While the season may have ended for UCLA women’s basketball almost two weeks ago, that doesn’t mean Pauley Pavilion will be sitting empty and dark in the coming days.
UCLA will play host for the first two rounds of the NCAA women’s tournament on March 22 and 24 for the first time since 1999. Had the Bruins made the tournament, they would have automatically played at home.
When coach Cori Close and senior associate athletic director Petrina Long submitted the bid to host, the hope was to give the Bruins home court advantage.
“Giving yourself an opportunity to play at home for the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament is a huge advantage,” Close said. “I think you just have to take advantage of those opportunities.’
But a slew of injuries left UCLA with barely enough players to play games, and the Bruins fell short of making the tournament.
That doesn’t mean UCLA women’s basketball won’t be able to showcase its program and Pauley Pavilion.
“I see this as part of meeting our commitment to women’s basketball moving forward,” Long said. “With new Pauley, it’s a great opportunity for us to let people see the beautiful venue we have at UCLA.”
Originally, UCLA wasn’t supposed to serve as a host. Usually, a school will place a bid years in advance for a four-year window to host several championships, said Gavin Crew, director of camps, clinics and championships for UCLA Athletics.
But last August, the NCAA reopened up the bidding pool for any school interested in hosting the first and second rounds. That’s when Close and Long jumped on the opportunity.
Even though the Bruins’ blue and gold jerseys won’t be on the court, hosting is yet another sign, along with bringing in the No. 1 recruiting class next fall, that the UCLA women’s basketball program is trying to gain its footing among the most respected schools in the nation.
“If you look around at national teams that are in the top 10 year in and year out, they usually host two out of three years,” Close said. “It’s a characteristic of top-notch programs. It’s a sign of national prominence. It’s a sign that you understand what it takes to be successful at the highest levels.”
This year will be the last time that any school can bid to host the NCAA tournament. Next season, the top-four seeds from each of the four regions automatically get the opportunity to host the first two rounds.
If UCLA really wants to hear its name among the top programs, it will need to make sure that once again next year, UCLA will be hosting the tournament.