UCLA Coach Makes Scary Admission After Dominant Big Ten Title Win Over Iowa

The UCLA Bruins once again find themselves at the top of the Big Ten Conference after a convincing 96-45 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes in Indianapolis on Sunday. UCLA's second consecutive conference title came in a game that became the most lopsided win by a team over an AP Top-10 opponent in the NCAA era, and the 51-point victory is the largest in Big Ten title history.

The momentum was in UCLA's favor from the beginning and never really changed over the course of the entire game. In order to take down a dominant force like the Bruins, the opposition simply can't afford a slow start with any hiccups - which is exactly how Iowa played. They committed 7 turnovers in the first quarter and never recovered en route to turning the ball over a total of 19 times. UCLA had every advantage in this game including size, versatility and veteran experience. They shot an impressive 63% from the field and set a Big Ten assist record with 34.

The Bruins checked virtually every box in making a statement, continuing to establish themselves as a national championship favorite. With star power like Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice leading the way, UCLA presents matchup problems for any upcoming tournament opponent.

GIANNA KNEEPKENS TODAY
19 PTS, 3 AST, 4/8 3PM, 6/11 FG

KIKI RICE TODAY:
15 PTS, 8 AST, 3 STLS, 7/13 FG

SIENNA BETTS TODAY
14 PTS, 7 REB, 5 AST, 7/8 FG

UCLA WINS THE BIG 10 TOURNAMENT! 🥇 pic.twitter.com/3DkrhISL32
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) March 8, 2026

It should also be noted that they finished the regular season with the nation's most wins against ranked opponents (10). The Bruins' sole loss came against the newly crowned SEC champion Texas Longhorns, which happened early in the season.

Cori Close Feels UCLA Can Still Get Better

Following her team's 51-point victory over Iowa, Big Ten Coach of the Year Cori Close made a scary admission in her postgame interview with CBS. She was asked how close she felt the team was to reaching the best version of themselves.

"Well, I think we obviously did some really good things and we were locked in, but I actually don't think we're there yet," Close said.

"I actually don't think we're there yet!"

Cori Close still thinks the best has yet to come for @UCLAWBB 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fZGyJPYuoS
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 8, 2026

It's this focused mentality starting from the top of the UCLA basketball program that has brought on excellence and their recent rise to the top. Close's squad had just dominated a respected and ranked team in the Hawkeyes, in every phase of the game for the entire 40 minutes, and yet, she feels her team can still grow.

"I think that's what made them special is that they've been really willing to go hey, we can get 1% better today, we can do a great job making sure, you know really questing to get the best version of ourselves today. Not comparing what's down the road, but just being present for today," she added.

These comments put the rest of the country on notice heading into March Madness. The ceiling that the Bruins can reach has yet to be seen, as Close feels they can still level up. UCLA is battle-tested and has an enormous amount of momentum heading into a deeply talented NCAA tournament.

Despite being the winningest coach in UCLA women's basketball history, Close is still looking to punctuate her tenure by bringing a first-ever NCAA championship to the Bruins.