Imagine winning the conference finals by 50 points and still being on upset alert at the NCAA Tournament. That is the position Cori Close is in. UCLA dominated the Big Ten with an 18-0 conference record and a 31-1 overall record. Their only loss came against Texas, who is a No. 1 seed in March Madness along with them. Yet, out of the top seeds, analysts believe they are the most brittle team. 

Many believed UCLA had a genuine chance to topple the unbeaten UConn for the No. 1 overall seed. They had more Quad 1 wins, a better NET and more wins over nationally ranked teams. Eventually, it was the dominating Huskies that received the nod. Which means UCLA is placed in the Sacramento 2 region. While Cori Close and Co. are widely considered national contenders, they might bow out earlier, according to Yahoo Sports analysts. 

“UCLA,” Cassandra Negley said on Yahoo Sports Daily regarding a top team on upset alert.  “I don’t think any of us are super high on UCLA. I think part of it is just the experience aspect, and when we talked to Cori Close, she said they weren’t ready last year. She learned a lot from it, but I’m still not confident.” Her colleague Caroline Fenton agreed.

“I’m with you, Cass,” Fenton said. “If I have to pick one seed of UConn, UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina that I trust the least, it’s UCLA. Yeah, it’s crazy that it feels that way.” UCLA is the best offense in the country, per Barttorvik. They also have the eighth-best defense. The team defeated AP No. 9 Iowa in the conference finals. But the reason behind this feeling for the two is not rooted in this season but in the program’s past. 

“If we want to throw it out like Geno Auriemma and the UConn legacy, they know how to win. South Carolina, Dawn Staley, same thing, they’ve been the powerhouse,” Negley further said. Vic Schaefer has not won a championship, but his teams are consistently reaching the Final Four at Mississippi State and now at Texas. If you look at UCLA and Cori Close, it just feels like the odd one out.”

It’s not like UCLA hasn’t stacked up their tournament experience. The Bruins are returning to the NCAA tournament for the 9th time in the last 10 seasons, excluding the Covid-19-affected 2020 tournament. UCLA has finished its season with two Sweet 16 and a Final Four appearance over the last three years. But the Bruins took down LSU in the 2025 Elite Eight to reach their first-ever NCAA Final Four. 

Comparatively, UConn has 24 final fours and 12 championships. South Carolina has been in 7 final fours and has 4 championships. Texas has been to 4 final fours, 3 of which were under Vic Schaefer. They even have a Championship from the 85-86 season. This winning habit gives them that extra confidence and self-belief. 

The banners on the wall portray greatness. The psychological identity of being winners makes a lot of difference. For UCLA, their horrors of losing to UConn will still be fresh. That could either instill doubt or motivate them to do better. Another factor keeping UCLA behind is their potential schedule. 

UCLA’s Schedule Could Trouble Cori Close In Getting That National Championship

It’s the national championship or a bust for UCLA this year. They are a team championed by 7 seniors who will leave post this run and it’s expected that Cori Close will rebuild from next year onwards. Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice, among other experienced UCLA leaders, would want to end their college careers on a high. However, their path to achieving that is filled with multiple obstacles.

After Cal Baptist in the first round, they can face No. 8 Oklahoma State or Princeton. They have the likes of Ole Miss, Gonzaga, Minnesota and Green Bay as potential Sweet 16 opponents. In the Elite eight, they could once again face LSU or Duke. That is one scary bracket, even for a team like UCLA. 

“When I look at the region that UCLA got, I would say I wouldn’t want to be in that particular one,” Alicia Jay said on the ‘We Need To Talk Podcast.’ “I would not want to be in that one. I think that it is stacked. I think that there are some incredibly dangerous teams in that region that have been overlooked all season, that haven’t had the respect that they deserve, that are coming and gunning to show the world that they should be in that Final Four.”

So, maybe the No. 1 overall seed would have helped? In any case, Cori Close does not care. She is focusing on just playing the best basketball they can. “We just care about the next matchup ahead of us,” she said. “Bottom line for us is that I really want us to keep a present mindset. What’s the challenge in front of us? How do we play our best basketball for that and earn another day?” So, it will be up to the UCLA squad to break these perceptions and bring the first title to the program. If they do, the same argument won’t be used for future teams.