Janiah Barker led the way with her fourth double-double of the season, posting 12 points and 13 rebounds, as top-ranked UCLA cruised to a 69-37 victory over Cal Poly Monday night at Pauley Pavilion. The win kept the Bruins perfect on the season at 11-0, marking the second consecutive year they’ve won their first 11 games under head coach Cori Close.
The game marked UCLA’s first home outing since being crowned the No. 1 team in the nation in the Associated Press Top 25 poll Nov. 25. Despite missing Lauren Betts – a key player on the Bruin squad – due to a lower leg injury, the Bruins displayed their depth with several players stepping up.
Londynn Jones, who passed 800 career points that night, and Angela Dugalić each contributed 12 points, while Timea Gardiner added 11 points to help power UCLA to victory. The Bruins controlled the game throughout, building on their lead after a brief moment of momentum from the Mustangs early in the second quarter.
Cal Poly (4-6) briefly trimmed UCLA’s lead to 25-16 early in the second period thanks to a three-pointer from Annika Shah. But the Bruins quickly answered with a 12-2 run, which featured a pair of three-pointers by Dugalić, extending their advantage and putting the game out of reach.
The Mustangs struggled with their shooting all night, finishing with just 25.9% from the field (14-of-54). Their offense faltered even further in the fourth quarter, where they shot just 2-of-15. Mary Carter led Cal Poly with 11 points, but the team could not overcome their poor shooting against the stifling UCLA defense.
It was another dominant performance for UCLA, showcasing their depth and balance even without Betts in the lineup. This marks the third time in Close’s 14 seasons that the Bruins have started the season 11-0.
On Friday, both teams will play again – UCLA will play Creighton in the Invisalign Bay Area Women’s Classic in San Francisco, while Cal Poly will host Seattle U.
—
Featured Image Photographed by Brandon Morquecho/Daily Bruin
