease about her decision to stay for her final season at UCLA, striving to reach the Final Four and how Close danced to a Drake song while recruiting her – a full-circle moment choreographed to perfection.

That’s one more thread added to the tightly woven fabric among UCLA student-athletes, coaches and alumni that has brought so many out to women’s basketball games.

“Probably one of my favorite things about being a coach at UCLA is the family,” Close said. “If you represent the four letters across your chest, you are family for life. It’s an honor to see those people and it’s an honor to play for them.”

Six-foot-3 forward Angel Reese and 6-1 guard Aneesh Morrow each have more than 20 double-doubles this season for third-seeded LSU (27-6). Reese has recorded a double-double in 14 consecutive games and has recorded eight in her fourth year in the NCAA Tournament.

She’s also gone viral on social media for her competitiveness and in-game actions. For example, she waved goodbye to Middle Tennessee State player Anastasiia Boldyreva, who was fouled out by Reese on Sunday in their second-round game.

“There’s a lot going on down there in Baton Rouge,” UCLA guard Kiki Rice said. “It’s good for women’s basketball, the attention that they’re bringing. Kim Mulkey’s built a great program.

“But I also think we can’t get distracted by that and can’t get distracted by everything else they bring to the game. It’s basketball at the end of the day.”

The Tigers exuded confidence even before winning the national title last year in Mulkey’s second season. The scout team players for UCLA (27-6) were instructed to talk trash in the practices leading up to the first game between the teams since 2011.

“Each team has a personality and we want to play within our personality,” UCLA coach Cori Close told reporters Wednesday. “Our job is to get ourselves ready to play our best and that may look different from LSU, but we’re not going to let anything they do take us out of the mental focus of us playing at our best the way we like to do it.”

Here’s a scouting overview of the Tigers before Saturday’s matchup with UCLA:

Probable starting lineup

G: Soph. Flau’jae Johnson, 5-foot-10, 14.4 ppg, 38.1% 3-point FG, 49.7 FG%, 5.3 rpg, 74 steals

F: Jr. Angel Reese, 6-foot-3, 18.7 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 71 assists, 56 steals

G: Jr. Aneesah Morrow, 6-foot-1, 16.5 ppg, 10 rpg, 91 steals

G: Fr. Mikaylah Williams, 6-foot-0, 14.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 93 assists

G: Gad transfer Hailey Van Lith, 5-foot-7, 11.8 ppg, 82.7 FT%, 112 assists

Bench notables

F: Soph. Sa’Mayah Smith, 6-foot-2, 11.7 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 66.0 FG%

C: Fr. Aalyah Del Rosario, 6-foot-6, 4.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 54.1 FG%, 39 steals

Last game

LSU outperformed Middle Tennessee State offensively and defensively in the second half after falling behind at halftime of its second-round game Sunday. Reese recorded her 14th consecutive double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Van Lith took the lead defensively and guarded MTSU sharpshooter Savannah Wheeler while the Tigers limited the Blue Raiders to two 3-pointers in the second half. Nevertheless, the Tigers gave up a season-high 83 points in the game.

Points of strength

Aggressive scoring: LSU is within the top five teams in the nation in scoring offense, scoring margin and offensive rebounds per game. Six players average 11 points or more per game and, as a team, the Tigers shoot 46.5% from the field.

Getting under opponents’ skin: LSU has drawn attention for its trash-talking nearly as often as its play this season. Three MTSU players fouled out in the Tigers’ second-round game and LSU was able to score 26 points on free throws. LSU is the No. 1 team in the country in free-throw attempts and free throws made per game.

Points of weakness

Playing in the paint: LSU’s defense is physical, but doesn’t spread its opponents out. If UCLA can use its size to control the paint and area beneath the rim, it could lead to quick baskets.

Depth: The Tigers have six players who can score at the top of the stat sheet, but there’s a dramatic drop-off after that. The Bruins, who have a battle-tested bench, can gain an edge if they force LSU to work for all four quarters.

