'Mother Bruin' brings support as the UCLA women open March Madness

It’s an hour before tipoff and Patti Close takes her usual seat near the UCLA bench. Mother Bruin is in the house, ready to cheer on the team coached by her daughter, Cori Close. The next game is Saturday, when the overall No. 2 seeded Bruins (31-1) open March Madness against 16th-seeded Cal Baptist (23-10) at Pauley Pavilion.

By BETH HARRIS