PHOENIX - The stage is set in Phoenix with UCLA taking on South Carolina in the program’s first NCAA championship game.
It’s been almost a given throughout this season that this would be the final destination for the Bruins. They’ve been a top three team-or-higher throughout the season, built on the elite play of six seniors and guided by head coach Cori Close.
At the same time this season, Close has emphasized the journey, rather than the destination, and has been determined to let her team enjoy the ride and grow as people.
UCLA exudes fun. From postgame TikToks to senior guard Charlisse Leger-Walker’s Youtube channel and of course, the viral dance routine that Jaquez, Leger-Walker and senior center Lauren Betts can’t seem to escape from, on the outside it’s looked like the Bruins have treated their run through of the NCAA basketball world as a vacation rather than a sport.
Lauren Betts, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Gabriela Jaquez dancing with the UCLA Dance Team at halftime?? pic.twitter.com/IiHj4bPkKh
— Jack Haslett (@JackHaslett_13) March 4, 2026
At the same time, though, they’ve maintained vocally how serious they are. Betts knows this is the last dance for over half the roster and isn’t going to let them be stopped. Graduate forward Angela Dugalic described their tournament run as a “business trip,” and now the Bruins have danced their way to the final game of the season.
So the question remains: how do you balance enjoying the game and dominating it?
Serious, but not too serious
“I think that our team shows up and that basketball is basketball at the end of the day,” Jaquez said. “Obviously, we take it super seriously and it's basically our job. We just have fun doing it. And so I hope people can feel that from us.”
Jordan Teller - The Sporting Tribune
Gabriela Jaquez #11 of the UCLA Bruins drives toward the basket during an NCAA basketball game against the Maryland Terrapins, Sunday January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Now more than ever, NCAA basketball can feel like a grind and a grudge match. The prevalence of the transfer portal and the infusion of money due to NIL raises the standards and the perception of the game. The rising visibility of the women’s game introduces new pressures and new expectations.
In that environment, the Bruins have felt more pressure than most. Paradoxically, how much fun they’ve had on and off the court has driven some of that attention and the aforementioned pressure of their massive graduating class means their future is uncertain and their present is priceless.
The results speak to their talent and commitment, but there’s an underlying sacrifice involved in becoming a top program in the country while also living their lives as college students.
Jordan Teller - The Sporting Tribune
Gianna Kneepkens #8 and Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins celebrate on the bench during an NCAA basketball game against the Indiana Hoosiers, Sunday February 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Selective sacrifice
“We understand what it takes to be in moments like this and obviously to get to the Final Four and get to the national championship game you're going to have to sacrifice in a lot of different areas. But, one thing that you don't have to sacrifice is finding pockets of moments to have joy,” Leger-Walker said.
Close has described joy as a choice and a culture that has to be actively cultivated. But, as much as joy is a choice, so is dedication. In between the TikTok dances and motivational speeches, there’s real work being done, both on the mental and physical side.
On the mental side, the Bruins have given a lot of credit to what they call the “Mind Gym,” sessions with assistant coach Tasha Brown where she trains the Bruins in staying present-minded and focusing on their goals.
Jordan Teller - The Sporting Tribune
Charlisse Leger-Walker #5 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates a made shot during an NCAA basketball game against the Maryland Terrapins, Sunday January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
“I think it's a skill that you have to build over time. And I think that the ability to stay present-minded can be really difficult, whether that's staying present in the game or staying present in film, or prepping for the scout. That is something that you have to train your mind to do… and I can confidently say that our team has acquired that,” Leger-Walker said.
It's a game
How the Bruins approach the game and the qualities that have made them in many ways the media darlings of this season is that they remind the world that basketball, amidst the business and the glamor, is fun.
It’s supposed to be something that’s joyful. It doesn’t all have to be Mamba Mentality and militaristic destruction.
Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
UCLA Bruins celebrate after defeating Minnesota Golden Gophers during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Sacramento Regional 2 of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center.
The Bruins are living proof that being successful and being happy don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
“Basketball doesn’t have to be something that’s so strict all the time,” senior guard Gianna Kneepkens said. “Obviously, you have to be disciplined and focused... But, you started basketball because you love it. So, being able to have that balance makes you play free and not think too much and trust your instincts that you’ve been doing since you were seven years old.”