For the first time in program history, UCLA earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins aren’t just on the top line — they are the top overall seed as they seek their first Final Four and national title.
The path aligns nicely for the nation’s top squad, which has already beaten two of the other teams (Baylor and Michigan State) in the Spokane 1 Region. Although Richmond and Georgia Tech would each be high-quality second-round opponents, as both the Spiders and Yellow Jackets boast top-20 offensive ratings, UCLA will host that matchup on its home court in Pauley Pavilion, where it has lost just twice in the last two seasons. Furthermore, neither team has close to the requisite size to handle Lauren Betts.
The Bruins are the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament 🤩#B1GWBBall x @UCLAWBB pic.twitter.com/g8eT0pyiT0
— Big Ten Women’s Basketball (@B1Gwbball) March 17, 2025
Looking at the rest of the draw, the highest NET rating other than UCLA is No. 3 LSU (10th nationally), and the Tigers are dealing with injuries to Flau’Jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow. Johnson missed the entire SEC tournament while Morrow exited LSU’s last game early; the pair both wore protective boots during the Tigers’ Selection Sunday party. The Tigers, who earned a No. 3 seed for…