When UCLA made the NCAA tournament for the first time in four years last season, it had relatively low expectations.
The bar is set much higher this time around.
The Bruins, the third seed in the Spokane Regional, look to take the first step toward making a deep run in the tournament when they face 14th-seeded Montana on Saturday.
UCLA (27-4) was simply excited to make the NCAAs as an eighth seed last season, but it has an entirely different mindset this year. The Bruins, who beat North Carolina State in the first round before losing to top-seeded Nebraska in 2010, are a No. 3 seed for the first time since 1999 and won a school-best 26 regular-season games.
"I'm glad they have a different level of hunger for NCAA play then just a matter of us having our names called," coach Nikki Caldwell told the team's official website. "Now we know our names are going to be called and now we know we have to be ready to take on anybody that steps in front of us."
That could be another game with Stanford, but Caldwell's team is trying not to look too far ahead.
Three of UCLA's four losses have come to the Cardinal - including 64-55 in last Saturday's Pac-10 title game. Stanford is Spokane's top seed and could meet UCLA again in the regional finals.
"We know it's a six-game tournament," Caldwell said. "We're just going to take one game at a time."
Before concerning themselves with the Cardinal, the Bruins are focusing on Montana in the first meeting between the programs.
The Lady Grizzlies (18-14) earned an NCAA tournament berth after upsetting top-seeded Portland State 62-58 as the No. 4 seed in last Saturday's Big Sky Conference title game. Senior guard Stephanie Stender was named the conference tournament MVP, averaging 13.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in three games.
Sophomore Katie Baker is the only player on the Lady Grizzlies to average in double digits at 11.9 points.
Although the Lady Grizzlies haven't won an NCAA tournament game since 1995 and No. 14 seeds are 0-68 against No. 3 seeds, the Bruins are not going to take them lightly.
"Every team made it to the tournament for a reason, so we just have to prepare as if they're No. 1 in the bracket," said guard Jasmine Dixon, who averages 11.8 points and a team-best 7.2 rebounds.
As a sophomore last season, Dixon led the Bruins in the NCAA tournament with 30 points and 16 rebounds in the two games, while Doreena Campbell finished with 26 points and nine assists.
Dixon and Campbell were named to the All-Pac-10 first team for a second consecutive season.
"Let's go to the next step," said Campbell, who averages 9.2 points. "I think we're ready and I think it's going to be exciting."
