No. 2 UCLA Cruises to Another Statement Win

The No. 2 UCLA women’s basketball team continued its dominant run in the Big Ten, delivering a statement victory on the road with a 91-61 rout of Wisconsin on Wednesday night.

With the win, the Bruins (28-1, 16-1) moved into a first-place tie with No. 4 USC, setting the stage for a winner-take-all showdown for the Big Ten regular-season title on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion.

Junior center Lauren Betts put on a masterclass performance, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds on an ultra-efficient 11-for-12 shooting from the field, securing her 15th double-double of the season.

Betts overpowered Wisconsin in the paint, scoring with ease and controlling the glass against an undersized Badgers squad.

Junior forward Timea Gardiner added 14 points and 10 rebounds, recording her own double-double and further solidifying UCLA’s dominance inside.

The Bruins outscored Wisconsin 52-32 in the paint, a testament to their ability to control the game physically and impose their style of play.

UCLA wasted no time establishing control, shooting 10-of-18 from the field in the opening quarter to build a 22-12 lead.

Wisconsin managed to cut the deficit to 27-19 midway through the second quarter, but the Bruins quickly responded with an 8-0 run, pushing the lead back to double digits.

Coming out of halftime, UCLA’s defense completely locked down Wisconsin, holding the Badgers scoreless for the first five minutes of the third quarter while extending the lead to 55-30.

By the end of the period, UCLA had built a commanding 70-40 lead, effectively sealing the victory.

This win marked UCLA’s fourth consecutive victory, following its hard-fought 67-65 win over Iowa last weekend. Despite playing back-to-back road games, the Bruins showed no signs of fatigue, taking care of business ahead of their biggest game of the season.

With the Big Ten regular-season championship on the line, UCLA now turns its attention to USC, the only team to defeat the Bruins this season. The Trojans won the first meeting 71-60 earlier this month, handing UCLA its only loss of the year.

Now, the Bruins have the chance to avenge that defeat and claim their first Big Ten title in their inaugural season in the conference.

The matchup will determine the Big Ten’s No. 1 seed heading into the conference tournament. The energy inside Pauley Pavilion is expected to be electric, with a sold-out crowd on hand as UCLA looks to make history.

With momentum on their side and revenge on their minds, the Bruins will need another dominant performance to secure the title and enter the postseason as the top team in the conference.

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