This post was updated Aug. 6 at 6:27 p.m.

The madness that ensues during the third month of the year is nothing short of noteworthy.

Squads that manage to extend their postseason runs are observed and questioned for their recipe for success, and UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close put her strategy simply.

“March is happening now,” Close said.

When noting the importance of offseason competition and training, Close reiterated a quote she attributed to assistant coach Tasha Brown. The head coach noted that the dire win-or-go-home nature of the infamous month begins with the training that happens now, in the offseason, eight months prior.

Multiple Bruins have subscribed to this coaching philosophy, taking their talents around the world this summer to compete. The forward duo of rising sophomore Lina Sontag and rising redshirt junior Emily Bessoir culminated their competitions with the German National Team at the 2023 FIBA Women’s Eurobasket in July. The pair contributed to the team’s execution of securing the nation’s first Olympic qualifier performance in history. Shortly thereafter, Sontag participated in the 2023 FIBA U-20 Women’s European Championship.

Close said the record-breaking nature of the team’s tournament success was astonishing as a coach of the two athletes.

“As I watched all those Eurobasket games, first of all their ability to blaze trails – it’s so cool because Germany has never made the Olympic qualifier tournament in the history of their country in women’s basketball,” Close said.

Throughout the tournament, both athletes were tossed into new environments. For Bessior, the typical forward found success competing as a wing guard, averaging 7.1 points on a 32.4% 3-point clip.

Bessior noted the tournament was exciting for her, as she was able to play around the perimeter as opposed to competing in a post position for UCLA.

“It was really fun just getting out on the perimeter again,” Bessior said. “I got more confident in handling the ball, making 3’s and also in my defense.”

In the Eurobasket, the 19-year-old Sontag competed alongside a team with an average age of 26 while finding 4.6 points per contest and a 38.5% 3-point percentage. Bessior said she was impressed to see her fellow Bruin teammate succeed as the squad’s youngest.

“For Lina, I think for her just to be more confident in her game, she hit some major shots and just did good things and on that level is huge at her age,” Bessior said. “She wasn’t afraid to go at it even though those were players that were way older than her or more experienced – she just went for it and was successful.”

The Bruins are no stranger to competing abroad this summer, as four other UCLA women’s basketball athletes have traveled the globe to participate in national tournaments. Rising fifth-year guard Charisma Osborne and rising sophomore center Lauren Betts recently wrapped competitions in the 2023 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, earning a silver medal for Team USA. In addition, rising sophomore guards Kiki Rice and Londynn Jones took home the 2023 FIBA U19 Championship gold medal for Team USA.

Close emphasized that it’s go time for her team and the drive they are presenting now will pay off later.

“March doesn’t happen in March,” Close said. “March happens right now in your level of commitment in the offseason in your level of being able to do things that other people aren’t willing to.”

Email Whitaker at [email protected] or tweet @DBgracewhitaker.