Bruins Protect Top Rank, Earn First Big Ten Win Over Washington

The No.1 UCLA Bruins came out with a big 11-point road win over the Washington Huskies for their first Big Ten win as a program. They protect their top national ranking, extending their record to 9-0.

Nov 24, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) defends South Carolina Gamecocks guard Bree Hall (23) during the first quarter at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The No. 1 UCLA Bruins (9-0) went on the road and pulled out a clutch 73-62 win over the Washington Huskies (7-3) to earn their first Big Ten in program history in their inaugural matchup. Junior center Lauren Betts led the way with 23 points and two blocks in the win.

The Bruins held a multi-possession lead for a majority of the contest as they were able to hit a few key shots down the stretch to put the game out of reach for the Huskies. The scoring was not distributed evenly as 52 of the 73 points were scored by three starters.

Alongside Betts' 23 points, junior guard Kiki Rice added 18 points with assists while junior guard Gabriela Jaquez chipped in with 11 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. The Bruins' top scorers came to play and executed extremely well, hitting 23 of the 38 shots combined between the three.

The Bruins shot very well as a team, finishing 54.2% from the field. They shot just 12 3-pointers, making four of them. The Huskies put up 22 3-balls, hitting only eight of them, which was a big reason for their loss.

Defensively, the Bruins forced 14 turnovers and only allowed seven assists on 23 total made shots from the Huskies. They were very active in passing lanes and were forcing the Huskies to let one player beat them instead of letting them circulate the ball and find the best open shot.

The Bruins started 14-0 last season and are already out to a 9-0 start to their first season in a new conference. They protect their number one national ranking and continue to prove that they are the best team in women's college basketball.

A six-day break will ensue for the Bruins as they will not be back in action until Saturday, Dec. 14 when they face a non-conference opponent in Long Beach State (5-3). It will be the Bruins' third-straight road game as they will travel just a few miles south to Long Beach for the game.

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