Keys for UCLA

Battle on the boards: LSU is No. 2 in the country with a 13.1 rebounding margin, only UCLA is better. The Bruins have outrebounded opponents by 14.2 boards this season and has implemented additional rebounding drills this week in practice.

Starting fast: The Bruins trailed Creighton by 10 points in the second quarter of their second-round game. The Bluejays jumped out to an early lead by attacking the basket in transition and without hesitation before the Bruins settled down for the 67-63 victory.

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: UCLA vs. LSU

When: 10 a.m. PT Saturday

Where: MVP Arena, Albany, NY

TV: ABC (Ch. 7)

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  UCLA center Lauren Betts grabs a rebound during the first half of their NCAA Tournament second-round game on Monday night at Pauley Pavilion. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA center Lauren Betts (51) celebrates in the closing minutes of a win over Creighton during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  Creighton forward Emma Ronsiek scores during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament against UCLA, Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  Creighton guard Molly Mogensen (21) and UCLA guard Charisma Osborne (20) vie for a loose ball during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  Creighton guard Lauren Jensen, right, prepares to shoot as UCLA guard Londynn Jones, top left, collides with Creighton forward Mallory Brake during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  Creighton forward Emma Ronsiek (31) dribbles past UCLA forward Angela Dugalic (32) during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA guard Charisma Osborne (20) shoots over Creighton guard Lauren Jensen during the second half of their NCAA Tournament second-round game on Monday night at Pauley Pavilion. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  Creighton forward Emma Ronsiek (31) grabs a high pass over UCLA guard Londynn Jones (3) during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  Creighton forward Emma Ronsiek makes a 3-point basket over UCLA center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  Creighton forward Emma Ronsiek runs back after making a 3-point basket during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament against UCLA, Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) drives to the basket during the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Creighton in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA forward Gabriela Jaquez, middle, works for a rebound against a group of Creighton defenders during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament, Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  Creighton forward Emma Ronsiek (31) is defended by UCLA center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament, Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA guard Kiki Rice celebrates after scoring during the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Creighton in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA guard Kiki Rice celebrates after scoring during the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Creighton in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA forward Angela Dugalic (32) shoots over Creighton forward Morgan Maly (30) during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) dribbles past Creighton guard Kiani Lockett (11) during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) shoots over Creighton forward Mallory Brake (14) during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA head coach Cori Close yells instructions during the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Creighton in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA forward Angela Dugalic (32) celebrates after scoring with center Lauren Betts (51) and guard Kiki Rice (1) during the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Creighton in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA forward Angela Dugalic (32) celebrates after scoring with forward Gabriela Jaquez (23) during the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Creighton in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) shoots a free throw during the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Creighton in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) dribbles during the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Creighton in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) dribbles during the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Creighton in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA center Lauren Betts (51) during the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Creighton in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA center Lauren Betts (51) during the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Creighton in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA forward Gabriela Jaquez (23) celebrates as UCLA jumps ahead of Creighton during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA players walk off the field after a win over Creighton during a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  UCLA head coach Cori Close hugs guard Charisma Osborne (20) after a win over Creighton during a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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  Kiki Rice #1 of the UCLA Bruins attempts a shot in front of Mallory Brake #14 and Morgan Maly #30 of the Creighton Bluejays in the first half during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Kiki Rice #1 of the UCLA Bruins drives to the basket past Kennedy Townsend #2 of the Creighton Bluejays in the first half during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Head coach Cori Close of the UCLA Bruins reacts with Londynn Jones #3 in the first half against the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Emma Ronsiek #31 of the Creighton Bluejays catches a pass in front of Morgan Maly #30 and Emma Ronsiek #31 of the Creighton Bluejays in the first half during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins scores on a shot over Morgan Maly #30 and Emma Ronsiek #31 of the Creighton Bluejays in the first half during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Gabriela Jaquez #23 of the UCLA Bruins grabs a rebound between Kiani Lockett #11 Emma Ronsiek #31 and Morgan Maly #30 of the Creighton Bluejays in the first half during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins attempts a shot in front of Morgan Maly #30 of the Creighton Bluejays in the first half during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Emma Ronsiek #31 of the Creighton Bluejays grabs a rebound in front of Angela Dugalic #32 of the UCLA Bruins in the first half during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Emma Ronsiek #31 of the Creighton Bluejays celebrates her basket with Lauren Jensen #15 and Molly Mogensen #21 in the first half against the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Kiki Rice #1 of the UCLA Bruins drives past Kennedy Townsend #2 of the Creighton Bluejays in the first half during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins dribbles past Mallory Brake #14 of the Creighton Bluejays in the first half during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  UCLA’s Kiki Rice, right, celebrates with Angela Dugalic, left, after a basket during the second half of their 67-63 victory over Creighton in a second-round game of the NCAA Tournament on Monday night at Pauley Pavilion. Rice scored 17 of her game-high 24 points in the second half. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Emma Ronsiek #31 of the Creighton Bluejays scores on a reverse layup around Londynn Jones #3 of the UCLA Bruins in a 67-63 loss to the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins drives to the basket on Mallory Brake #14 of the Creighton Bluejays in a 67-63 win over the Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Gabriela Jaquez #23 of the UCLA Bruins fends off Emma Ronsiek #31 of the Creighton Bluejays as she dribbles in a 67-63 win over the Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Kiki Rice #1 of the UCLA Bruins attempts a shot in front of Morgan Maly #30, Molly Mogensen #21 and Lauren Jensen #15 of the Creighton Bluejays in a 67-63 win over the Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins scores in front of Morgan Maly #30, Emma Ronsiek #31, and Mallory Brake #14 of the Creighton Bluejays in a 67-63 win over the Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  UCLA cheerleaders before the game against the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Kiki Rice #1 of the UCLA Bruins high fives fans as she walks on to the court before the game against the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Head coach Cori Close of the UCLA Bruins high fives fans as she walks on to the court before the game against the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins attempts a shot in front of Lauren Jensen #15, Emma Ronsiek #31, and Morgan Maly #30 of the Creighton Bluejays in a 67-63 win over the Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Head coach Jim Flanery of the Creighton Bluejays reacts in a 67-63 loss to the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins attempts a shot in front of Morgan Maly #30 of the Creighton Bluejays in a 67-63 win over the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Morgan Maly #30 of the Creighton Bluejays attempts a three pointer in front of Angela Dugalic #32 of the UCLA Bruins in a 67-63 loss to the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Kiki Rice #1 of the UCLA Bruins looks to pass under the arms of Kiani Lockett #11 of the Creighton Bluejays in a 67-63 win over the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Emma Ronsiek #31 of the Creighton Bluejays attempts a 3-pointer in front of Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins ina 67-63 loss to the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Molly Mogensen #21 of the Creighton Bluejays shoots a 3-pointer in front of Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins in a 67-63 loss to the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Kiani Lockett #11 of the Creighton Bluejays drives to the basket on Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins in a 67-63 loss to the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Lauren Jensen #15 of the Creighton Bluejays drives to the basket in front of Charisma Osborne #20 and Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins in a 67-63 loss to the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Lauren Betts #51 and Angela Dugalic #32 of the UCLA Bruins celebrate a three pointer in a 67-63 win over the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Lauren Jensen #15 of the Creighton Bluejays attempts a layup in front of Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins in a 67-63 loss to the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Lauren Jensen #15 of the Creighton Bluejays shoots a jumper in a 67-63 loss to the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 25: Kiki Rice #1 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates a score with Angela Dugalic #32 after a timeout in a 67-63 win over the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Gabriela Jaquez #23 of the UCLA Bruins grabs a rebound in front of Emma Ronsiek #31 of the Creighton Bluejays and Charisma Osborne #20 in a 67-63 UCLA Bruins win during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Gabriela Jaquez #23 of the UCLA Bruins grabs a rebound in front of Emma Ronsiek #31 of the Creighton Bluejays and Charisma Osborne #20 in a 67-63 UCLA Bruins win during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Gabriela Jaquez #23 of the UCLA Bruins and Emma Ronsiek #31 of the Creighton Bluejays reach for a loose ball in a 67-63 UCLA Bruins win during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Lauren Betts #51 and Angela Dugalic #32 of the UCLA Bruins celebrate a three pointer in a 67-63 win over the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins controls a rebound between Molly Mogensen #21, Kiani Lockett #11, and Morgan Maly #30 of the Creighton Bluejays in a 67-63 win over the Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins controls a rebound between Molly Mogensen #21, Kiani Lockett #11, and Morgan Maly #30 of the Creighton Bluejays in a 67-63 win over the Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Lauren Betts #51 and Angela Dugalic #32 of the UCLA Bruins celebrate a three pointer in a 67-63 win over the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Camryn Brown #35 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates a 67-63 win over the Creighton Bluejays with head coach Cori Close during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  From left, UCLA’s Angela Dugalic #32, Camryn Brown #35, Kiki Rice #1, Lina Sontag #21 and Charisma Osborne #20 celebrate possession after a timeout in a 67-63 win over the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  UCLA head coach Cori Close celebrates a 67-63 win over the Creighton Bluejays with Charisma Osborne #20 during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  UCLA women’s basketball game coach Cori Close celebrates a 67-63 win over the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  UCLZ players gather as Camryn Brown #35 gives a speech after a 67-63 win over the Creighton Bluejays during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES — Early in the third quarter, UCLA’s Kiki Rice knew the pressure was on her if the Bruins wanted to keep their hopes alive of getting to the Women’s Final Four for the first time.

