The ghosts of March Madnesses past smiled upon the Bruins once more.
Last year, UCLA narrowly edged out Creighton, emerging with a 67-63 victory in the second round of last season’s tournament.
This time – facing four returning starters for the Bluejays – the Bruins left no room for interpretation, ending the first quarter on a 15-point run.
No. 1 UCLA women’s basketball (12-0, 1-0 Big Ten) utilized all of its talent in its 70-41 victory over Creighton (9-3, 1-0 Big East) – a Friday night marquee matchup in the Invisalign Bay Area Women’s Classic at the Chase Center. At the end of the first quarter, the Bruins led 26-4 as the Bluejays shot only 7.7% from the field – including 0-5 from 3-point range.
“We’ve proven – and the evidence is there – of what we can become,” said coach Cori Close. “But we have not arrived, and I think that our ability to be relentlessly focused on being present and having a growth mindset – (it) is urgent that we improve today.”
Junior guard Kiki Rice bolted out of the gate with 15 points across the first half, reminiscent of her 24-point performance against Creighton in the 2023 NCAA round of 32. Rice ended the game with 20 on 62% shooting.
Her performance came after an early-season injury that limited her preseason floor time and knocked her out of the season’s first three contests.
“Kiki did so well … directing everybody on the court – from new players to old players, whoever it was – and she just took initiative,” said graduate student forward Angela Dugalić. “That just shows how good of a player she is and a good of a leader she is and also how much we trust her, and she trusts us as well.”
Despite the absence of star junior center Lauren Betts – out for her second consecutive match with a leg injury – UCLA dominated Creighton on the inside, outrebounding its adversaries 59-26 while scoring 20 more points in the paint.
In Betts’ place, Dugalić led the charge on the glass, earning a double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds.
The Bluejays rebounded in the second quarter, outscoring the Bruins 19-16 as UCLA entered the locker room with a 42-23 lead at the half.
In the first half, the Bluejays’ top scorers, Lauren Jensen and Morgan Maly – who have averaged nearly 37 points per game combined – only managed to convert three of their 17 attempts from the field, accumulating 11 points. The two wound up shooting just 19% from the field on 27 total shots – nearly half of their team’s attempts.
At the end of the third quarter, UCLA emerged with double its opponent’s points, as the Bluejays were ultimately unable to escape single-digit quarter scoring for the second time in the game.
The Bruins held the Bluejays to a season-low 41 points, marking the latter’s lowest total since February 2021.
Junior forward Janiah Barker put on a standout rebound performance, accumulating 11 total rebounds – her third consecutive game with double digits. The Bluejays held the Bruins to only eight points in the final quarter, with junior guard Londynn Jones and freshman forward Kendall Dudley scoring two apiece.
“As long as I’ve been here, and even before that, …UCLA has always been a great rebounding program,” Rice said. “Reminding everyone, especially all the new people, transfers and freshmen, that that’s part of our identity – and getting back to that, because we know we have the ability. We have the talent to rebound.”
Ahead of its next matchup against No. 23 Nebraska, Close said the team is preparing for conference play.
“This conference (the Big Ten) will hold you accountable,” Close said. “It’ll hold you accountable to your consistency. It will hold you accountable to your growth. And we always say that the work done in the dark always gets revealed in the light – and we’re about to step into a lot of bright lights.”
