Monday, March 20
Los Angeles, CA
7:00 PM
UCLA
vs
Texas A&M
The UCLA bench celebrates as Kari Korver hits one of her career-high seven treys in the win over Texas A&M on Monday.
Photo by: UCLA Athletics
No. 4 UCLA to Face No. 1 UConn in Sweet Sixteen
March 22, 2017 | Women's Basketball
The Bruins face a Connecticut team that has won 109 straight games, Saturday on ESPN.
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LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The 15th-ranked and fourth-seeded UCLA women's basketball team (25-8) will travel to Bridgeport, Conn., for the second straight year for a Sweet Sixteen game. This time, the Bruins will face No. 1 UConn (34-0) on Saturday, March 25 at 11:00 a.m. PT/2:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. UConn leads the all-time series 3-0 and this is the first-ever meeting between the two teams in the NCAA Tournament.
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Webster Bank Arena (10,000)
Date: Monday, March 25, 2017
Tipoff Time: 11:00 a.m. (PT)/2:00 p.m (ET)
Opponent: #1 UConn (34-0)
Television: ESPN, ESPN3
Talent: Dave O'Brien (play-by-play); Doris Burke (analyst); Kara Lawson (analyst); Holly Rowe (sideline)
Internet Radio: uclabruins.com
Talent: Dave Marcus (play-by-play)
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
- 15-13 (.536) all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
- UCLA and UConn have never met in the NCAA Tournament.
- The Bruins are 2-0 all-time in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed (2017).
- UCLA won its only national title in 1978 (AIAW) with a 90-74 win over Maryland at UCLA.
- UCLA reached the Sweet Sixteen last year for the first time since 1999.
- UCLA's best finish in the NCAA Tournament is the Elite Eight in 1999.
- This is the first time in program history that UCLA has reached the Sweet Sixteen in back-to-back seasons in the NCAA Tournament (selected to field of 16 of the AIAW Division I Tournament in 1978 and 1979).
- This is the Bruins' 14th NCAA Tournament appearance (21st postseason appearance including AIAW Tournaments).
- UCLA Head Coach Cori Close is 5-2 (.714) all-time in the NCAA Tournament (2013, 2016, 2017).
- Among national stat leaders, UCLA is ranked in the top 100 in 20 different categories and in the top 50 in 15. They include: #10 turnovers per game (12.0); #14 fewest turnovers (396); #18 assist/turnover (1.27); #22 turnover margin (+5.33); #26 total blocks (168); #29 points per game (74.2); #29 blocks per game (5.1); #29 total steals (335); #32 won-lost percentage (.758); #33 steals per game (10.2); #34 FTs attempted (652); #34 scoring margin (+11.1); #35 FTs made (464); #38 rebounds (1,331) and #49 assists (502).
- Monique Billings set the UCLA record this year in blocks (65), surpassing Corinne Costa (61 in 2014-15).
- Monique Billings set the UCLA record this year in FTs attempted (now has 234), surpassing Atonye Nyingifa (233 in 2013-14).
- Monique Billings is currently 2nd in rebounds (341) and is 20 shy of the UCLA record (Denise Curry, 360, 1980-81).
- Monique Billings is currently 4th in free throws made (149) and is six shy of the UCLA record (Maylana Martin, 154, 1998-99).
- Monique Billings is currently 16th in total points (551) and is 29 shy of cracking the top 10 (Noelle Quinn, 580, 2005-06).
- Jordin Canada is currently 8th in total points (586) and is 24 shy of cracking the top five (Denise Curry, 610, 1977-78).
- Jordin Canada is currently 6th in free throws made (139) and is four shy of 5th place (Maylana Martin, 142, 1996-97).
- Jordin Canada is currently 2nd in assists (231) and is 10 shy of the UCLA record (Mary Hegarty, 240, 1980-81).
- Kari Korver set the UCLA record for made three-pointers with 74 in 2014-15. She is chasing her own record, entering the UConn game with 72 this year.
- Kari Korver set the UCLA record for three-pointers attemped (now has 210), surpassing Lisa Willis (194, 2004-05).
- Kennedy Burke is currently 10th in blocks (37), which is 4th on the UCLA sophomore single-season charts.
