Westwood, CA- No. 4 UCLA made history in front of a small, devoted crowd on a Tuesday night at Pauley Pavillon with an 87-point victory over Cal Poly for the largest margin win in NCAA, 115-28.
“We have had a really tough week and a half of practices and really challenging our consistency, our physicality, our ability to defend with pride,” UCLA Lady Bruins Head Coach Cori Close said.
“So the word for us today was standard or two words the standard that we have to play to our standard and bottom line is we still have work to do.”
The Bruins wasted no time playing up to their standard with a quick 6-0 run from tip-off that swiftly turned into 60-16 by halftime concluded with a 27-0 run.
Each UCLA starter reached double figures led by Senior Guard Kiki Rice’s 23 points. Rice almost racked in a double-double by grabbing eight rebounds and four assists. Senior Center Lauren Betts posted another double-double after returning from USA Olympic training camp in North Carolina, scoring 20 points alongside 10 boards.
“I think since Lauren has been back, I’ve definitely noticed a change in her physicality, how aggressive she’s been…she’s definitely brought back a lot and obviously grateful that she’s able to have that experience,” Rice said about Betts brief time away this past weekend for USA training camp. “It’s awesome that you know she’s been able to kind of translate that back to here and it’s really raised our level as a group…I mean we talked a lot about you know this game that we’re going to be preparing to play at our standard and not to play to our opponent but to really just go out there slay in your own role.”
UCLA Grad transfer Gianna Kneepkens added 19 points and five assists. Senior Guards Gabriela Jaquez and Charlisse Leger-Walker finished with 14 points apiece.
All eleven active players on the Bruins roster recorded their name in history as every player scored while no player played more than 25 minutes.
Betts dominated in the first half with 16 points, scoring eight of UCLA’s first 10 points, including six straight in the first quarter. On the defensive end, it was Kneepkens setting the tone with six steals, tying her career-high.
“I think going to that USA training camp was a really amazing experience and I feel like it was just really cool for me to learn from all the vets and you know I’ve grown up watching a lot of these people and I look up to a lot of them. I think going into it I was really impressed by just the level of like physicality and just how much they talk and especially on the defensive end I just thought it was really amazing,” Lauren Betts said. “So, I think coming back just trying to ring as much intensity as I can and just making sure that I’m raising the level of intensity defensively for my team every single day.”
At one point, there was a couple exchange of baskets between the Bruins and Mustangs, making it somewhat competitive when Leger-Walker hit a triple to answer Cal Poly’s three. Then UCLA forced back-to-back turnovers into a solo tap dance combination for Betts, whom grabbed a steal, dished an assist, and scored in a 30 second sequence span. Cal Poly responded with a two-point basket, but Rice came back with a deep dagger to end the first.
“We’re really appreciative of Cal-Poly. I think I’ve shared with you all before that we had a heck of a time finding teams to play us this year,” Coach Close said. “Most teams were too scared and I really respect Cal-Poly. They said let’s go, bring it on and I think they were missing their leading scorer today. I think they had a great perspective and they kept playing hard all the way through.”
UCLA continued to carry their momentum in the second and playing all gas no brakes, on both ends of the court.
Dugalić knocked down multiple buckets, Kneepkens got buckets, and both played a part in either an assist or scoring for most of the second quarter points including Kneepkens rallying Bruins last eight points.
UCLA high scoring 35 points second quarter showed their offensive artillery while their defense was just as effective holding Cal-Poly to a mere three points.
Freshmen Forward Lena Bilić came in the game, immediately blocking a 3-point shot attempt to force a 24-second violation. Redshirt-sophomore Amanda Muse followed with another block that led to another forced Cal Poly turnover. Mustangs went scoreless for the final 7:30 minutes.
Third quarter continued like the Bruins left in the first half, with a 17-1 run, scoring on seven-straight possessions. Rice had eight points during this span, including two shots from behind the arc.
Freshman Sienna Betts made her first collegiate points in her season debut at the free throw line. UCLA outscored Cal Poly 31-5 in the quarter.
“I just felt super jolly.I was just so happy to be on the court with her, Lauren Betts said about first time playing with her sister as teammates in a Bruins game. “She’s just done a lot of work and I know that this process hasn’t been easy, but to just have that moment with her, like this is something that, you know, we’ve kind of grown up just dreaming about and so to be at this level and to be on the court with her is just really amazing and continuing to boost her confidence, I think, is super important.”
UCLA emptied their bench leaving one starter in rotation for the final quarter, to initiate a 12-0 run. Sienna Betts created her first highlight with a stepback midrange shot for her first collegiate field goal.
“Like coach Cory said in the locker room, this is just the first step in her process. I just wanted her to get that one game in and moving forward, I know she’s going to continue to do amazing, ”Lauren Betts said.
Freshman Christina Karamouzi recorded also her first collegiate points, drawing a foul then nailing two free throws. One of the crowd highlights and game energy booster came at the end of this blowout game for softball star Megan Grant sliding in a layup off an inbound pass from Rice.
UCLA finished the quarter shooting 64 percent and 58 percent from the field for the game. Bruins recorded a season high 19 steals including four in the final quarter. UCLA hit 43 percent from deep, 59 points off 31 turnovers and 56 points in the paint for a well-balanced offensive onslaught. UCLA dominated in rebounds, 46-15.
“I think they [UCLA] had made the mental decision ahead of time, to make sure they’re not going on holiday break early and it’s not Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer yet, coach Close said. “Let’s finish getting better as a team. And that’s really really important for us. I think it’s you [FI360news] asked what is the standard, the standard are championship standards, this what you’re going to want to be like in March in April and I think Tasha talked before the team before the game about March is happening now. Do not deceive yourself. You cannot miss opportunities.“
Coming up UCLA next opportunity to host will be Long Beach State at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2 p.m. PST with a broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
