UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast: Winning Big, Thinking Bigger

In the latest episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast, Madeleine Considine breaks down No. 2 UCLA women's basketball's dominant win at the Kohl Center. Despite the convincing victory, Coach Cori Close wasn’t celebrating the final score — she was already thinking ahead.

“We really challenged our guards to get downhill more and to collapse the defense off the bounce,” Close said. “A couple of those 3-pointers came off that ability for the guards, especially Elina (Aarnisalo) and Kiki (Rice). … Something we’re going to need going into March is our guard play-making, not only for themselves but creating for great shooters like Timea Gardiner.”

The Bruins (28-1, 16-1 Big Ten) had no trouble dispatching Wisconsin (13-15, 4-13) in a 91-61 victory Wednesday night, but Close’s focus remained on the details — particularly how her team was preparing for the high-stakes postseason.

One of those details? Playing with more intent.

“I really challenged our team to play with more purpose and tempo,” Close said. “We sort of had gotten into a rut of going through the motions of our offense instead of making every play a scoring play, and I think that was a big piece of what Lauren (Betts) did so well.”

You can watch the episode below:

Junior center Lauren Betts put together another dominant performance, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds while missing just one shot all night. It was her 15th double-double of the season and her 14th game scoring at least 20 points.

Her presence on the floor opened up the offense for her teammates, including junior forward Timea Gardiner, who notched her first double-double in a UCLA uniform with 14 points and 10 boards.

“Just playing off a Lo [Betts] … she draws so many people towards her,” Gardiner said. “Also learning how to play with each other, as well as just finding the open seams and just being available and just ready to shoot it.”

That cohesion showed in the third quarter when the Bruins buried Wisconsin under a flurry of 3-pointers. Graduate student forward Angela Dugalić, junior guard Londynn Jones and Gardiner all connected from deep as UCLA stretched its lead to 30 points.

For Close, though, there’s still work to be done — especially on the boards.

“We need to get more people hungry to get on the glass,” Close said. “It’s not a speed thing. It’s not a height thing for Gabs (Gabriela Jaquez). It’s a heart thing, and it’s a relentless commitment to get us extra possessions.”

While the Bruins dominated the rebounding battle Wednesday, Close knows every possession will matter as they push toward the postseason.

That’s why a performance like freshman forward Zania Socka-Nguemen’s stood out. She scored eight points — the most she’s tallied since Jan. 23 — and made the most of her minutes.

“I don’t think anyone knows the amount of work that she puts in,” Betts said. “She just continuously is that selfless teammate that everybody wants, and she just puts in the work regardless of what position she’s in. And I just think that she’s ready no matter what. … She had her moment, and she took advantage of it.”

Now, UCLA turns its attention to a rivalry showdown with No. 4 USC on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion. It’s a game that could carry significant implications for both the Big Ten standings and the Bruins’ postseason momentum.

A 30-point win on the road was just another step toward March. But Close is making sure her team isn’t satisfied just yet.

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