For Cori Close, the Big Dance 2026 isn’t just about the pressure of helping her team to a first National title; it’s far more personal. The UCLA Bruins rallied past Duke with a 70–58 win in the Elite 8. Despite this win and the team’s second consecutive Final Four qualification, Close reflected on the pressure she is under in this March Madness campaign, put on her by her senior players.

The moment unfolded during the post-game press conference, where Close was asked whether she felt extra pressure to guide UCLA to a national title, with senior players like Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice competing in their final collegiate season.

“It’s mostly that I just don’t want to let them down,” Close said in reply. “I want to be there for them at whatever turn they need from me. This is not about me, it’s about serving them. I just want to serve them, and whatever they need from me, I want to be able to provide it. This is a calling, not a job. And this is about teaching, mentoring, and equipping young women for life beyond UCLA. I just want to be the right leader for them in this next step.”

Saying goodbye to seniors like Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice, Gianna Kneepkens, Charlisse Leger-Walker, and Angela Dugalic was always going to hang over UCLA’s campaign this year, given the impact they’ve had on the program.But context also matters. The truth is that the 2025-26 season is one of the best opportunities for the Bruins to clinch a National title in recent times.

Close also quietly knows that such an opportunity, after the rebuilding they will have to go through next season, might take a long time to arrive at the Pauley Pavilion.

With most of the seniors, led by Betts in top-notch form, the team has already shown what it is capable of this season, winning the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles. The National Championship remains the only title they have yet to secure this season, which, of course, will be a tough route with teams like UConn, South Carolina, and Texas in contention.

Their Elite 8 performance against the Blue Devils on Sunday was a major positive for the team’s chances in the tournament. Facing a No. 3 seed in Duke, it was expected that Close’s team wouldn’t have it easy. And as reality set in, it turned out exactly that. Duke didn’t concede a lead to UCLA for the entire first half of the game.

The Bruins were also trailing by around 10 points (39-29) at one point with just under a minute remaining before halftime. But the senior players came to UCLA’s rescue once again. Gabriela Jaquez bridged the gap with a 5-foot jumper in the dying seconds of the second quarter. Jaquez scored again with a layup right after the third quarter tipoff.

With Betts and Gianna Kneepkens’ scoring spree in the third quarter, the Bruins finally took the lead with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter, courtesy of the latter’s three-pointer on an Angela Dugalic assist. And from that point in the game, the Bruins never gave away the lead. The Bruins also tightened their defense further in the final 20 minutes of the game while continuing the mayhem on offense.

Cori Close’s team gave up just 19 points in the final 20 minutes and scored 39. While the game marked a staggering comeback for the Bruins, senior Lauren Betts looked back on their first-half woes that kept the team on its knees.

“I was just pretty mad. I just didn’t like how that first half happened,” Betts said of her team’s first-half performance. It was the first time they had trailed at the break since their only loss to Texas in November. “This is the Elite Eight, and my senior season is on the line.”

Betts capped off her night with 23 points, with 9 of 14 from the field, along with 10 rebounds and 5 blocks. Angela Dugalic came off the bench to score 15 points and was the only other double-digit scorer for UCLA. Close’s rotations and timeouts played out well on the night. The Bruins live to fight another day in March Madness, with the Final Four next in sight for them.

Familiar Opponents in Sight for Cori Close and UCLA in the Final Four

While Duke tested their mettle to a good extent, their upcoming game is a trial by fire. Cori Close’s team will face either No. 1 Texas or No.2 Michigan in the Final Four. They have faced both teams in the regular season, with contrasting outcomes. The Bruins capped off their Michigan game with a three-point back-and-forth win in the regular season, a major positive in a head-to-head matchup against a possible Final Four opponent.

Meanwhile, the Longhorns gave the Bruins the only scar they have so far this season. Vic Schaefer’s team literally outplayed the Bruins in that game. Close’s team was no match for Texas’s relentless pressure, conceding an excessive 20 turnovers and losing 65-76. But in that game, the Bruins had an immensely short bench, with just one player available off the bench. This time around, though, the Bruins will have a full arsenal ready to be unleashed.

Moreover, UCLA has improved leaps and bounds since then. With Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice firing on all cylinders, the Longhorns won’t find it easy to replicate a similar result from the regular season. While for Close, her aspiration to give the senior players a National Championship in their final collegiate season will be put to their toughest test in the upcoming week.

Be it Texas or Michigan, Close and the UCLA Bruins can’t expect to face anything different from the tough time they sustained in the Duke game. Their Final Four game will tip off on April 3 at the Mortgage Matchup Center. What are your expectations from this game? Do let us know in the comments.