Charisma Osborne wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Pauley Pavilion just yet.
The senior guard led UCLA to a 67-45 win over Sacramento State in the first round of Saturday’s NCAA Tournament to secure the No. to play at home. season.
UCLA will take the No. 5 Seed Oklahoma for a spot in the Sweet 16 after the Sooners beat Portland’s No. 12 on Saturday 85-63.
Osborne showed the all-around skills that could make her a top pick of the WNBA draft this season with 11 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Forward Emily Bessoir had 14 points and eight rebounds, while freshman Kiki Rice had a team-high 15 points, including 10 points in the first quarter that tied Sacramento State’s total points in the first frame.
“Charisma, she’s probably one of the ones who puts the most pressure on herself and I thought she was the most consistent,” said coach Cori Close, pointing to Osborne’s zero turnover and his team leader at plus 22. “She’s made winning plays .”
UCLA (26-9) is now 7-0 in the first round of NCAA tournament games under Close. A win on Monday would send UCLA to their fifth Sweet 16 in Close’s 12-year tenure and the first for their current players.
The lack of experience in the postseason is largely a result of the pandemic, which canceled the 2020 NCAA tournament for Osborne and Camryn Brown, who were freshmen on a team that had been in the top 11 all season. The following year, the Bruins were eliminated from the second round of the San Antonio area bubble tournament due to COVID-19 protocols.
Reflecting on their unique postseason experience leading up to the game, Osborne marveled at the opportunity to host a ‘normal’ tournament this year. That’s why she came to UCLA, and on Saturday the long wait was worth it.
Osborne reached her career restorative rest, taking down nine boards with six points and four assists, as the Bruins took a 17-point lead at halftime. She recorded multiple blocks for the second time this season and served defensively as one of the key players guarding Sacramento State star Kahlaijah Dean.
The Big Sky MVP, who averaged 21.1 points per game, was held to 11 points on 3-of-19 shooting. The Oakland transfer had six rebounds and 5 assists, while center Isnelle Natabou led Sacramento State with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
“We always talk about defense as our anchor and I think everyone took that to heart,” Osborne said. “If we wanted to win and win by a big margin, we had to defend and that will be key in every game that follows.”
Rice’s hot start propelled the Bruins through a first quarter with a 14-0 run to allay questions about how the team would react to a two-week layoff after losing in the Pac-12 tournament finals. Not only was it the inter-tournament break that kept the Bruins on the sidelines, but they also had to wait for the tip at 8:30 p.m. PDT on Saturday. This was the last game in the first round of the tournament.
Rice, who hit double digits in seven of her last eight games, said she watched the men’s and women’s tournaments on Saturday morning. When the Bruins were finally able to take their seats, she was nothing but excited to attend the postseason party.
“I wasn’t nervous,” Osborne said, glancing at Rice, who sat to her left. “Were you?”
The first year shook her head.
Source: LA Times