Wednesday, November 26
Las Vegas, Nev.
11 a.m. PT
UCLA
6-1,0-0Big Ten
65
vs
76
Texas
6-0,0-0SEC
1
2
3
4
F
UCLA
10
15
22
18
65
Texas
20
25
17
14
76
Photo by: Caren Nicdao
No. 3 UCLA’s Second-Half Comeback Falls Short against No. 4 Texas
November 26, 2025 | Women's Basketball
LAS VEGAS – The No. 3-ranked UCLA women's basketball team lost to No. 4 Texas, 76-65, in the first match of the Players Era Women's Championship at the Michelob ULTRA Area on Wednesday afternoon.
The Bruins (6-1, 0-0 B1G) trailed Texas (6-0, 0-0 SEC) 45-25 at halftime. Despite a late-game comeback and cutting the score to four, UCLA was unable to close the match in its favor.
Senior Kiki Rice and graduate student Gianna Kneepkens led the way for UCLA, both scoring 17 points, with Rice adding six rebounds and three assists. Kneepkens also tallied two rebounds and two assists. Graduate student Charlisse Leger-Walker totaled 13 points with three rebounds and two assists.
Texas' Rori Harmon led the Longhorns with 26 points, shooting 2-for-2 from 3-point range and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Harmon added three rebounds and five assists to her stat line and was one of four Longhorns to score in double figures.
Texas did not trail after taking a two-point lead at the 8:49 mark in the first quarter. The Longhorns used a 10-2 run to close the quarter, giving them a 20-10 cushion to enter the second.
That margin only expanded in the second quarter with Texas outscoring UCLA 25-15. The Bruins had a staggering 10 turnovers in the first half compared to the Longhorns' one and were unable to score any points off turnovers, while Texas tallied 12.
Texas shot 3-for-8 from 3-point distance in the first half. They finished the game shooting 43.5 percent overall (27-62), while UCLA shot 47.1 percent against the Longhorns.
Kneepkens scored 10 of her 17 points in the third quarter, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the field (2-for-2 3FG). With 1:25 left in the quarter and back-to-back free throw completions by Rice, graduate student Angela Dugalić stole the ball off a Texas turnover, feeding it to Kneepkens, who hit the three from distance.
The Bruins outscored the Longhorns 22-17 in the third, shooting 53.8 percent to Texas' 33.3 percent. The quarter ended with UCLA down 47-62.
UCLA started the fourth quarter off quickly, with Kneepkens hitting a 3-point shot and immediately grabbing the steal on the play after, getting the ball to Dugalić who scored in the paint off the turnover and forced Texas to call a timeout. After a scoreless drought by both teams at 54-64, Rice took the game into her hands, scoring a driving layup at the 5:08 mark off an assist by senior Lauren Betts. Rice stole the ball on the Longhorns' next possession, crossing the court after to score another layup and put the Bruins within four, forcing Texas to call another timeout. Although keeping the game competitive, UCLA scored zero field goals over the last 4:31, going 0-for-5 on their last five shots.
The Bruins doubled the Longhorns in turnovers in the game, 20-10. The Longhorns led the match in blocks (5-2), steals (9-6), and assists (16-12). While both teams shot exceptionally well from the free throw line (UCLA – 92.9 FT%, Texas – 94.1 FT%), Texas shot 40.0 percent from distance compared to the Bruins' 30.8percent.
The Bruins will face Duke University on Thursday, Nov. 27. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. PT on truTV and HBO Max.
The Bruins (6-1, 0-0 B1G) trailed Texas (6-0, 0-0 SEC) 45-25 at halftime. Despite a late-game comeback and cutting the score to four, UCLA was unable to close the match in its favor.
Senior Kiki Rice and graduate student Gianna Kneepkens led the way for UCLA, both scoring 17 points, with Rice adding six rebounds and three assists. Kneepkens also tallied two rebounds and two assists. Graduate student Charlisse Leger-Walker totaled 13 points with three rebounds and two assists.
Texas' Rori Harmon led the Longhorns with 26 points, shooting 2-for-2 from 3-point range and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Harmon added three rebounds and five assists to her stat line and was one of four Longhorns to score in double figures.
Texas did not trail after taking a two-point lead at the 8:49 mark in the first quarter. The Longhorns used a 10-2 run to close the quarter, giving them a 20-10 cushion to enter the second.
That margin only expanded in the second quarter with Texas outscoring UCLA 25-15. The Bruins had a staggering 10 turnovers in the first half compared to the Longhorns' one and were unable to score any points off turnovers, while Texas tallied 12.
Texas shot 3-for-8 from 3-point distance in the first half. They finished the game shooting 43.5 percent overall (27-62), while UCLA shot 47.1 percent against the Longhorns.
? DON'T BRING IT IN HERE @laurenbetts12#NCAAWBB x ?? truTV / @UCLAWBB pic.twitter.com/DSN1ElbRsf
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) November 26, 2025
Kneepkens scored 10 of her 17 points in the third quarter, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the field (2-for-2 3FG). With 1:25 left in the quarter and back-to-back free throw completions by Rice, graduate student Angela Dugalić stole the ball off a Texas turnover, feeding it to Kneepkens, who hit the three from distance.
The Bruins outscored the Longhorns 22-17 in the third, shooting 53.8 percent to Texas' 33.3 percent. The quarter ended with UCLA down 47-62.
UCLA started the fourth quarter off quickly, with Kneepkens hitting a 3-point shot and immediately grabbing the steal on the play after, getting the ball to Dugalić who scored in the paint off the turnover and forced Texas to call a timeout. After a scoreless drought by both teams at 54-64, Rice took the game into her hands, scoring a driving layup at the 5:08 mark off an assist by senior Lauren Betts. Rice stole the ball on the Longhorns' next possession, crossing the court after to score another layup and put the Bruins within four, forcing Texas to call another timeout. Although keeping the game competitive, UCLA scored zero field goals over the last 4:31, going 0-for-5 on their last five shots.
BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK BUCKETS BY KIKI AND WE'VE CUT IT TO 4?!
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) November 26, 2025
TEXAS TIMEOUT!#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/18CHzSRVeT
The Bruins doubled the Longhorns in turnovers in the game, 20-10. The Longhorns led the match in blocks (5-2), steals (9-6), and assists (16-12). While both teams shot exceptionally well from the free throw line (UCLA – 92.9 FT%, Texas – 94.1 FT%), Texas shot 40.0 percent from distance compared to the Bruins' 30.8percent.
The Bruins will face Duke University on Thursday, Nov. 27. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. PT on truTV and HBO Max.
Team Stats
UCLA
TX
FG%
.471
.435
3FG%
.308
.400
FT%
.929
.941
RB
32
30
TO
20
10
STL
6
9
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballUCLA W. Basketball Postgame - vs. No. 4 Texas (Nov. 26, 2025)
Wednesday, November 26
UCLA W. Basketball Postgame - Coach Close vs. Southern (Nov. 23, 2025)
Sunday, November 23
UCLA W. Basketball Postgame - Players vs. Southern (Nov. 23, 2025)
Sunday, November 23
Highlights - UCLA W. Basketball vs. Southern (Nov. 23, 2025)
Sunday, November 23