UCLA Secures Spot in Sweet 16 with Dominant Win over Richmond

UCLA center Lauren Betts took charge on the court during the Bruins’ triumphant victory over Richmond in the second round of the NCAA tournament at Pauley Pavilion on Sunday. The team secured an 84-67 win against No. 8-seed Richmond, primarily powered by a game-changing 23-2 run in the third quarter. This surge helped them transform a nail-biting contest into a clear path to their third consecutive Sweet 16 appearance.

The tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, UCLA is set to face No. 5 Mississippi in the Regional 1 semifinal in Spokane, Washington, on Friday. Lauren Betts was a standout performer, delivering a spectacular 30 points on 14-of-17 shooting, accompanied by 14 rebounds. Meanwhile, the Bruins heated up their three-point shooting in the second half, creating a significant lead. Guard Kiki Rice made a notable contribution with 23 points and seven assists, hitting four out of six attempts from beyond the arc.

Despite this, UCLA initially found it challenging to contain Richmond’s forward Maggie Doogan, who was particularly effective in the first half, scoring 16 points on seven-of-10 shooting. Doogan concluded the game with an impressive 27 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. Last year, the Bruins overcame another formidable offense in the second round, recovering from a 10-point second-half deficit against Creighton. This time, they avoided a tense conclusion by capitalizing on the third quarter’s momentum and feeding off the home crowd’s enthusiastic support.