The sophomore point guard ended up delivering in the most pressure-packed time of the season.

Kiki Rice scored 17 of her 24 points in the second half, Lauren Betts had 20 points and 10 rebounds and second-seeded UCLA rallied in the second half for a 67-63 victory over seventh-seeded Creighton in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday night at Pauley Pavilion.

“It was just finding a way,” Rice said. “Take it possession by possession, get a stop and get a score. That’s what we did in the second half. It was just not letting the deficit at halftime take away from our focus and what we needed to execute.”

The Bruins (27-6) trailed by 10 points in the third quarter but outscored the Bluejays 33-21 in the second half to secure the win. UCLA will face third-seeded defending national champion LSU in a regional semifinal on Saturday afternoon in Albany, New York. Top-seeded Iowa and fifth-seeded Colorado are in the other semi.

This is the second consecutive trip to the Sweet 16 for the Bruins after they reached that round a year ago before losing to South Carolina.

Betts, the Bruins’ 6-foot-7 sophomore center, returned to the court Monday after missing the Bruins’ first-round victory over California Baptist with an undisclosed injury and shot 9 for 15 from the field.

Rice scored 13 of her points in the third quarter and Gabriela Jaquez added eight points to go with 11 rebounds for UCLA.

Creighton (26-6) led 44-34 early in the second half before UCLA fought back. The Bruins got back into the game with a 20-7 run that included 11 points by Rice.

“At this point this season, there’s one game and you’re out,” said Rice, who shot 7 for 13 from the field and made all eight of her free throws. “So I just knew that I needed to do whatever I had to do to help my team win.”

@haleymsawyer

UCLA women’s basketball is headed to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. full story: https://www.dailynews.com/2024/03/25/ncaa-tournament-ucla-women-beat-creighton-to-earn-trip-to-sweet-16/ #journalist #sports #collegebasketball #ncaabasketball #ncaatournament #marchmadness #womensbasketball #girlsbasketball #girlpower #basketball #ucla #sweet16 #johnlegend #wnba

♬ original sound – Haley Sawyer

The score was tied at 56-all after three quarters but UCLA turned up the defensive intensity and held Creighton scoreless for more than four minutes to begin the fourth while putting together a 7-0 run to open a 63-56 lead on a reverse layup by Rice.

