Bridgeport — If UCLA women's basketball coach Cori Close has her way, the Bruins are constructing a program in much the same way UConn coach Geno Auriemma once built a brand which has now won 11 national championships.

Close, in her sixth season at UCLA, is constantly watching, learning.

She's spent time traveling to Storrs to watch Auriemma's practices, alone and with her staff, and earlier in her career she forged a relationship with UCLA men's coaching legend John Wooden.

“One of the things I think is really important is that they're really interested in growing the game, not just growing UConn,” Close said of Auriemma's allowances for her to study. “I think it's bigger than themselves and I was a beneficiary of that.

“I'm a big believer that you've got to learn from the best and so I think I've gone back four times and I brought our entire staff back, I think maybe our second year at UCLA. They were gracious to let us pick their brains a little bit and it was just a great experience.”

On Saturday, the teams will meet in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament at Webster Bank Arena (2 p.m., ESPN).

Top-seeded UConn (34-0) and Auriemma takes on No. 4 UCLA (25-8) and Close, the teams' first-ever matchup in the NCAA tournament.

UConn is the four-time defending national champion and the winner of 109 straight games. The Huskies boast two of the four finalists for the Naismith Trophy, awarded to the national player of the year, in Katie Lou Samuelson (20.9 points per game) and Napheesa Collier (20.2 ppg).

UCLA, meanwhile, is bidding to win its first national title since the 1978 AIAW championship team, led by Ann Meyers and coached by Billie Moore. The Bruins, with a home winning streak of 29 games at Pauley Pavilion — second only to UConn's home win streak of 64 — are led by a pair of first team Pac-12 all-stars in 6-foot-4 forward Monique Billings and wizard-like point guard Jordin Canada who averages seven assists per game. There's also Kari Korver, with 72 3-point field goals.

“One kid can really shoot it, another one is great with the ball and another one just goes out and gets every rebound and is as athletic as all get-out,” Auriemma said of the matchup his team faces against UCLA. “So they've got a really good kind of, the pieces of the puzzle all fit for them.

“Cori does a really good job of giving them the kind of freedom that kids like that need to just play a little bit. The kids are kind of free to play and just be 'Cali,' just kind of do their thing. I kind of like that.”

It was Korver who hit seven 3-point field goals for 21 points in UCLA's 75-43 victory rout of Texas A&M in the second round of the NCAA tournament Monday at Pauley Pavilion.

“I think the thing that has impressed me the most is their transition offense,” UConn's Gabby Williams said. “The way they're able to attack off a rebound, off a defensive stop, I think, is a lot better than a lot of teams that we've faced so far. So we're just going to have to find a way to … slow them down basically.”

UConn, which defeated Syracuse 94-64 to get to the Sweet 16, has played UCLA three times in the past, once since Close has been coaching the Bruins. The Huskies topped UCLA 86-50 on Dec. 21, 2014 at Mohegan Sun Arena. Auriemma said UConn has plans to play at UCLA next season.

Close, meanwhile, maintains a model of John Wooden's Pyramid of Success in her office. She started out with only the first level of initiatives lit, choosing to build her program step by painstaking step. She was asked if UCLA should beat UConn, if the rest of the pyramid would become ablaze.

“We're not talking about the championships,” Close said. “We're doing the work and making the commitments that lead to those things. … And you know, I'll light up a lot of things if we're able to do that.”

v.fulkerson@theday.com

NCAA tournament Sweet 16

No. 1 UConn vs. No. 4 UCLA

Location: Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport.

Tip: 2 p.m. (ESPN).

Records: UCLA 25-8 overall; UConn 34-0.

Last game: UCLA beat No. 5 Texas A&M 75-43 in second round of the NCAA tournament Monday; UConn beat No. 8 Syracuse 94-64 in the second round of the NCAA tournament Monday.

Probable starters: UCLA, 6-4 Jr. F Monique Billings (16.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.0 bpg), 5-6 Jr. G Jordin Canada (17.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 7.0 apg, 2.5 spg), 5-9 Sr. G Kari Korver (8.4 ppg), 6-0 Sr. G Kelli Hayes (5.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg), 6-1 So. G Kennedy Burke (12.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg).

UConn, 5-8 Sr. G Saniya Chong (7.9 ppg), 6-0 Jr. G Kia Nurse (13.1 ppg), 6-3 So. G/F Katie Lou Samuelson (20.9 ppg), 5-11 Jr. F Gabby Williams (13.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 5.3 apg, 2.7 spg), 6-1 So. G/F Napheesa Collier (20.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg).

Noteworthy: UCLA is certainly familiar with the Bridgeport Regional, having also been placed there last season. Last time, the third-seeded Bruins led by six at the end of three quarters before falling to No. 2 Texas 72-64. “I think walking into the locker room initially was kind of weird,” UCLA senior Kari Korver said. “We were in that locker room last year and coach is crying and you're losing your seniors and all of that. But we're focused on the game (against UConn). We're not focused on last year.” UConn defeated Mississippi State in the Sweet 16 in Bridgeport last year (98-38) before toppling Texas (86-65) for a trip to the Final Four in Indianapolis. … The Pac-12 Conference landed five teams in this year's Sweet 16, including UCLA and Oregon in Bridgeport. The Bruins players said that playing in the Pac-12 has helped them learn to fight for 40 minutes and sometimes in a hostile environment, as they will likely be faced with Saturday in Bridgeport. “I love the Pac-12,” Korver said. There's no nights off. I think there's times we lost on the road this year and we were disappointed. Now look. Those losses, they don't feel as bad.” Added point guard Jordin Canada: “It's highly doubtful that you're going to get a game where you blow teams out by 20- or 15-plus; like, you're going to get a good game every night.” … During UConn's 109-game winning streak, UCLA has gone 71-38 (.651). … Billings set the UCLA record this season for blocked shots (65) and free throws attempted (234) in a single season. … UCLA has been ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for 35 straight weeks. … UCLA 6-4 freshman forward Ally Rosenblum was a high school teammate of UConn's Katie Lou Samuelson at Mater Dei in Santa Ana, Calif. … UConn coach Geno Auriemma needs only one more NCAA tournament win to tie Tennessee legend Pat Summit at 112. … The winner of Saturday's game will play either No. 3 Maryland or No. 10 Oregon in the regional final at 7 p.m. Monday.

— Vickie Fulkerson