No. 1 UCLA fends off Penn State, extends unbeaten start to school-record 17-0
The UCLA women’s basketball team maintained the same competitiveness it has displayed at home all season, even if the Bruins' home gym was an hour away from campus in Long Beach.
Forced out of Pauley Pavilion because of wildfires that continue to burn near Westwood, the No. 1 Bruins hosted Penn State at Walter Pyramid on Wednesday night. The venue change didn’t faze UCLA, which earned an 83-67 victory and set a program record with its 17-0 start to the season.
However, the eight days leading up to the game — marked by fires, postponements and venue changes — took a toll on coach Cori Close and the Bruins.
“This has been a really hard week,” Close said. “There’s been some real anxiousness and difficulty, and we get to play, and there has to be this sense of gratitude.”
Read more: UCLA women's basketball team copes with fear, uncertainty during fire threat
The Bruins improved to 5-0 in the Big Ten, however the win was far from perfect, with Close addressing the “weird balance” of being grateful to play but not using the adversity as an excuse for the team's performance.
“I don't think our players would want us to lower the standard in the time that we have in between the lines,” Close said.
Lauren Betts dominated on both ends of the floor, powering UCLA with 22 points, 12 rebounds, seven blocks and four assists. She recorded her ninth double-double of the season and showcased her efficiency, shooting 10 for 16 from the field.
Aside from Betts, Close says her team didn't play well enough. The coach said Betts’ historic night — her seven-block performance tied a team record — made up for “how poorly we played.”
Although it was a double-digit victory, the Bruins started slowly. Close felt that Penn State was more aggressive for most of the game — except for the second quarter, when the Bruins outscored the Nittany Lions 27-11.
“We didn’t show up the way we needed,” Betts said when asked if the circumstances affected the performance. “... I just think, like in practice, I thought preparing for this game we could have done a lot better.”
Much of their early production came from Betts, who battled through a tough matchup against 6-foot-6 Penn State center Gracie Merkle, holding a top-10 Big Ten scorer and rebounder to five points and two rebounds.
UCLA ended the first quarter shooting 41.2% from the field, largely thanks to Betts’ scoring in the post, but still trailed 19-17 — its lowest point total in a quarter since the Nov. 4 opener against Louisville.
Read more: Plaschke: Cori Close forging a new UCLA legend with the lessons John Wooden taught her
The Bruins struggled from beyond the arc, finishing seven for 25 (28%) from three-point range but finished at 47.3% from the field.
“We were settling for jump shots and open threes,” Close said. “Once we started reacting out of paint touches… attacking off the bounce, then we started to hit a few of those, and that was the difference.”
UCLA’s offense found its energy by attacking the rim, particularly in transition after turnovers, led by point guard Kiki Rice. Her defense sparked several fast-break opportunities.
Rice was one of four Bruins in double figures, finishing with 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Angela Dugalic contributed 11 points and eight rebounds, while Gabriela Jaquez added 10 points and seven rebounds.
The lack of scoring efficiency allowed Penn State to stay close early, with the Bruins and Lions trading leads eight times during the back-and-forth battle.
UCLA's zone defense eventually started earning stops, allowing the Bruins to build a lead.
Despite leading by as many as 23 in the second half, UCLA enable Penn State to hang around and claw its way back to a single-digit deficit, the Lions outscoring UCLA 16-12 early in the fourth quarter and cutting the lead to seven points.
“We just weren't the aggressors,” Close said. “We weren't playing as hard, and we weren't sitting in our stance, and we weren't fighting and being physical with them.”
With four minutes remaining, Close called a timeout to challenge her team.
“It’s about our defense. And you know this was good enough, and who was going to step up and make sure we got stops?” Close said. “Yes, stop the run, but like what is this worth to you? And just a personal challenge of how much does it mean?”
UCLA shot 41.2% from the field in the final quarter, but a late 7-0 run by spearheaded by Londynn Jones, Jaquez and Rice put the game out of reach.
Close says the goal is to continue “shining for our city” and hopes the Bruins will keep competing “in such a way that shows our commitment to mastering our craft, so we may bring joy and inspire others.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
