Bruins Stun in Latest Report Card Following Minnesota Win

The Bruins showed out against the #1 defense in the nation

Dec 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice (1) steals the ball from Long Beach State Beach forward Rosie Akot (2) during the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

We saw a very underperforming team against Minnesota; however, this was expected as the Gophers this season rank No. 1 in the nation in defense. Still, the Bruins were able to showcase a few standout performances. Let's get right into it:

Dec 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Katie Fiso (2) drives past UCLA Bruins guard Charlisse Leger-Walker (5) during the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Charlisse Leger-Walker had a rough game against Minnesota. After a great showing against Nebraska, the game prior, we simply did not see that version of her. Moving forward, it would be nice to see her score a bit more, but as we have seen, that is not her playstyle.

She earns a C here primarily from the lack of production across the board. We know what she is capable of, but again we just did not see it. Her three-turnovers were very impactful in the grading process, as well as her low-four assists. We just need to see more.

Dec 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Gianna Kneepkens (8) is defended by Long Beach State Beach guard Khylee Pepe (13) during the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Rough homecoming game for Gianna Kneepkens, just a bad night overall. While she did slightly make up for her lack of scoring with her four rebounds and assists, it was simply not enough to justify a higher grade.

She earns a D because this was simply not her night. We are used to a flurry of threes, but it was clear that Minnesota was not going to be beaten that way. This shouldn't scare fans per se, as we know what she is capable of.

Dec 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Gabriela Jaquez (11) reacts after a 3-point basket during the second half against Long Beach State Beach at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Not a bad game from Gabriela Jaquez, but not a good game. It was nice to see her get involved in the rebounding game, as that was something that was crucial in this game. But overall, we need to see her start scoring at the level we know she can reach.

Her 12 points were simply not enough to get her a grade higher than a B. Mentioned previously her rebounding was impactful, and for that reason we cant give her anything lower. As stated before not bad but not good either.

Dec 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice (1) handles the ball during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Absolutely stunning from Kiki Rice. This is exactly the performance we thought we would be getting consistently from her this season. If she can build on this, the Bruins will be in very good shape moving forward.

Anything lower would be a crime, and A++ definitely suits this performance. Not only was her scoring elite, but her everything else was also very solid. Her three-turnovers are hard to overlook, but her three-steals really made up for it. Great game from Rice.

Dec 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) boxes out Long Beach State Beach guard Brynna Pukis (32) under the basket during the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Not the best performance from Lauren Betts here, but it definitely was not the worst. She has now gotten a double-double in each of her last three games, not bad. However, it would be nice to see her reduce turnovers.

She only earns a B+ because we know what she is capable of, and this was not it. It was ultimately her four turnovers that held her back from an A or higher. It is clear this is something that she could improve on.

Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close talks to an official during second quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the Connecticut Huskies at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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