Message Received: UCLA Bounces Back Against Duke

UCLA sent a clear message that its loss to No. 4 Texas was nothing more than a fluke, responding with a dominant 30-point win over Duke.

After a devastating loss to No. 4 Texas — a team that later went on to defeat No. 2 South Carolina — the Bruins responded in convincing fashion. UCLA bounced back with a 30-point blowout win over Duke, doing so without their star center, Lauren Betts.

Breakdown of the Game

ric — Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice (1) dribbles against Connecticut Huskies guard KK Arnold (2) during first half in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Bruins learned quickly from their downfall against Texas. While Duke isn't on the same hemisphere as Texas, the Bruins still performed well by starting off very hot. They would finish the first quarter up 30-7.

The Bruins cooled off in the second quarter, getting outscored 18–13 by Duke. The energy shift was noticeable — it felt as if UCLA had released all its frustration in the opening period and then eased off, assuming the game would just fall into their hands.

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 would pick things back up in the second half, outscoring Duke 22-17 in the third and 24-17 to really put things away. The final score would be 89-59, UCLA.

Key Stats From Game

Mar 21, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Utah Utes guard Gianna Kneepkens (5) celebrates getting fouled while making a three point basket against the Indiana Hoosiers in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

UCLA during the Texas game had a really hard time winning the rebound battle, even with a clear rebounding advantage. However, against Duke, they really prioritized winning the battle easily 43-33.

The most glaring problem with Texas was the turnover issues. Against the Longhorns, they had 20; against Duke, only 12. While they did cut down on overall turnovers, Duke would still have fewer, with only 11 turnovers during the game.

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

UCLA also had a strong night shooting the ball, finishing with an impressive 53% from the field and a scorching 59% from beyond the arc. This was a clear decider in this matchup as Duke only shot 34% from the field and 27% from three.

Key Player Performances

Gabriela Jaquez really showed out during this one. In her past two outings, she would go back-to-back games with fewer than ten points. In this matchup, she would lead the Bruins in scoring with 23 points. She shot 8-16 FG, 3-5 3PT, with five rebounds and two assists.

Charlisse Leger-Walker also had an excellent game, after a rough outing against Texas, where she had six of the Bruins' 20 turnovers. She scored 20 points, shooting 6-11 from the field and an excellent 5-9 from three. She also had five rebounds and six assists to go with it.

clos — Apr 3, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close during press conference at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

This was definitely the performance the Bruins needed after the tough loss. Their next test will be against No. 14 Tennessee, a game the Bruins really need to win.

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