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After beating South Carolina, the UCLA women's basketball team made history with its first-ever NCAA national championship - and head coach Cori Close pointed to her players' elite mentality as the key to their historic run.
UCLA championship mindset
Since 2011, Close has made mental toughness a cornerstone of the program, drawing heavily from John Wooden's Pyramid of Success.
"We've made that a priority - to set our minds on the right things," Close said in an interview with Today in LA. "We've just been speaking this into existence mostly in the habits that you're going to need to have."
John Wooden is a legend who won 10 national championships in 27 seasons and served as a mentor to Close during her time as an assistant at UCLA.
Close played point guard at UC Santa Barbara from 1989 to 1993. She was later hired by UCLA, spent two years with the Bruins, and returned to her alma mater in 1995 as an assistant coach.
She maintained a close relationship with Wooden even while working at other programs, including her stint as an assistant at Florida State from 2004 to 2011.
Wooden's teachings and his famous Pyramid of Success emphasize values like faith, patience and integrity - principles that apply both on and off the court.
"The definition of competitive greatness is the peace of mind knowing that you gave your very best," Close said. "It really isn't about the outcome, it's about the process."
The coach also admitted she already sensed her players were completely ready for the final.
"Right after our walkthrough, we all got together (and) talked about how three strands that are woven together are not easily broken," Close said. "I could just see in their eyes. Every individual was so locked."
UCLA never trailed in the national championship game and led by as many as 35 points. Several of these Bruins are now expected to be selected in the upcoming WNBA Draft.