This post was updated March 15 at 12:09 a.m.

Coach Cori Close has said it seemingly a thousand times.

“The tougher, more together team wins.”

With senior guard Charisma Osborne at the helm, there is no doubt that the Bruins exude toughness.

And No. 17 UCLA women’s basketball’s deep Pac-12 tournament run proved that on a big stage, there is also no lack of the latter.

During the semifinal thriller on March 3 in Las Vegas, freshman guard Kiki Rice sank a pull-up jumper to cut the top-seeded Stanford lead to three with six minutes to play.

The crowd roared as Rice and the No. 5-seeded Bruins ignited the improbable 16-point comeback.

The first one on her feet, waving a pompom in the crowd? The mother of freshman forward Gabriela Jaquez.

Throughout every round of the Pac-12 tournament, the families of rookies Rice and Jaquez were seated together in Michelob Ultra Arena, rooting for one another’s kids and high-fiving each other with every clutch offensive play and defensive stop.

This stood in stark contrast to the commotion behind the Arizona bench the night prior. What appeared to be Wildcat guard Lauren Fields’ fan club implored guard Shaina Pellington to, “just pass the ball!” as Arizona struggled to keep pace with the Bruins in the Pac-12 quarterfinals.

The camaraderie between the Rice and Jaquez families is ultimately a microcosm of the chemistry the blue and gold has cemented throughout this season, evident in its oft-repeated motto: “Sometimes you, sometimes me, always us.”

Osborne said heading into the postseason that the Bruins’ feeling of family was incomparable, especially after the Senior Day festivities on Feb. 25.

“Our team talked about this privately, and then we talked with the coaches as well about what we need to do to step out so that we can play together, have fun and be free,” Osborne said. “We’ve been doing that ever since. … Our team camaraderie has just been amazing since Saturday’s (Feb. 25’s) game.”

After the Bruins punched their ticket to the Pac-12 tournament finals, Close said the selflessness of her squad, derived from mutual respect alongside genuine connections, has helped the Bruins reach the next level.

“You never know whose night it’s going to be, and that’s been a theme all year long,” Close said. “That’s been a key to our growth. We don’t really care whose night it’s going to be.”

The season-long focus on relationship building appears to be paying dividends at the most opportune moment in the year. Just as the Bruins’ chemistry and commitment to each other helped them surmount the Cardinal and reach the Pac-12 tournament championship game, it will serve them well in rebounding from the four-point loss for the chip. With the experience of a single-elimination tournament under the newcomers’ belts, the Bruins are more prepared to tackle the pressure of the Big Dance.

Early last season, Close noted that the most successful professional teams leverage their intrinsic bonds, whether intentionally or not.

“You look at the studies of the last four NBA champions, they also led the league in touches, high-fives, pats on the back,” Close said. “I think it’s the same in how you talk to each other. Nicknames, eye contact, all those things are really big indicators of winning mentality and teammates.”

After each dead ball, the Bruins regroup in a huddle on the court. Veterans Osborne and senior guard Camryn Brown are often the most vocal, alongside graduate student guard and signal caller Gina Conti.

The Bruins benefit from the depth that was sorely missed last year, and the positive team culture has the potential to propel them to a deep run in March. The leadership is critical, but the willingness of the young squad to follow suit and heed advice is the difference maker.

When guard Londynn Jones committed back-to-back turnovers in the conference tournament quarterfinals, Brown took the freshman’s face in her hands to calm Jones and encourage a reset.

No matter what, it’s always US! #GoBruins

📺: Pac-12 Network
📲: https://t.co/f5YVZnJId9#GoBruins | #Pac12WBB | @camnation24 x @LondynnThaCutie https://t.co/3OkQDGI7P5 pic.twitter.com/qYP9ZXc9nn

— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) March 2, 2023

Brown went on to have the best game of her career that night but reserved the spotlight for her teammates.

“I love putting my teammates in the best positions for them to succeed,” Brown said. “My team really just helped me shine, and when they look good, I look good.”