- Nicole Kornet is 7th in three-point field goals attempted (173) and needs seven to pass Kari Korver for 6th (179, 2014-15).
- Monique Billings is currently 2nd in blocks (171) and is nine shy of the UCLA record (Corinne Costa, 179, 2010-15).
- Monique Billings is currently 9th in rebounds (810) and is 10 shy of 7th place (Ann Meyers, 819, 1975-78).
- Monique Billings is currently 10th in FTs attempted (472) and is 13 shy of 9th place (Markel Walker, 484, 2009-13).
- Jordin Canada is currently 15th in points (1,537) and is 20 shy of 14th place (Lindsey Pluimer, 1,556, 2005-08).
- Jordin Canada is currently 4th in FTs made (389) and is 38 shy of 3rd place (Denise Curry, 426, 1978-81).
- Jordin Canada is currently 8th in FTs attempted (492) and is 20 shy of 7th place (Natalie Williams, 511, 1991-94).
- Jordin Canada is currently 7th in free throw percentage (.791), behind 5th place Doreena Campbell (.808, 2008-11).
- Jordin Canada is currently 3rd in assists (572) and is 31 shy of 2nd place (Nikki Blue, 602, 2003-06).
- Kari Korver is currently 2nd in free throw percentage (.816, 177-of-217), just behind Denise Curry (.818, 1978-81).
- Kari Korver is currently 2nd in 3-Pt. FGs Made (251), and is six shy of the UCLA record (Lisa Willis, 256, 2003-06).
- Kari Korver is currently 2nd in 3-Pt. FGs Attempted (684), and is 27 shy of the UCLA record (Lisa Willis, 710, 2003-06).
- Kari Korver is currently 5th in 3-Pt. FG Pct. (.367), and is behind 4th-place DeDe Mosman (.377, 136-of-361, 1989-92).
- UCLA has been ranked in the AP Top 25 for 35 straight weeks & in the USA Today Coaches Poll for 31 straight weeks.
- UCLA has won 29 straight games overall at home, 29 straight at home against unranked teams, 19 straight vs. Pac-12 foes (a UCLA all-time record) and eight in a row at home over ranked teams. The overall streak ranks 2nd in the country among all active home-court winning streaks, trailing only UConn (64).
- UCLA has been tied or held the lead at the half in 26-of-33 games this year and is 23-1 when leading at the end of 3Qs.
- UCLA is 19-1 when out-rebounding opponent (or tied) and 6-7 when being out-rebounded.
- UCLA is 18-0 when FG shooting is 40% or better and 7-8 when under 40%.
- Monique Billings has registered double-digit free throw attempts in 10 games this season.
- Jordin Canada has had at least one assist in a team-best 95 straight games and two or more in 37 straight.
- Jordin Canada tied UCLA's single-game record with 16 assists vs. Boise State (tied for 5th all-time in NCAA early round games).
- Kari Korver has made 78 straight starts (dating back to 2014-15) & has played more career games than any other Bruin (140).
- Kari Korver has made at least one three-pointer in 30-of-33 games this season including a career-best seven (of 10) vs. #5 Texas A&M.
- Nicole Kornet scored all 15 of her points in the 4th quarter at then-#8 Stanford, UCLA's first win at Stanford since 1999.
- Nicole Kornet has scored in double figures 10 times this season including in seven of the last 11 games.
- Kennedy Burke is a stat sheet stuffer, recording at least one assist, one block and one steal in the same game 15 times this year.
- The Bruins posted their 400th home win against Pacific (378 in Pauley; 37 in Wooden; now 415-171, .708).
- UCLA Head Coach Cori Close won her 100th career victory this year vs. Southern (123-77, .615).
- Junior guard Jordin Canada became UCLA's 32nd player to reach 1,000 career points against Southern (1,537).
- Junior forward Monique Billings became UCLA's 33rd player to reach 1,000 career points against USC (1,209).
- Senior guard Kari Korver became UCLA's 34th player to reach 1,000 career points at #8 Stanford (1,086).
- Canada was named to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team (Mar. 5, 2017) after averaging 25.5 ppg in two games.
- Canada was named to the John R. Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 (Feb. 8, 2017).
