Christeen Iwuala #22 of the UCLA Bruins fights for the ball against Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kiki Rice #1 of the UCLA Bruins reaches for the loose ball against the Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
UCLA Bruins take on the Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Jordan Olivares #23 of the Sacramento State Hornets scramble for the loose ball against Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Cori Close of the UCLA Bruins reacts against Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins reaches for the loose ball against the Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Emily Bessoir #11 of the UCLA Bruins shoots against Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Gabriela Jaquez #23 of the UCLA Bruins rebounds against Isnelle Natabou #24 of the Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Isnelle Natabou #24 of the Sacramento State Hornets rebounds against the UCLA Bruins in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Gina Conti #10 of the UCLA Bruins shoots against Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Lina Sontag # 21 of the UCLA Bruins reaches for the rebound against Isnelle Natabou #24 Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kiki Rice #1 of the UCLA Bruins shoots against Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Lina Sontag # 21 of the UCLA Bruins reaches for the rebound against Isnelle Natabou #24 Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Gabriela Jacquez #23 of the UCLA Bruins shoots against Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Charisma Osborne, left of the UCLA Bruins scrambles for the loose ball against Jordan Olivares #23 Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kiki Rice #1 of the UCLA Bruins shoots against Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kiki Rice #1 of the UCLA Bruins shoots over Jordan Olivares #23 of the Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Lina Sontag #21 of the UCLA Bruins rebounds against Kaylin Randhawa #21 of the Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kiki Rice #1 of the UCLA Bruins drives to the basket against the Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins rebounds against Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins reaches for the rebound against Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins rebounds against Sacramento State Hornets in the first half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Gabriela Jaquez #23 of the UCLA Bruins drives down the court against the Sacramento State Hornets in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Gabriela Jaquez #23 of the UCLA Bruins reaches for the loose ball against Jordan Olivares #23 of the Sacramento State Hornets in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
UCLA Bruins reacts after a basket against the Sacramento State Hornets in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
UCLA Bruins bench reacts after teammate Charisma Osborne (not pictured) of the UCLA Bruins scores against the Sacramento State Hornets in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Christeen Iwuala #22 of the UCLA Bruins reaches for the rebound against Isnelle Natabou #24 of the Sacramento State Hornets in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Christeen Iwuala #22 of the UCLA Bruins reaches for the rebound against Isnelle Natabou #24 of the Sacramento State Hornets in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
A video cameraman sits along in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Portland Pilots in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Cori Close of the UCLA Bruins during a time out against the Sacramento State Hornets in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Cori Close of the UCLA Bruins reacts against the Sacramento State Hornets in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
UCLA Bruins bench reacts after teammate Charisma Osborne (not pictured) of the UCLA Bruins scores against the Sacramento State Hornets in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Cori Close of the UCLA Bruins reacts against the Sacramento State Hornets in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins looks on against the Sacramento State Hornets in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Mark Campbell of the Sacramento State Hornets against the UCLA Bruins in the second half of a first round NCAA women’s tournament college basketball game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 18, 2023. UCLA Bruins won 67-45. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
LOS ANGELES — Fourth-seeded UCLA opened up the NCAA women’s basketball tournament at Pauley Pavilion with dominance, beating No. 13 seed Sacramento State 67-45 on Saturday night.
The Bruins (26-9) move on to play fifth-seeded Oklahoma, which beat Portland, 85-63, earlier in the evening at Pauley Pavilion. The Greenville 1 Region second-round game will be at the same location on Monday at 7 p.m.
Three players finished in double-digits in scoring for UCLA. Charisma Osborne had a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds in addition to five assists. Emily Bessoir had 14 points and eight boards and Kiki Rice chipped in a team-high 15 points.
As a team, the Bruins shot 41% and out-rebounded the Hornets 47-32.
Isnelle Natabou scored 16 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for Sacramento State (25-8), which was making its first appearance in the NCAA tournament in program history.
UCLA quickly jumped out to a 16-2 lead that was finished off by a Londynn Jones 3-pointer as the Bruins rotated through a plethora of player combinations. At one point, four freshmen were on the court in Lina Songtang, Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez and Christeen Iwuala alongside senior Charisma Osborne.
The second quarter featured fluid passing and gritty hustle plays from the Bruins. When Sacramento State’s Kahlaijah Dean hit back-to-back jumpers, Osborne grabbed the ball off the ground and dribbled with the left hand then the right before passing to Emily Bessoir for a 3-pointer. The Bruins led 40-23 by halftime.
Both teams each put up nine points by he first media time out of the third quarter, but UCLA maintained its lead. Londynn Jones, who left the game just before halftime with an apparent lower body injury, gave her team a 30-point lead on a three.
UCLA outscored Sacramento State 13-11 in the final quarter to improve to 6-0 all-time against the Hornets.
