At the start of this season, Cori Close was living what felt like a fairytale. UCLA women’s basketball was flying high — piling up wins, steamrolling through the schedule, and for the first time since 1979, punching their ticket to the Final Four. With a glittering 34-2 record and the 2025 Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year award in hand, it finally looked like Close was getting the flowers she’d long deserved. But as March gave way to April, that fairytale started to lose its shine!

It didn’t unravel all at once — it began with a stinger. An 80-67 loss to USC in early March didn’t just sting because of the rivalry. It slammed the door on UCLA’s Big Ten title hopes. More than anything, the loss revealed the glaring gaps in their resume. It wasn’t just a bad night — it was a wake-up call.

Close didn’t try to dodge the truth, either. “We didn’t show up and do our jobs,” she admitted at the postgame press conference. It was raw and honest. But it also raised a bigger question: was the issue just about the players not showing up, or was there something deeper — something systemic — brewing underneath?

Junior guard Kiki Rice had entered the 2024–25 campaign with sky-high expectations. And for most of the season, she delivered. She put up solid numbers — 12.9 points, 3.5 boards, and nearly 5.1 assists per game — all while shooting an efficient 49% from the field. But when the lights burned brightest in March, something shifted.

In the Sweet 16 against Ole Miss, Rice was mostly quiet, taking a backseat as teammate Lauren Betts went off for 31. Even then, fans brushed it off — stars have off nights, and Betts finally stepping up was seen as a luxury. But then came the Final Four clash with UConn. And it was more of the same. However, this time, the fans chose not to stay quiet about it. From their row of criticism, even Cori Close’s award could not be hidden.

Fans erupt as UCLA’s Final Four meltdown puts Cori Close’s Coach of the Year honor under fire!

As the Final Four stage lit up, fans weren’t just watching — they were feeling every second. And as UCLA’s dream run started spiraling, being tormented by UConn’s whirlwind, the comment section? It was on fire.

But it wasn’t just the players taking heat. Head coach Cori Close found herself right in the middle of the storm.

“No one is going to say it…but Kiki Rice has been awful this tourney,” one fan vented on X. “I don’t know what happened to her this season, but last season she attacked the basket and wanted to score. She’s consistently playing with her back to the basket. She looks scared. And not fighting the screens.” Harsh? Maybe. But it hit a nerve with many.

By halftime, Bruins fans weren’t just frustrated — they were stunned. UCLA trailed UConn 42-22. In the biggest game of their season, on the grandest stage, they looked completely out of sync. From the tip-off, Geno Auriemma’s squad pressed the gas, leaving the Bruins squad’s pressure defense and lightning-fast pace gasping for air.

And that’s when the floodgates opened.

“Cori Close better give that National COY award back,” wrote a user, echoing a growing sentiment. Turnovers mounted. Screens missed. UCLA looked overwhelmed. And while Lauren Betts did her part — 11 points in the first half, battling in the post — she couldn’t carry the weight alone.

No other Bruin had more than five points by halftime. But the issue wasn’t just scoring — it was sloppiness.

Fourteen first-half turnovers. That stat alone changed everything. UConn pounced, turning those giveaways into 19 points. And while UCLA managed to outscore the Huskies 18-14 in the paint, they got absolutely nothing from second-chance opportunities. Zero second-chance points in the first 20 minutes.

From beyond the arc? Same story. The same Bruins who torched UConn with 12 threes back in November during the Cayman Islands Classic? They hit just one in the first half — a single triple from Kiki Rice, who had been electric then, but was quiet now with just five total points.

One fan summed up the frustration bluntly: “When Cori Close loses, America wins.”

UConn, on the other hand, looked built for this moment. Azzi Fudd caught fire with 19 points in 20 minutes. Jana El Alfy, playing in her first Final Four, shut down everything in the paint — even towering over the 6’7” Betts. Ice Brady brought grit. Paige Bueckers, despite a cold shooting night, facilitated, locked in on defense, and found ways to keep the Bruins chasing.

“This is coaching malpractice by Cori Close,” another user posted. “Letting them play wildly undisciplined and refusing to adjust her rotations to the game.”

Fans weren’t done. Another added: “You’re not scared! Also, Cori Close needs to use her bench players more. Let the starters know if you can’t get it done, we have those who will! Very frustrating game to watch.”

And they had a point. UCLA, a No. 1 overall seed, with arguably one of the deepest rosters in the tournament, didn’t look prepared. The Bruins were outplayed, outcoached, and out-hustled — falling 85-51 in a blowout no one saw coming. Betts tried, finishing with 26 points on 11-for-18 shooting. But the rest of the roster? Just 25 points total, shooting a combined 38.5% from the field.

A historic season, a Coach of the Year title, a Final Four appearance — all shadowed by one night where nothing went right. Now, the questions aren’t just about what went wrong. They’re about what happens next.