Grading UCLA’s Player Performances Against Southern

UCLA went on to dominate Southern 88–37, delivering a statement win from start to finish. There were plenty of standout performances, but these were the ones that rose above the rest.

The Bruins next matchup wont be as easy, they will be facing No.4 Texas at home on Nov. 28.

Lauren Betts did not need to do much in this one. Nor was her performance make or break for the Bruins. She played well, but nothing special. If the stakes were higher, this could have been a signature Betts game.

The reason she earns a B+ is that, while she played well, she clearly outmatched everyone on the floor. This easily could have been a 25-plus–point performance, and the matchup served as a missed opportunity to keep pace with other notable college stars this season.

Betts is now averaging 15.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, while shooting a very good 61.7% from the the field.

ric — UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) defends Iowa forward Hannah Stuelke (45) as she drives toward the basket Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rice was excellent in this game, if the Bruins hope to takedown No. 4 Texas she will need to have a game similar to this.

She earns an A-. Like Betts, this game was an opportunity to really explode in the box score. While she did do just that, we know what she is capable of, and this could have been a 20-point performance.

Kiki ric — Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice (1) leaves the court during the fourth 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

The season is still fairly new, but if these numbers hold, Rice could quickly emerge as one of the top prospects in the next WNBA draft.

This was easily Gabriela Jaquez’s worst game of the season. She struggled to get shots to fall, but her aggression never wavered. Once those baskets start dropping again, she has the potential to be unstoppable.

She gets a C-, this is partly due to inefficiency, shooting 2-8, and 0-4 from three is very hard to ignore. However, she proved she can still make a huge impact even when her shooting is off, with eight rebounds.

Jque — Apr 3, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Gabriela Jaquez during press conference at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Bruins leading scorer really had an oppurtunity to shine once again. She has the most minutes of any Bruin during this game, its a shame to see her miss out on this opportunity to really crank those stats up.

Easily Angela Dugalić best game of the season. She had a field day shooting and has quickly emerged as one of the Bruins' biggest playmakers this season.

She earns the coveted A+ for pairing her aggressiveness with elite efficiency. She couldn’t miss in this one, and she didn’t need the free-throw line to reach 20 points. It was clear she didn't let this opportunity pass her up.

Dugalic has been one of UCLA’s more under-the-radar contributors this season. She truly shined against Oklahoma earlier this season, posting 14 points and 13 rebounds. If the Bruins hope to take down Texas, they’ll need another big performance from her.

cor — Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close reacts during first quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the Connecticut Huskies at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Bruins definitely handled business in this one. In the future we could easily see some of these lower grades from our stars turn into A's down the stretch.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @UCLAInsideronSI to keep up with every story surrounding UCLA athletics!

Please let us know your thoughts on this when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.