UCLA and Minnesota to Face Off in Sweet 16 Matchup

The top-seeded Bruins take on the fourth-seeded Golden Gophers in the 2026 Women's NCAA Tournament

Mar. 27, 2026 at 10:04am

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The No. 1 UCLA Bruins will face the No. 4 Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Sweet 16 of the 2026 Women's NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET in Sacramento, California. The two teams previously met in the regular season, with UCLA coming away with a 76-58 victory. Both teams advanced to the Sweet 16 after winning their first two tournament games.

Why it matters

This matchup features two strong programs looking to advance to the Elite Eight. UCLA is seeking its second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance, while Minnesota is making its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2005. The winner will move one step closer to a potential Final Four berth.

The details

The Bruins, led by senior guard Kiki Rice's 25 points, defeated the Golden Gophers 76-58 in their regular season meeting on January 14. However, both teams have evolved since then, according to UCLA forward Angela Dugalic. The Bruins advanced to the Sweet 16 with dominant wins over Cal Baptist and Oklahoma State, while Minnesota survived a close 65-63 victory over Ole Miss in the second round.

  • The UCLA vs. Minnesota Sweet 16 game will take place on Friday, March 27, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
  • The two teams previously met in the regular season on January 14, 2026, with UCLA winning 76-58.

The players

Kiki Rice

A senior guard for UCLA who led the team with 25 points in their regular season win over Minnesota.

Amaya Battle

A senior guard for Minnesota who had a team-high 16 points in the previous matchup against UCLA.

Angela Dugalic

A senior forward for UCLA who noted that both teams have evolved since their regular season meeting.

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What they’re saying

“We have played them before and there's some sense of familiarity. But also at the same time ... the Minnesota team that we played earlier this year, it's a different team than now. And the same goes for us as well. We've also expanded in some areas as well.”

— Angela Dugalic, Forward, UCLA

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, Grocery Employee

What’s next

The winner of the UCLA vs. Minnesota Sweet 16 matchup will advance to the Elite Eight, one step away from the Final Four.

The takeaway

This Sweet 16 showdown features two programs with rich histories looking to make deep runs in the 2026 Women's NCAA Tournament. While UCLA has the edge from their regular season meeting, Minnesota has proven to be a resilient team capable of pulling off upsets, setting the stage for an intriguing battle between the Bruins and Golden Gophers.