The Bruins’ seven-point lead was shaved to two in the final minutes, but Charisma Osborne drove into the lane for a floater that put the Bruins ahead 67-63 with 1:27 left. The teams then traded empty possessions before UCLA’s Angela Dugalić blocked a Creighton layup and the Bruins forced a jump ball with 3.6 seconds left that gave them possession.

The experience of Creighton’s five senior starters allowed the Bluejays to play in transition and get out front early. UCLA didn’t take its first lead of the game until Rice sank two free throws and a 3-pointer after that with 4:05 left in the first quarter.

The Bruins led 11-10, but only briefly, and scored most of their points on lay-ins and putbacks by Betts. She scored 12 points in the first quarter.

UCLA struggled with Creighton’s off ball screens and transition game during the first half. Creighton went on an 8-0 scoring run sparked by Morgan Maly to start the second quarter, which forced UCLA to call a timeout. Rice scored on a layup coming out of the break and Osborne hit a corner 3-pointer, but the Bluejays continued to shoot with no hesitation to maintain their advantage.

Creighton, which came into the game as the No. 12 team in the nation in terms of 3-point baskets per game (8.8) and made 16 in a win against UNLV on Saturday, shot 7 for 16 from behind the arc against the Bruins.

“They’re a fantastic 3-point shooting team that gets contested threes and open threes,” Rice said. “So we knew we had to really run them off the line.”

Jaquez showed her gritty side when she hit two shots in a row with under two minutes until halftime to cut the deficit to eight points.

“These types of games show you who loves to compete,” UCLA coach Cori Close said, “and Gabriela Jaquez loves to compete.”

Still, Creighton stayed the course to head into the break with a 42-24 advantage.

“At halftime, I really laid into them about the choices. We don’t give up that many points in a half to anybody. So we needed to just get back to doing things with our defense. I knew if we could get enough stops we would score enough points,” Close said.

UCLA locked in on defense in the third quarter and made shots fall for themselves. Brown jumped up for a block to force a turnover and Jaquez went in for a layup as the Bruins scored six straight points.

“I thought Cam was huge,” Close said. “(We have the) ability to go offense-defense with her because she’s such an anchor for us defensively. Holding them to 21 points in the second half was truly remarkable.”

The Bruins forced Maly to miss a 3-point attempt, then Rice tossed a pass to Betts for a layup and a 50-50 tie. UCLA forced Creighton to miss more shots while rebounding and maintaining possession for as long as possible.

Rice continued her takeover and dribbled through the paint for a layup and made two free throws after to bring the score to 54-51. Lauren Jensen hit a 3-pointer for Creighton to tie the score heading into the final quarter.

Creighton, fearless earlier in the game, was tentative in the waning minutes. The Bluejays shot 13 for 22 from the field in the first half but only 9 for 28 in the third and fourth quarters.

“I thought they really defended on a different level in that second half and we couldn’t really get much going, in particular in the fourth quarter, and probably thought we got a little tired,” Creighton coach Jim Flanery said. “I thought Cori probably did a better job of using her bench and keeping people fresh.”

Jensen finished with 20 points and Maly had 18 for Creighton. Emma Ronsiek added 14 points.

“Credit to UCLA. They made life difficult for us especially in the second half. Disrupting our offense, making it hard for us to catch and even when we did get a shot off it was contested. So they definitely ramped it up on the defensive end,” Jensen said.

Monday was the last time playing in Pauley Pavilion for graduate students Osborne and Camryn Brown, a moment especially significant for Osborne, who decided to return to UCLA for a fifth year.

She currently ranks No. 2 in program history in career points. The top-scoring Bruin with 3,198 points is Denise Curry, who was in attendance for the game.

