The reaction from her teammates on the bench \u2014 the excitement, joy and smiling faces \u2014 was unmistakeable. It was a moment that UCLA head coach Cori Close did not want to go unmentioned. While fellow freshmen Sienna Betts and Lena Bilic have been key contributors at times, Karamouzi has often been the odd player out.<\/p>\n
\u201dMy favorite was Chrizzy last night because Chrizzy has a really hard role, and she was the last one added to our roster in a very experienced group,\u201d Close said during her pre-Elite Eight press conference. \u201cI showed her the clip of her making the shot and watching the bench react to her. I said, they react that way because they love you that much. They\u2019re so excited to celebrate you because you have sacrificed for them, and they want to give you your due and your moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Karamouzi did not score in either of the Bruins\u2019 first two tournament games against Cal Baptist and Oklahoma State. She took only one shot and played a total of six minutes across both games. But it was third time that was the charm for her, giving her one of the biggest highlights of her freshman year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt means a lot. I\u2019m so happy to just look back at those clips because in the moment I don\u2019t really see it or think about it,\u201d Karamouzi told The IX Sports. \u201cIt\u2019s just so fun to have everyone behind me and everyone so excited for me. That makes me really happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecoming Caitlin Clark\u201d is out now!<\/p>\n Howard Megdal\u2019s newest book is here! \u201cBecoming Caitlin Clark: The Unknown Origin Story of a Modern Basketball Superstar\u201d captures both the historic nature of Clark\u2019s rise and the critical context over the previous century that helped make it possible, including interviews with Clark, Lisa Bluder (who also wrote the foreword), C. Vivian Stringer, Jan Jensen, Molly Kazmer and many others.<\/p>\n As Close mentioned, Karamouzi was a late addition to the Bruins\u2019 roster. By the fall of 2024, both the younger Betts and Bilic had already signed letters of intent. But UCLA\u2019s roster was shaken up a bit when their entire 2024 recruiting class all entered the transfer portal shortly after the team\u2019s Final Four loss to UConn.<\/p>\n With space suddenly available, Karamouzi joined the team in July of 2025. Most of her on-court experience this year has come from playing against her teammates in practice. She\u2019s played a total of<\/a> 68 minutes across UCLA\u2019s 35 games, including in postseason tournaments. It\u2019s been a learning experience, but one she feels will ultimately pay off.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been really hard because I\u2019ve been having to push myself and everything,\u201d Karamouzi said. \u201cBut this is a great team and they challenge you every day. That\u2019s what I wanted, that\u2019s why I came here. I feel like I\u2019ve been getting better every day and I just love to be on this team.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Untitled-design-13.png\")
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