March Madness: UCLA defeats Sacramento State, will play Oklahoma

Charisma Osborne wasn’t able to say goodbye to Pauley Pavilion simply but.The senior guard led UCLA to a 67-45 rout over No. 13 Sacramento State within the first spherical of the NCAA event on Saturday to earn the No. 4 Bruins a remaining likelihood to play in entrance of their house crowd this 12 months.UCLA will face No. 5 seed Oklahoma on Monday at 7 p.m. PDT for a spot within the Candy 16 after the Sooners defeated No. 12 Portland 85-63 on Saturday.Osborne flashed the all-around talent that might make her a excessive WNBA draft decide this season with 11 factors, 12 rebounds, 5 assists and two blocks. Ahead Emily Bessoir had 14 factors and eight rebounds whereas freshman Kiki Rice had a team-high 15 factors, together with 10 factors within the first quarter that equaled Sacramento State’s complete rating within the first body.UCLA (26-9) is now 7-0 in first-round NCAA event video games underneath coach Cori Shut. A win Monday would ship UCLA to its fifth Candy 16 of Shut’s 12-year tenure and the primary for her present gamers.The dearth of postseason expertise is especially the results of the pandemic, which canceled the 2020 NCAA event for Osborne and Camryn Brown, who have been freshmen on a group that was ranked within the prime 11 all season. The next 12 months, the Bruins have been eradicated within the second spherical of the bubble event within the San Antonio space due to COVID-19 protocols.Reflecting on her distinctive postseason expertise, Osborne marveled on the alternative to have a “common” event this 12 months. It was what she got here to UCLA to realize, and on Saturday, she made the lengthy wait value it.Osborne was flirting together with her profession excessive in rebounds by halftime, flattening 9 boards with six factors and 4 assists because the Bruins took a 17-point lead on the break. She recorded a number of blocks for simply the second time this season and, defensively, served as one of many main gamers guarding Sacramento State star Kahlaijah Dean.The Huge Sky MVP, who was averaging 21.1 factors per sport, was held to 11 factors on labored three-of-19 taking pictures. The switch from Oakland notched six rebounds and 5 assists as heart Isnelle Natabou led Sacramento State with 16 factors and 10 rebounds.