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LOS ANGELES – Third-seeded UCLA (26-8, 14-4 Pac-12) travels to Bridgeport, Conn., to face second-seeded Texas (30-4, 15-3 Big 12) in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2016 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. Tip-off is slated for 11:00 a.m. PT/2:00 p.m. ET on ESPN at Webster Bank Arena.
GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: No. 2 Texas (30-4, 15-3)
Venue: Webster Bank Arena (10,000)
Game Date: Mar. 26, 2016
Game Time: 11:00 a.m. PT/2:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Talent: Dave O'Brien (play-by-play), Doris Burke (analyst), Holly Rowe (sideline)
Internet Audio Broadcast: uclabruins.com
Talent: Dave Marcus (play-by-play)
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
l UCLA is 13-12 (.520) all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
l The Bruins are 7-3 (.700) all-time in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed (1999, 2011, 2013, 2016).
l UCLA won its only national title in 1978 (AIAW) with a 90-74 win over Maryland at UCLA.
l This is the Bruins' 13th NCAA Tournament appearance (20th postseason appearance including AIAW Tournaments).
l UCLA most recently was the three-seed in 2013, falling to No. 6 Oklahoma 85-72 in the second round.
l UCLA Head Coach Cori Close is 3-1 (.750) all-time in the NCAA Tournament (2013, 2016).
l UCLA leads the all-time series with Texas, 6-5.
TRENDING
l UCLA has now been ranked in the AP Top 25 for 16 straight weeks.
l UCLA has faced the most teams in the RPI Top 100 in the nation this season (25 games), going 17-8.
l UCLA is a perfect 21-0 this year when leading at the half (5-8 when trailing).
l UCLA is 19-3 this year when outrebounding its opponent (7-5 when outrebounded).
l UCLA is 21-2 this year when scoring 70 or more points (4-6 when scoring 69 or fewer).
l UCLA is 18-1 this year when shooting 40% or better from the floor (8-7 when shooting below 40%).
l UCLA has erased three double-digit deficits to post comeback wins this season (down 14 to California in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals, won by six in overtime; down 15 at Utah, won by six; fell behind by 17 at home vs. Washington, won by four).
l Jordin Canada has had at least five or more assists in 27 of the 33 games she has played this year.
l Monique Billings has had at least five or more rebounds in the last 12 games and in 32 of 34 games this year.
STORYLINES
l The Bruins are currently ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll and No. 12 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
l The Pac-12 Conference is ranked No. 1 in the RPI with four members in the Top 11 and 10 members in the Top 100. Oregon State is at No. 5, followed by Stanford at No. 9, UCLA at No. 10 and Arizona State at No. 11. Washington (33), USC (56), California (84), Oregon (85), Utah (88) and Washington State (96) round out the 10 teams in the Top 100.
l UCLA currently has the No. 5 strength of schedule while Stanford is at No. 6, California is at No. 8, USC is at No. 10, Colorado is at No. 17 and Arizona State is at No. 18. Oregon State (20), Washington (30), Arizona (32), Utah (47) and Washington State (57) round out the 11 Pac-12 teams with strength of schedules rated in the Top 57 in the country (as of Mar. 13, 2016).
NATIONAL STATISTICS
As a team, UCLA ranks in the top 100 nationally in 22 different categories: No. 7 Three-Point Field Goal Pct. Defense (.258); No. 8 Rebounds (1,466); No. 12 Free Throw Attempts (700); No. 15 Offensive Rebounds Per Game (16.0); No. 15 Rebounds Per Game (43.12); No. 15 Steals (337); No. 21 Free Throws Made (484); No. 30 Steals Per Game (9.9); No. 31 Scoring Offense (74.1); No. 33 Scoring Margin (+10.4); No. 34 Blocks (161); No. 36 Turnover Margin (3.50); No. 37 Won-Lost Pct. (.765); No. 48 Blocks Per Game (4.7); No. 48 Field Goal Pct. Defense (.368); No. 52 Turnovers Forced (18.12); No. 72 Rebound Margin (+3.4); No. 75 Three-Point Field Goal Pct. (.333); No. 81 Turnovers Per Game (14.6); No. 86 Assists (457); No. 96 Field Goal Pct. (.414) and No. 99 Assist/Turnover Ratio (0.92).
