When UCLA players sprung out of their chairs and started jumping up and down at Sunday’s Selection Show party, there was some extra joy behind their smiles.
Not only were they back in the NCAA Tournament after missing a bid last season, but they were tapped to host rounds 1 and 2 as a regional site for the first time since 2019. Prior to that, teams facing off at Pauley Pavilion for early rounds had become somewhat of a tradition.
“This day never gets old,” coach Cori Close said. “We’ve not had a selection party in four years. We’ve got a spirit of gratitude today that we get to share this moment with our family and friends, and that we get to play at home.”
The Bruins, a No. 4 seed, will play No. 13 Sacramento State – who won the Big Sky Tournament for a first-time NCAA Tournament berth – at 8:30 p.m. PT Saturday. The two teams are fairly even statistically, although the makeup of their rosters is vastly different.
UCLA is lead by senior Charisma Osborne (15.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game), freshman guard Kiki Rice (11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game), and…
