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Los Angeles – No. 1 UCLA used its depth and versatility in the second half of Sunday’s matchup with Minnesota to run away with a 79-53 win, and push their winning streak to 21-0.
To do it, they had to overcome a fiesty Gopher team that limited top Bruin scorer Lauren Betts to a season-low 6 points, and which trailed by only 5 points at halftime.
The 6-7 center was often triple- and quadruple-teamed, which limited her touches in the paint. On the perimeter, UCLA guards struggled to make shots, while Minnesota guard Amaya Battle poured in 17 points in the first two quarters.
Betts shifted into what Bruin coach Cori Close called a “facilitator” role, making passes and playing defense to create scoring opportunities for her teammates.
“It speaks volumes to know they thought she was going to be that dominant, and that they felt they needed to do that, and how selfless it was that she was able to help her teammates,” Close said.
Freshman Elina Aarnisalo scored 15 points off the bench, while Kiki Rice had 14 points and Londynn Jones, 13. Betts pulled down 11 rebounds, as all but 1 of the 11 who took the floor scored.
UCLA reset at halftime and padded their lead to 10 points to begin the third period. They improved their shooting from 31.6 percent in the first half to 53.8 percent, thanks in part to Jones, who shot 50 percent from the three-point line. On the other end of the floor, the Bruins limited Battle to just 4 points in the second half.
Rice said that switching up their game plan was key.
“Creating offense from defense and playing in transition is something we’re really good at,” she said. “We were applying defensive pressure and making it hard for them to execute.”
Close credits just one thing for her team’s 10-week run at the top spot in the rankings, for the best start in program history.
“Our depth and our bench over the course of the entire season has been such a separator,” she said. “We have a high margin of error, so that if one of our starters is having a rough night, there’s somebody really really capable that can come in (for them).”
Minnesota coach Dawn Plitzuweit, who has turned her 18-5 program around in less than two years, said UCLA is a complete team.
“They can score around the rim; they don’t let you score at the rim. They shoot well from the arc; they don’t let you shoot it well from the arc. They handle the ball, and they push tempo; they pick you up and take you out of your tempo,” she said.
“They rebound at a high level; they don’t let you get offensive rebounds at a high level well. Just about every aspect of basketball, they’re dominating in.”
Close said the dividends are coming because players have put in a lot of extra work outside of practice.
“It’s so great to see so many of us in the gym,” Rice said. “It’s become a habit for everyone on our team, and it’s a testament to the character and the group that we have that everyone is willing to do whatever it takes for us to get better.”
Next up for the Bruins is arguably their toughest challenge yet, in 20-1, No. 8 Ohio State – a guard-dominant team that likes to run the floor. Close said the Buckeyes will present a different challenge than her team has seen yet this season.
“It’s going to be about aggression and taking care of the ball,” she said. “They love to press the entire game, and the more we can get stops and defensive rebounds, the less we will have to deal with their press.”
“Will we be disciplined enough to create difficult shots and force them to take one really good shot? If we didn’t learn from today, that’s a team that will make you pay.”
Tipoff is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Pauley Pavilion.
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