| Women’s Basketball |
|---|
| UCLA — 86 |
| Michigan State — 63 |
It took less than five minutes for UCLA to turn a competitive matchup into a runaway. No.2 UCLA women’s basketball (24-1, 14-0 Big Ten) overwhelmed No.13 Michigan State (20-5, 9-5 Big Ten) 86-63 on Wednesday night at the Breslin Events Center, using a suffocating first half and balanced scoring attack to secure another statement conference win.
From the opening tip, the Bruins established control. Senior center Lauren Betts opened the scoring inside before senior guard Gabriela Jaquez followed with back-to-back layups to give UCLA an early edge. Graduate guard Charlisse Leger-Walker added a 3-pointer midway through the first quarter, and the Bruins’ defense held the Spartans to just nine points. UCLA closed the quarter ahead 23-9. Senior guard Kiki Rice said “scoring on the first few possessions definitely gave us confidence and allowed us to settle in,” a tone-setter that carried throughout the night.
The Bruins continued to apply pressure in the second. Betts controlled the paint on both ends, converting through contact and finishing around the rim. Graduate guard Gianna Kneepkens knocked down a 3-pointer, and Jaquez added another late in the half to stretch the lead past 20. UCLA outscored Michigan State 21-11 in the second quarter and entered halftime with a 44-20 advantage.
The Bruins’ defensive intensity proved to be the difference early as they limited clean perimeter looks, forced difficult attempts late in the shot clock and dominated the boards, preventing second-chance opportunities. Michigan State struggled to find rhythm against the Bruins’ length and physicality, shooting inefficiently and unable to generate consistent scoring runs.
The Spartans showed more offensive rhythm in the third quarter behind Rashunda Jones and Kennedy Blair, combining for key scoring bursts as the Spartans put up 18 points in the period. But every push was met with a response. Rice buried a 3-pointer and added a mid-range jumper, while freshman forward Sienna Betts finished inside to maintain separation. The Bruins won the third quarter 22-18 and carried a 66-38 lead into the final frame.
With the game largely in hand, the Bruins stayed composed in the fourth. Rice connected from deep once more, and graduate forward Angela Dugalić added a 3-pointer of her own. The Bruins continued to protect the rim and clean the glass, closing out the 86-63 victory in dominant fashion.
“Every single day, we’re just coming in with a mindset of, ‘we’ve got to get better,’” Rice said. “Focus on the day-by-day, present game, and just prepare ourselves to build those habits for March and April because we know this is going to be our foundation. This is going to be our standard, and we’ll build from there.”
The Bruins will look to carry that momentum into its next Big Ten matchup against Indiana on Sunday, Feb. 25 at noon PST back home at Pauley Pavilion.
