Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice power UCLA to blowout win over Arizona State
Highlights from the UCLA women’s basketball team’s 70-41 win over Arizona State on Thursday night.
Lauren Betts had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Kiki Rice finished with 14 points to lead No. 8 UCLA over Arizona State 70-41 on Thursday night.
Betts had her ninth double-double and Rice added seven assists and seven rebounds for the Bruins (23-5, 12-5 Pac-12), who finished the Pac-12 regular-season series between the teams with a 16-game winning streak.
“The numbers may show better than how we played,” said UCLA coach Cori Close, who was disappointed with the Bruins’ first-half effort. “We realize we have a great opportunity in front of us, but not the rest of the year can we come out with that lackluster effort and focus.
“The next time happens, you’re done. We’re only guaranteed three more games in this season, and this team has too many special goals to let it be three more. It’s all in front of you. The only thing that gets in our way and can keep us from where we want to go is us.”
Charisma Osborne hits a clutch three-pointer late and Kiki Rice finishes with 20 points to lead UCLA women’s basketball to a 53-45 win over Colorado.
The Bruins conclude the regular season at Arizona on Saturday with a chance to take the No. 2 seed in the Pac-12 tournament, which begins Wednesday in Las Vegas. The Sun Devils’ 41 points was the lowest scoring total allowed by UCLA this season.
“I have to give it to my guards today,” Betts said. “They did a really good job of finding me. It’s that chemistry that we work on every day in practice.”
Jalyn Brown had 14 points and Trayanna Crisp had 13 points for Arizona State (11-18, 3-14), which has lost three straight. Brown has scored in double figures in 17 consecutive games.
Behind the 6-foot-7 Betts, UCLA used its size advantage to take a 52-24 rebound advantage and a 44-16 edge in points in the paint.
UCLA’s switching man-to-man defense limited Arizona State to 28.3% shooting from the field. The Bruins held the Sun Devils to 26.7% shooting in a 78-45 victory in Los Angeles on Feb. 11.
“Our defense, rebounding and passion plays have been our calling card, and that has been a consistent theme for us,” Close said. “We have the ability to switch screens and keep people in front of us. They are not getting clean looks at the basket. Lauren is a unicorn that way.”
Londynn Jones made seven three-pointers and finished with 23 points as No. 12 UCLA avenged its loss to No. 18 Utah last month in a dominant 82-52 victory.
Angela Dugalić made the play of the game on UCLA’s 10-0 run in the second quarter, when she threw a nifty behind-the-back pass to Rice for a fast-break layup and a 28-16 lead with four minutes remaining. Dugalić had a little smile as she ran back.
UCLA entered with a scoring margin of plus-17.7, 16th in NCAA Division I. The Bruins were playing on short rest after beating No. 13 Colorado 53-45 at home Monday.
Big picture
UCLA: The Bruins were projected as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament in the selection committee’s latest reveal Thursday, and they looked it while sweeping the season from Arizona State. How deep is the Pac-12? Stanford is another projected NCAA No. 1 seed, and two of the top 18 teams in AP Top 25 will not qualify for a first-round bye in the conference tournament. UCLA can clinch a bye if it wins at Arizona on Saturday, and the Bruins can still finish as high as second. The top four teams receive byes.
Arizona State: The Sun Devils will finish the regular season having taken incremental steps forward in coach Natasha Adair’s second season, having bumped their win total to 11 with at least two games remaining despite playing without 2022-23 leading scorer Tyi Skinner.
Up next for UCLA: at Arizona on Saturday
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