- Canada was named to the Naismith Trophy Midseason Top 30 (Feb. 8, 2017).
- Canada was named as a Top 10 Finalist for the 2017 Nancy Lieberman Award (Feb. 7, 2017).
- Canada was named to the watch list for the Dawn Staley Award (Feb. 7, 2017).
- Canada was named to the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Midseason Watch List (Jan. 24, 2017).
- Canada was named to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 (Jan. 11, 2017).
- Canada was named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 30 (Dec. 7, 2016).
- After tallying the votes from Charlie Creme, Graham Hays and Mechelle Voepel, espnW.com named its top 25 players for the 2016-17 season and Canada made the list, coming in at No. 21.
- Canada was selected to the Naismith Trophy Women's 50 preseason watch (Nov. 30, 2016).
- Canada was selected to the "Wade Watch" list (25 players) for the 2017 Wade Trophy (Dec. 1, 2016).
- Canada was named the MVP of the Riviera Division at the Cancun Challenge in late November after scoring a game-high 27 points in the win over Toledo and adding 13 points with six assists in the win over Iowa.
- Canada was named among the 20 watch list candidates for the 2017 Nancy Lieberman Award (Oct. 24, 2016).
- Junior All-American point guard Jordin Canada was one of five players named Preseason All-Pac-12 (media).
- Canada was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week on Nov. 21, 2016. She led UCLA to a 2-1 week averaging 17.7 points, 9.0 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game while shooting 100 percent (15-for-15) from the free throw line. She recorded the 6th triple-double in UCLA history and the first since 2012 with 11 points, 10 boards and a career-high 12 assists in a win over Southern on Nov. 18. She nearly had the first back-to-back triple-double in UCLA history but finished one assist shy with 19 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in a win over Cal Poly on Nov. 20. She began the week with 23 points, six assists, four steals and three boards in a loss at #2 Baylor (Nov. 14). She also became the 32nd player in UCLA history to surpass the 1,000-point mark in her career in the same game as the triple-double.
UCLA has two three-point shooting contest winners on its roster as Kennedy Burke won the 2015 high school three-point shooting contest, a competition won by Kari Korver in 2012. Last year, the pair combined to make 59.1% of the team's 3-pointers (88-of-149, 67 by Korver and 21 by Burke). This year they have combined to make 50.2% (104-of-207, 72 by Korver and 32 by Burke).
SENIOR LEADERS
Kari Korver and Nicole Kornet are the only two seniors on the 2016-17 roster. Korver is one of three returning starters and averaged 7.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last year and set the UCLA single-season record for three-pointers made with 74 in 2014-15. Kornet sat out last season at UCLA after transferring from Oklahoma. This summer, she led the Bruins in scoring at 16.0 points per game and also averaged 5.8 rebounds per contest.
JUNIOR CAMPAIGN
The junior class at UCLA was the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in 2013-14 and is loaded with seven players, including returning starters Jordin Canada and Monique Billings. Canada led the team in scoring (16.1 ppg), assists (5.7 apg) and steals (2.3 spg) a year ago and was named first team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. Billings was third on the team in scoring (12.7 ppg) and led the Bruins in rebounds (8.1 rpg) and blocks (1.6 bpg). She was named Honorable Mention All-Pac-12.
SOPHOMORE SEASON
Just two sophomores on the roster for 2016-17 as Kennedy Burke and Ashley Hearn return for their second season. Burke was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team after averaging 5.8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game last year. Hearn averaged 0.3 points and 1.2 rebounds per game off the bench in just 6.6 minutes per game.
WELCOME TO WESTWOOD
Two standout freshmen have arrived in Westwood in 2016-17. Lindsey Corsaro (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli HS) and Ally Rosenblum (Newport Coast, Calif./Mater Dei HS). Corsaro is a McDonald's All-American and averaged 25.3 ppg and 9.7 rpg in her senior year. Rosenblum averaged 17.7 ppg and 8.2 rpg in her last prep year.
BIG MACS ON CAMPUS
UCLA's roster features a school-record-tying four McDonald's All-Americans in 2016-17 as freshman guard Lindsey Corsaro (2016) joins sophomore forward Ashley Hearn (2015) and juniors Jordin Canada and Lajahna Drummer (2014).
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