UCLA advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 Allstate Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament after defeating Washington 78-60 on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Bruins, seeded first, overcame a 10-point deficit in the first half, marking their largest comeback of the season.
Lauren Betts, named Conference Player of the Year, led UCLA with 26 points and eight rebounds. Teammates Kiki Rice scored 18 points, Gianna Kneepkens added 13, and Charlisse Leger-Walker contributed 10. For Washington, Avery Howell was the top scorer with 18 points.
UCLA scored a total of 52 points in the paint, including 36 during the second half. The team shot 54% from the field overall but made only one out of ten attempts from beyond the arc. In the last 20 minutes, they converted on 65% of their shots and completed a turnaround that saw them outscore Washington by 28 points.
The Bruins struggled early in the game, making just three out of eleven shots in the opening quarter and recording a season-low six points for that period. Howell helped Washington build a nine-point run as they finished the first quarter ahead by nine.
Sayvia Sellers extended Washington’s lead to ten points early in the second quarter. However, UCLA responded with a decisive 15-0 run over nearly six minutes, with four players contributing during this stretch and Rice scoring seven of UCLA’s last nine before halftime. The Bruins led by three at intermission.
Washington regained momentum briefly in the third quarter but could not maintain it as UCLA closed out that period with seven unanswered points to take an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Sellers hit a three-pointer at the start of the final period to bring Washington within six points. Afterward, UCLA pulled away with two significant runs—8-0 and then 10-2—to secure their victory by a margin that reached as high as nineteen points late in the game.
UCLA will play next in Saturday’s semifinal against either Minnesota or Ohio State. The game is scheduled for an 11 a.m. PT tip-off on Big Ten Network and FOX Sports app.
