The No. 2 UCLA women’s basketball team beat Wisconsin 80-60 on Sunday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion and became outright regular season conference champions for the first time in their history.
“I’m so fortunate to coach incredible young women as people and that we’re willing to believe in a vision that we could create together and to be the first team in UCLA history to win a conference championship outright in the regular season,” coach Cori Close said. “It’s just humbling to be a part of.”
Lauren Betts recorded a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds — including three in quick succession in the fourth quarter — as the Bruins celebrated their six graduates on Senior Day by winning their 21st game in a row. Five Bruins — all seniors — scored in double digits.
“That’s the reason we all came here is to do things UCLA has never done before and to win a lot of games and win championships, and so super proud of everyone on this team for really putting in the work,” Gabriela Jaquez said.
Jaquez had 14 points and six rebounds in the first half for the Bruins, while the Badgers’ leading scorer, Dorja Iva Zaja, had 10 points in the first half and 16 on the game.
While Jaquez led the way in the first half, Betts took over in the second, with a double-double in the second half alone.
Betts said that with the impending Senior Day celebrations — where each graduating player was honored pregame alongside loved ones — she was emotional in the lead-up to the game.
“The whole morning I was reflecting on my experience here at UCLA and how grateful I am to be here. The people here have really made this experience so special for me,” Betts said. “I’m so grateful for all of my other seniors who I’ve been able to play with this year and the past years. I just love these girls so much, so it’s been a really emotional day. I’m super grateful.”
After jumping out to a 14-4 lead just over three minutes into the game, UCLA (27-1, 17-0 Big Ten) was held scoreless from the field for nearly five minutes, until a Betts basket ended the drought. Wisconsin (13-15, 5-12) cut the lead in half to 16-11 during that stretch, but UCLA extended it to 25-15 to end the first quarter.
The Badgers committed six fouls in the first quarter and the Bruins capitalized for seven points from the free-throw line.
Wisconsin held nearly even with UCLA on the scoreboard in the second quarter 15-14 while leading the rebound game, 12-9.
The Badgers scored the first five points of the third quarter to tighten the gap to seven, but the Bruins took control from there and led 65-49 by the end of the quarter.
The Bruins won the fourth quarter 15-11 and they took time for the crowd to honor their seniors as the quarter came to a close.
Close said that throughout the game she had to balance wanting her team to compete to their standard with allowing her seniors to feel the emotions and enjoy their final regular season home game.
“Transparently, I don’t think we did that as well as we needed to,” Close said. “I had to make the choice to go, ‘OK, there are some moments you just don’t get back, and there are some moments that you just have to have’ — I as a leader — a little perspective, and this is not the time and the place to deal with that.”
After the game, the Bruins celebrated with the Big Ten trophy on the court. Close also went over to thank members of the UCLA band, as well as talk to season ticketholders.
UCLA has one remaining game in the regular season, against USC on March 1.
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