Three UCLA Players Who Must Step Up vs. Tennessee

UCLA could be without its best player in Lauren Betts, meaning a lot of the workload will fall on these Bruins stars.

The Bruins dominated Duke without Betts, but Tennessee has proven to be a far stronger team than the Blue Devils. If UCLA can pull this one off, they’ll be right back in the conversation for a top-three ranking—assuming they even fall out when the new polls are released.

Kiki Rice | G

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

Kiki Rice has easily been UCLA’s most consistent player this season. Even in the loss to Texas, she performed at a high level and was a key reason the Bruins kept that game close. Against Duke, she delivered again, following it up with another 17-point, six-rebound performance.

Rebounding could prove to be a massive factor in this game; without Betts, UCLA is averaging ~8 fewer rebounds than Tennessee. Rice has been excellent this year at the guard position, averaging 6.9 rebounds per game.

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

This season Rice is averaging 14.8 points (team-high), 6.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. She is also shooting a very solid 43.6% from the field.

Angela Dugalic | F

AngelaDugalić — Mar 30, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; LSU Lady Tigers forward Sa'Myah Smith (5) fights for position against UCLA Bruins forward Angela Dugalic (32) during the second half of a Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

With Betts trending toward not playing against Tennessee, Angela Dugalic will need to slide into her role. It’s a tough assignment, but Dugalic has shown she’s more than capable of producing at a high level, posting five double-digit scoring performances already this season.

Like Kiki Rice, Dugalic will play a massive role in the rebounding battle. Stepping in for UCLA’s leading rebounder, she’ll need to match—or come close to—the 7.4 rebounds per game standard Betts has set this season.

This season Dugalic is averaging 10.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 0.3 assists. She has also shot a very good 49.3% from the field this season.

Gabriela Jaquez | G

Gabriela Jaquez started the season hot and was the Bruins' top scorer for a little while. However, she would hit a wall against Texas and Southern with back-to-back games under ten points. She would pick things back up against Duke with a 23-point showing.

Jaquez, as the others mentioned will need to figure out how to fill the shoes of Lauren Betts if she is unable to play. She currently averages 6.9 rebounds/game, but against Tennessee, she will need to at least grab 3 more boards to make up for Betts' absence.

Jaquez this season has averaged a impressive, 13.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. She is also doing this while shooting a very solid 54.5% from the field.

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

Without Betts, this game could prove to be closer than it should be. Hopefully, these three Bruins are up for the challenge.

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