SACRAMENTO—UCLA displayed their resolve and grit, as they trailed 39-31 to Duke at the end of the first half of the Elite 8 matchup on Sunday, March 29. A furious second half rally secured the Bruins a second consecutive trip to the Final Four, knocking off the Blue Devils, 70-58.
College basketball’s best player Lauren Betts scored 23 points as the senior center hopes to attain the NCCA National Championship.
The Bruin center became UCLA’s all-time leading shot blocker with her fourth rejection of the game; she finished the game with five blocks to go with 10 rebounds. Betts was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
It was truly a team effort as Graduate student Angela Dugalić added 15 points and Charlisse Leger-Walker dished a game-high six assists to help the Bruins book their ticket to the Final Four in Arizona. Dugalić joined the elder Betts on the Sacramento 2 All-Region Team.
Sitting as the top team in the land, the No. 1 Bruins will either face Texas or Michigan in the Final Four in Phoenix, on Friday, April 3.
Defensively, UCLA stymied Duke, not allowing the Blue Devils a basket for the final 6:12 of the period. That drought didn’t end until Mair hit a 3-pointer 1:30 into the fourth quarter that got Duke within 56-50. That was the Blue Devils’ first 3 of the game after they missed their first 10 shots from behind the arc.
Duke got no closer the rest of the way. Betts was too much as the Bruins won their 29th consecutive game. UCLA is just two victories away from their first National Title since 1978.
