Thursday, February 20
Los Angeles, Calif.
6:30 p.m.
UCLA
25-1,13-1Big Ten
70
vs
55
No. 25 Illinois
21-6,11-5Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Illinois
8
10
21
16
55
UCLA
14
18
11
27
70
Photo by: UCLA Athletics
No. 3 Bruins Claim Eighth Ranked Win Defeating No. 25 Illinois 70-55
February 20, 2025 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The No. 3-ranked UCLA Women's Basketball team (25-1, 13-1 Big Ten) won its 25th game of the season against No. 25-ranked Illinois at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom on Thursday night. The Bruins came away with a 15-point victory, 70-55.
Junior Lauren Betts was the leading scorer in the win over the Fighting Illini (21-6, 11-5 Big Ten), finishing with 22 points and seven rebounds. Betts also finished the game with six blocks, breaking the UCLA Women's Basketball program record for blocks in a single season. Betts now has 67 blocks on the season, surpassing the previous record of 66 blocks set by Monique Billings in the 2016-17 season.
UCLA recorded a season-high 10 blocks in the win; the Bruins also swiped 10 steals away from the Fighting Illini Thursday. UCLA assisted on 21 of 26 made baskets in the victory.
Junior point guard Kiki Rice finished in double figures, scoring 16 points while shooting 5-for-8 from the field. Rice scored 10 of her 16 points in the fourth quarter as UCLA outpaced Illinois 27-16. Rice recorded five rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in the win. Angela Dugalić rounded out Bruins in double digits, adding 10 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.
The Bruins started effectively on both ends of the floor and finished the first quarter up 14-8. Betts won the tip-off and quickly scored off of an assist from Jaquez to open play. The center finished the first period with four points and one block. Jaquez was active on all ends, scoring four points to go with three steals, two assists, and two rebounds in the first frame. She scored each of her field goals in the first, and converted her own steal into a layup in one possession. Rice was the third Bruin to finish the first quarter with four points, all converted off of Illinois turnovers.
UCLA shot efficiently in the second quarter to outscore Illinois 18-10. Betts led the quarter in scoring with eight points on 4-of-5 field goals alongside two blocks and two rebounds. Londynn Jones added seven points, shooting 3-for-4 in the quarter. UCLA also played lockdown defense to hold Illinois to its fewest points scored in the first half in any game this season. UCLA went into halftime up 32-18.
The Bruins struggled out of the break, scoring only 11 points in the third period. Betts scored the team's first field goal of the quarter after three minutes of play. She was the leading scorer on the team in the third frame, finishing with six points. Dugalić was the only other Bruin to record a field goal in the quarter off of an assist from Timea Gardiner. The team entered the final quarter up 43-39.
UCLA came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 27 points in the final ten minutes of the game. Rice set the tone for the quarter early, hitting a three-point shot off of an assist from a triple-teamed Betts. Rice finished the quarter in double digits, recording ten points without missing a shot. Dugalić scored five points, Betts finished with four, and both picked up three assists in the final frame. Freshman Kendall Dudley also scored four points in the quarter to help solidify UCLA's 23rd double-digit win of the season.
UP NEXT - vs Iowa (Feb 23)
The Bruins will travel to Iowa City, Iowa to Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, Feb. 23. The game will tip off at 11 a.m. PST and will be broadcast on Peacock.
Junior Lauren Betts was the leading scorer in the win over the Fighting Illini (21-6, 11-5 Big Ten), finishing with 22 points and seven rebounds. Betts also finished the game with six blocks, breaking the UCLA Women's Basketball program record for blocks in a single season. Betts now has 67 blocks on the season, surpassing the previous record of 66 blocks set by Monique Billings in the 2016-17 season.
UCLA recorded a season-high 10 blocks in the win; the Bruins also swiped 10 steals away from the Fighting Illini Thursday. UCLA assisted on 21 of 26 made baskets in the victory.
Junior point guard Kiki Rice finished in double figures, scoring 16 points while shooting 5-for-8 from the field. Rice scored 10 of her 16 points in the fourth quarter as UCLA outpaced Illinois 27-16. Rice recorded five rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in the win. Angela Dugalić rounded out Bruins in double digits, adding 10 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.
The Bruins started effectively on both ends of the floor and finished the first quarter up 14-8. Betts won the tip-off and quickly scored off of an assist from Jaquez to open play. The center finished the first period with four points and one block. Jaquez was active on all ends, scoring four points to go with three steals, two assists, and two rebounds in the first frame. She scored each of her field goals in the first, and converted her own steal into a layup in one possession. Rice was the third Bruin to finish the first quarter with four points, all converted off of Illinois turnovers.
Lauren Betts setting the tone early ??#NCAAWBB x ?? BTN / @UCLAWBB pic.twitter.com/b7r81d08R0
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) February 21, 2025
UCLA shot efficiently in the second quarter to outscore Illinois 18-10. Betts led the quarter in scoring with eight points on 4-of-5 field goals alongside two blocks and two rebounds. Londynn Jones added seven points, shooting 3-for-4 in the quarter. UCLA also played lockdown defense to hold Illinois to its fewest points scored in the first half in any game this season. UCLA went into halftime up 32-18.
The Bruins struggled out of the break, scoring only 11 points in the third period. Betts scored the team's first field goal of the quarter after three minutes of play. She was the leading scorer on the team in the third frame, finishing with six points. Dugalić was the only other Bruin to record a field goal in the quarter off of an assist from Timea Gardiner. The team entered the final quarter up 43-39.
UCLA came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 27 points in the final ten minutes of the game. Rice set the tone for the quarter early, hitting a three-point shot off of an assist from a triple-teamed Betts. Rice finished the quarter in double digits, recording ten points without missing a shot. Dugalić scored five points, Betts finished with four, and both picked up three assists in the final frame. Freshman Kendall Dudley also scored four points in the quarter to help solidify UCLA's 23rd double-digit win of the season.
A key three from Ki! ????
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 21, 2025
??: @BigTenNetwork #GoBruins | @laurenbetts12 x @kiki_rice0 pic.twitter.com/sgSzv0kR1M
UP NEXT - vs Iowa (Feb 23)
The Bruins will travel to Iowa City, Iowa to Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, Feb. 23. The game will tip off at 11 a.m. PST and will be broadcast on Peacock.
Team Stats
Illini
UCLA
FG%
.345
.473
3FG%
.400
.250
FT%
.563
.682
RB
37
38
TO
16
11
STL
6
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
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