“The Bruin bubble, the pride, the alumni,” Close said. “It’s probably one of my favorite things about being a coach at UCLA. It really means something. If you represent the four letters across your chest, you are family for life.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Close rated her team’s efforts a B-plus after the Saturday night home game and wants to see even more of an immediacy mindset for Monday’s 5:30 p.m. game against No. 7 seed Creighton (26-5) at Pauley Pavilion.

The winner of the game will play the winner of Sunday’s game between No. 11 seed Middle Tennessee and No. 3 seed LSU in the Sweet 16.

“Can you have that kind of consistent urgency and understanding of every possession matters? That’s not a cliche, that’s reality,” Close told reporters after the game. “If you don’t treat it that way, it’ll be your last game.”

UCLA (26-6) was without star 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts on Saturday night. The sophomore was dressed in street clothing for the game after being seen on Wednesday at practice with her foot/ankle wrapped and elevated. She appeared to walk without difficulty on Saturday.

“Nothing major,” Close said. “I’m hopeful we’re going to be able to get her back on Monday. I don’t know yet for sure.”

@haleymsawyer

UCLA’s 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts is out again. Here’s everything I know about her absence/injury. #ucla #basketball #girlpower #girlsbasketball #womensbasketball #marchmadness #ncaatournament #ncaabasketball #collegebasketball #sports #journalist

♬ original sound – Haley Sawyer

The Bruins acted quickly without the size, blocks and easy lay-ins that Betts brings, playing in front of a crowd of nearly 9,000 people that included Nina and Russell Westbrook, two UCLA alumni who have attended multiple women’s basketball games this season.

They responded well coming out of timeouts called after big offensive runs by CBU on two different occasions. Charisma Osborne stayed locked in the entirety of the game and was one assist short of a triple-double (15 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists).

Gabriela Jaquez’s toughness was an asset, especially considering the 6-foot sophomore was playing in an unfamiliar role at power forward. She scored 19 points and pulled down seven rebounds while actively working to shut down CBU’s transition offense.

She was texting Close even the night before the game asking for plays revolving around power forward that UCLA would use the most and offered encouraging words the morning of.

“It’s always more important to Gabs to win than to do anything that she’s comfortable with,” Close said. “And she showed a little bit of everything tonight. She showed herself on the rebound, she showed herself in the post, hitting a couple threes off the bounce. It’s really about her attitude.”

Creighton beat No. 10 seed UNLV 87-73 on Saturday behind the scoring efforts of Lauren Jensen (25 points) and Emma Ronsiek (23 points). Ronsiek, a 6-foot-1 forward, moved to eighth for all-time scoring in program history and now has 1,608 career points.

As a team, the Bluejays shot 50.8% in the game. They are also the top-ranked team in the nation in free throw percentage at 82.89% but only made 44.4% of shots from the charity stripe on Saturday.

UCLA is 2-0 all-time against Creighton, and Close said she wants to limit the Bluejays’ 3-point attempts after California Baptist attempted 21 shots from range. Creighton attempted 20 against UNLV.

“That’s going to be the number one thing for our game against Creighton,” Close said.

UCLA is going for its third win over Creighton after the Bruins beat them twice in the 2017-18 season. Consistent urgency, whether Betts comes back or not, could make the difference.

It’s Betts’ second absence of the year after she missed four games midway through the season due to an undisclosed medical reason. UCLA can draw on that experience in striving for an uptick in urgency for Monday night.

“Can you respond quickly? Can you grow significantly?” Close said. “Can you execute a brand new scouting report with a completely different set of expectations and responses that are going to be needed? That’s the key to making a deep run in March.”

No. 7 seed Creighton (26-5) at No. 2 seed UCLA (26-6)

What: NCAA Tournament second round

When: Monday, 5:30 p.m.

Where: Pauley Pavilion

TV: ESPN2