UCLA's Grit Fuels 22nd-Straight Win

The UCLA women’s basketball team continued its historic run with a 65-52 victory over No. 8 Ohio State, securing its 22nd consecutive win to extend the longest winning streak in program history.

While the win kept UCLA undefeated, Coach Cori Close was quick to point out that this game wasn’t about dominance — it was about mental toughness and learning how to win under pressure.

After the game, Close emphasized that this was exactly the kind of challenge her team needed.

“I was telling Lauren -Betts] and Kiki [Rice] in the locker room that I just think we needed a game like that,” Close said. “Chaos, disappointment, we looked tired at times, and we had to find a way to buckle down and do it with toughness and rebounding and defense, and that's exactly what happened in the fourth quarter.”

Close credited Ohio State for forcing the Bruins to reach another level of toughness, stating that the Buckeyes were the more aggressive team for much of the game. UCLA had to adjust, step up defensively, and respond in the fourth quarter, where they outscored Ohio State 21-10 to close the game.

One of the biggest takeaways from Close’s postgame comments was UCLA’s struggles with transition defense and turnovers.

“I thought that transition D ... we were frustrated with our turnovers, and we let it affect our purpose and talk in transition D,” Close said. “We were playing one-on-one defense instead of team transition defense, building our wall, talking about right-hand drivers, who are the shooters, how do we help each other and rotate.”

UCLA, typically a disciplined defensive team, allowed Ohio State to capitalize on fast-break opportunities. Close admitted that this was uncharacteristic of the Bruins, but she was proud of how the team adjusted in the final quarter to limit Ohio State’s offense.

For Close, the biggest positive wasn’t the final score — it was how the team responded to the challenge.

“I want to honor the right things,” Close said. “You can teach through the turnovers and the strategy things; this is a very responsive team. They want to be coached hard, and we'll be able to deal with that. I'd be in a much different spot if we didn't respond with the toughness that we did.”

Close acknowledged that UCLA didn’t win the toughness battle in all four quarters, but when it mattered most, they showed poise. She praised the leadership of her players and their ability to gut out a win, even in a game where they didn’t play their best basketball.

Being the No. 1 team in the nation comes with expectations, but Close doesn’t want her team to focus on the external pressure.

“I just think pressure is a privilege and that that's something you gotta lean into,” she said. “I want them to feel pressure to have a growth mindset, to be a great teammate. If we can focus on that, we're gonna be fine.”

Close made it clear that UCLA’s approach won’t change despite their ranking. The team is locked in on its long-term goals and understands that to achieve greatness, it must continue to prepare at an elite level.

For Close, this season isn’t just about records — it’s about staying focused on the journey and continuing to raise the bar for women’s basketball.

With another win in the books, UCLA now turns its attention to a road matchup against Oregon on Sunday. The Bruins will need to maintain their focus as they continue their push for a Big Ten title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @UCLAInsideronSI and @tcav30 and never miss another breaking news story again.

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