No. 2 UCLA continued its strong performance in Big Ten play with an 80-67 win over Illinois at the State Farm Center on Wednesday. The Bruins improved their record to 20-1 overall and 10-0 in conference games.
Senior Lauren Betts led UCLA with 23 points, making seven of nine free throws and finishing just one rebound short of a double-double. Sienna Betts added 10 points on five-of-seven shooting and collected six rebounds, stepping up when her sister faced foul trouble in the first half.
UCLA maintained a high level of accuracy from the free throw line, shooting 85.2 percent for the game. This marked their third consecutive contest shooting above 84 percent from the line. The Bruins also outrebounded Illinois by a margin of 39-25 and had a slight edge on offensive rebounds, grabbing 13 to Illinois’ 11. In total, UCLA scored 48 points in the paint.
Six players reached double figures for UCLA: Sienna Betts (10), Angela Dugalić (12), Gianna Kneepkens (10), Gabriela Jaquez (11), Kiki Rice (10), and Lauren Betts (23). Sienna Betts was the first Bruin to reach double digits before halftime.
The game began with Illinois scoring first, but Gianna Kneepkens responded for UCLA with a midrange jumper. Kneepkens also assisted Lauren Betts for another early basket and converted an and-one opportunity soon after. “Kneepkens got three from an and-one on the next possession; the graduate guard is shooting 23-for-24 (.958 FT%) from the free throw line this season.”
Gabriela Jaquez contributed offensively by drawing fouls and converting free throws, while Sienna Betts provided four consecutive points off the bench during her sister’s absence due to foul trouble.
Lauren Betts picked up three fouls in the first quarter, including a technical foul after a shooting foul. Amanda Muse came off the bench to contribute two free throws following an offensive rebound that resulted in an Illinois foul.
At the end of the first quarter, UCLA led 23-16.
In the second quarter, Jaquez continued her success at getting to the line, going seven-for-eight on free throws in the first half. Leger-Walker scored her first basket with a reverse layup, while Sienna Betts added more points before assisting Dugalić down low.
By halftime, UCLA held a 45-31 lead over Illinois.
After halftime, Lauren Betts returned to score UCLA’s first four points of the third quarter. Despite an Illinois run that narrowed UCLA’s lead to single digits, Lauren Betts helped maintain control by scoring nine of UCLA’s eleven third-quarter points.
Heading into the fourth quarter, UCLA led by seven points at 56-49.
Angela Dugalić joined both Betts sisters in double figures early in the fourth period with an and-one finish inside. Jaquez reached double digits as well after driving to score at the rim and blocking a shot defensively soon after.
With just over six minutes left in regulation, Lauren Betts scored again inside to extend UCLA’s lead back out to fourteen points. She later drew another shooting foul out of a timeout and made both attempts at the line.
As time wound down, Kiki Rice collected key rebounds that resulted in Illini fouls; she converted multiple free throws before finishing through contact for an and-one layup that sealed victory for UCLA at 80-67.
UCLA will return home for its next game against No. 8 Iowa on Sunday, Feb. 1 at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial Credit Union. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m., with television coverage on FOX.
