No. 2 UCLA Captures B1G Regular Season Title on Senior Night

Sunday, February 22

Los Angeles, Calif.

2:30 p.m. PT

UCLA

27-1,17-0Big Ten

Wisconsin

13-15,5-12Big Ten

Wisconsin

UCLA

Photo by: Caren Nicdao

No. 2 UCLA Captures B1G Regular Season Title on Senior Night

February 22, 2026 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

LOS ANGELES – No. 2 UCLA (27-1, 17-0 B1G) claimed the regular season conference championship outright for the first time in program history after defeating Wisconsin (13-15, 5-12 B1G), 80-60.

The Bruins celebrated senior night on Sunday, honoring seniors Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez, and graduate students Charlisse Leger-Walker, Angela Dugalić, and Gianna Kneepkens.

Five seniors recorded double-digit scoring totals: Betts (19), Jaquez (17), Rice (13), Kneepkens (13), and Dugalić (10). Leger-Walker led the team in assists with seven.

Lauren Betts had 19 points and 14 rebounds for her 11^th double-double, the 44^th of her career. The reigning national defensive player of the year had three steals and a block.

UCLA finishes the regular season undefeated at home for the first time since 2016-17 when the Bruins boasted a 16-0 record inside Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. The Bruins also claim their first regular season conference championship since 1998-99 – UCLA shared the 1999 Pac-10 title with the University of Oregon.

The Bruins immediately brought the energy to Sunday's game, going on an 8-0 run to start. After winning the tip, Lauren Betts found Jaquez, who scooped the ball around a defender for two. Showing strengths on both sides of the ball early, Lauren Betts tipped an attempted Badger pass, stealing the ball to get UCLA back on offense. At the 8:46 mark, Leger-Walker got involved, finding Lauren Betts from the top of the arc inside the paint for a basket. Leger-Walker then showed her defensive talents, knocking a Badger ball out of bounds. On the inbound, Kneepens earned the steal and crossed the court to draw the foul, converting both free throws. Back on defense, Jaquez continued to lead the team, grabbing a defensive rebound and taking it across the court herself, using skillful footwork to move around two defenders and score inside the paint.

After Wisconsin made its first shot of the game, Rice hit a three at the top of the arc as a response. Jaquez followed her lead on the next possession, hitting a three in the same spot for her seventh point in less than four minutes. Despite a slight offensive drought for the next few minutes, the Bruins stayed consistent on defense.

Freshman Sienna Betts logged two blocks in two minutes, with Dugalić adding one. After two missed shots and two offensive rebounds, Betts puts two more points in the basket, completing the follow-up shot. With 1:21 left in the quarter, Kneepkens hit a pull-up jumper off a Leger-Walker dime. With time running out in the quarter, Jaquez grabbed a defensive rebound over two players; drawing in two Badgers, Rice found a wide-open Leger-Walker for an outside three to close the quarter.

UCLA went into the second quarter with a 26-15 lead.

Jaquez led all scorers with nine points while adding five rebounds to her total. Rice and Betts both had five points along with two assists.

The Kiwi's got ice in her veins! ??????

??: @peacock #GoBruins | @kiki_rice0 x @Char_legerwalks pic.twitter.com/laVpZlwWCd
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 22, 2026

UCLA forced a bad pass turnover on defense to start the quarter, translating into a Jaquez 3-pointer on the other side off a Betts find. A minute later, the Jaquez-Betts duo struck again, with Betts finding Jaquez inside to get through the double team and finish the basket. With six minutes left in the quarter, Dugalić snagged an offensive rebound and completed the reverse layup around a defender to score. Shortly after, Leger-Walker found Kneepkens, who euro-stepped to the hole for the basket.

On defense, Leger-Walker made the play of the game, jumping across the court for the standout block while knocking the ball out of the other player's hand. A minute later, Leger-Walker recorded a steal on back-to-back possessions, with the second steal resulting in her gaining an assist off a find to Lauren Betts. After Wisconsin hit a basket, Rice answered with a 3-point shot, assisted by Lauren Betts. With 30 seconds left in the half, redshirt sophomore Amanda Muse recorded a block, and freshman Lena Bilić added a steal to help keep the Badgers scoreless for the last 2:42.

UCLA went into halftime with a 41-29 lead.

Jaquez led at the break with 14 points and six rebounds, followed by Rice, who added nine points, two rebounds, and two assists. UCLA's defense forced 11 first-half Wisconsin turnovers while the Bruins also added seven steals and four blocks.

BIG. GUARD. BLOCK. ??

Get up there, Charlisse! ??????

??: @peacock #GoBruins | @Char_legerwalks pic.twitter.com/dXwFYX4HXb
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 22, 2026

After a slow start to the third quarter, Lauren Betts got the Bruins started on offense at the 7:40 mark. The center maneuvered through the double team to make the shot and earn the foul, ultimately finishing the 3-point play. On the next possession, Jaquez followed her lead, using footwork to get under the basket and complete the reverse lay. A minute later, Lauren Betts showed the same aggression, answering a Wisconsin 3-pointer with a basket and drawing the foul again, converting the free throw for her second and-one of the quarter. At the 5:25 mark, Leger-Walker showed her skills on both sides of the court, blocking a 3-point attempt and forcing the 24-second violation on defense before knocking down the 3-pointer on the other side.

After a Wisconsin timeout, Kneepkens found Dugalić for another three. Sienna Betts grabbed a piece of the action, snagging an offensive rebound before hitting a contested fadeaway jumper to push the lead to 18. On defense, Sienna Betts deflected the ball out of bounds, allowing Dugalić to grab a steal after the inbound. At the 2:25 mark, Kneepkens cashed a three and drew the foul, converting the four-point play. Dugalić hit an outside three a minute later, making her second of the quarter. Jaquez logged a steal as time ran out to conclude the quarter.

UCLA ended the third up 65-49.

GIANNA FOURPKENS!!!! ?????1?

??: @peacock #GoBruins | @giannakneepkens pic.twitter.com/Vatv5auAkv
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 22, 2026

Lauren Betts added six points to her total in the fourth, starting with a shifty spin move around a defender to hit the fadeaway jumper in the paint. Dugalić showed her mobility on offense, taking the ball down the court herself before euro-stepping around a defender to win the one-on-one battle for two. With five minutes left in the game, Lauren Betts used her size to grab three offensive rebounds before drawing the shooting foul and converting both free throws.

Minutes later, out of the timeout, Jaquez found Lauren Betts in the paint for two. Sister Sienna Betts earned a block on the other side, resulting in a Kneepkens three shortly after on offense. With a minute left in the game, Rice moved around her defender to hit a layup. On the final possession, Rice stole the ball at half-court, finishing the layup in the paint off the fast break.

UCLA finished the game with an 80-60 victory.

Washed the defense away in the spin cycle! ??????

??: @peacock #GoBruins | @laurenbetts12 pic.twitter.com/kC4fHQBGWo
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 23, 2026

The Bruins held Wisconsin scoreless for the final 3:10 of the game while going on a 9-0 run in the last 2:53. UCLA led in rebounds (41-35), second chance points (22-6), blocks (8-6), and steals (12-6) while forcing 19 turnovers.

UP NEXT: at. USC (Mar. 1)
The Bruins play their final game of the regular season against crosstown rival USC on Sunday, Mar. 1, at the Galen Center. Tip-off is set for 3:00 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on FS1.