MORE NATIONAL STATISTICS
l Three of the five Bruin starters rank in the Top 100 in 20 national statistical categories.
l Jordin Canada ranks in the Top 100 in 11 different categories: No. 16 Assists (190); No. 20 Assists Per Game (5.8 apg); No. 36 Steals (79); No. 57 Steals Per Game (2.39 spg); No. 65 Field Goal Attempts (477); No. 70 Free Throws Made (123); No. 73 Assist Turnover Ratio (1.83); No. 78 Free Throw Attempts (162); No. 88 Field Goals Made (195); No. 88 Total Points (529) and No. 94 Minutes Played (1126).
l Nirra Fields ranks in the Top 100 in five categories: No. 65 Steals (71); No. 70 Field Goals Attempted (473); No. 78 Field Goals Made (199); No. 94 Steals Per Game (2.15 spg) and No. 96 Total Points (517).
l Monique Billings ranks in the Top 100 in four categories: No. 76 Blocked Shots (53); No. 78 Field Goal Pct. (49.4); No. 82 Rebounds (273) and No. 99 Blocks Per Game (1.56).
FIELDS CLIMBING THE BRUIN CHARTS
Senior guard Nirra Fields ranks fourth on UCLA's career scoring list with 1,863 points. She needs 25 points to pass Rehema Stephens (1,887 - 1990-92) for 3rd. She is tied for 6th with Ann Meyers in 20-point scoring games (36) and needs two more to move into 5th. She is 3rd in three-point field goals made (138) and 3rd in attempts (447). She is currently 3rd in field goal attempts (1,805) and is 6th in made field goals (712). She is also 7th in steals with 260 and 9th in free throws attempted (466).
KORVER CLIMBING CAREER CHARTS
Junior guard Kari Korver is currently at No. 1 on UCLA's career free throw percentage list at 83.2 percent (153-for-184). She also ranks in the top 10 in all three categories for three-point shooting, ranking No. 4 in three-point percentage (.379), at No. 2 in makes (178) and at No. 2 in attempts (470).
CANADA NAMED TO 2015-16 JOHN R. WOODEN LATE SEASON TOP 20
UCLA point guard Jordin Canada was one of six sophomores and one of three Pac-12 players to be named to the 2015-16 John R. Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 (announced Feb. 17). After not appearing on either the Preseason Top 30 or the Midseason Top 20 lists, Canada appears on the Late Season Top 20. Likewise, players not on this most recent list are still eligible for the final ballot, which will consist of 15 top players. The list is chosen by a poll of national women's college basketball media members. The Wooden Award All-American Team, consisting of the nation's top five players, will be announced the week of the Final Four.
CANADA NAMED TO NAISMITH WATCH LIST
Jordin Canada was one of eight sophomores and one of eight Pac-12 players to be named to the Naismith Trophy's Early Season Watch List by the Atlanta Tipoff Club (announced Dec. 10). The watch list includes 50 of the top women's collegiate basketball players who will be in the conversation for the prestigious honor. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the Naismith Trophy recognizes the top Men's and Women's College Basketball Players of the Year.
BOMBS AWAY
The Bruins have two three-point shooting contest winners on the roster this year as freshman guard Kennedy Burke won the 2015 high school three-point shooting contest, a competition won by junior guard Kari Korver in 2012. Right now, the pair have combined to make 86 of the team's 147 three-pointers (58.5% -- Korver has made 66, Burke has made 20).
BIG MACS ON CAMPUS
UCLA's roster features a school-record-tying four McDonald's All-Americans in 2015-16 as freshman forward Ashley Hearn (2015) joins sophomores Jordin Canada (2014) and Lajahna Drummer (2014) as well as senior guard Nirra Fields (2012).