UCLA Women's Basketball: How Bruins Sophomore Will Use LSU Loss To Motivate Play

Alex Kirschenbaum | Apr 1, 2024

Mar 30, 2024; Albany, NY, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Gabriela Jaquez (23) shoots a layup against LSU. / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA Bruins women's basketball star wing Gabriela Jaquez intends to contextualize the club's disappointing 78-69 Sweet 16 defeat against the Louisiana State University Tigers on Saturday. LSU, the reigning NCAA Tournament champion, will be a (mild) underdog tonight against the team it beat in last year's final, superstar point guard Caitlin Clark and the rest of her Iowa Hawkeyes.

“When I’m feeling lazy at times, think about this because I don’t want to be here again, I don’t like losing,” Jaquez said postgame, per Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times. “I think I just need to get better in the offseason and keep working.”

The six-foot sophomore forward played 30 minutes in the bout, defeat. She scored 14 points off the bench, on 5-of-11 shooting from the floor (1-of-4 from long range) and 3-of-4 shooting from the charity stripe. She also pulled down five rebounds, dished out one dime and snagged one steal. Only one other player, Camryn Brown, scored off the bench, though she had just two points.

Jaquez is Bruins royalty. The Camarillo native is the younger sister of UCLA men's basketball legend (and now-Miami Heat rookie small forward) Jaime Jaquez Jr. Across 34 contests (six starts), she averaged 10 points on .478/.259/.713 shooting splits, 5.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.6 steals a night.