This post was updated Nov. 12 at 11:22 p.m.

The yells of hundreds of elementary school students filled Pauley Pavilion as junior center Lauren Betts executed a 3-point play, putting the Bruins up 18-0.

With 4:12 remaining in the first quarter, the Bruins established a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The Waves were unable to narrow the deficit below 14 for the remainder of the game.

No. 5 UCLA women’s basketball (3-0) defeated Pepperdine (1-2) 91-54 midday Tuesday in its second home game of the season. The Bruins hosted their annual Field Trip Day, and elementary schoolers brought plenty of energy to a game that was never close. 

“We had good energy from the start,” said freshman guard Elina Aarnisalo. “We have struggled a little bit to be super intensive and aggressive on defense from the start. Now, I think we can do it, and it showed on the scoreboard.”

While the Bruins were limited to 54% shooting – including 27% from 3 – in the first half, the entire team dominated the offensive glass, racking up 13 offensive rebounds and out-rebounding the Waves 30-11. 

“We should be. We’re huge,” said coach Cori Close. “We should get every rebound, and anything less than that would be less than our best.”

The Bruins were far from perfect, however, racking up 11 fouls despite entering the locker room with a 50-25 lead. 

As the second half began, the Bruins picked up right where they left off, with Betts making a third-chance layup after missing and grabbing her first two attempts. Betts dominated the paint throughout the contest, racking up 12 rebounds and achieving her second double-double of the year while only playing 22 minutes. 

“It’s really important for us that every game, we establish Lauren on the inside,” Close said. “It forces rotation for defenses every time she touches it, so it’s got to be something that we do automatically, game in and game out.”

Through three games, Betts has averaged 22 points per game – seven more than she averaged last year – on 79% shooting without All-Pac-12 teammate junior guard Kiki Rice, who is currently out with a minor shoulder injury.

Back from injury, though, was junior forward Gabriela Jaquez – who was absent from the Colgate contest with a minor foot injury sustained during practice. After only starting six games last season, Jaquez has started in both matches she has played in. The Camarillo, California, local put up 15 points and eight rebounds, playing the most minutes of any player on the team.

In her last match against Louisville, Jaquez tied for the second-most minutes with junior guard Londynn Jones. However, Jones, who went 1-7 in 3-point shots, played only 20 minutes against the Waves. Jones faced some struggles from deep, as did the Bruins.

The Bruins entered the final quarter with their largest lead of the game up to that point – 70-37.

The Bruin defense allowed its lowest point total of the season against the Waves, as the latter only shot 31% from the field.

“Our guards did a really good job pressing the ball today,” Betts said. “It made my job 10 times easier when they took away the point guard and what she wanted to do.”

Jones exited the game early in the fourth after a direct collision with a Wave player who looked to have hit her in the head.

Soon after, junior forward Janiah Barker exited the game after earning her third personal foul. The Texas A&M transfer came off the bench and also earned a double-double – scoring a team-high 18 points and racking up 11 rebounds – but also amassed five turnovers, the most of the team. 

Adding to Jones’ injury, freshman forward Zania Socka-Nguemen had to be slowly walked off with three minutes remaining while being supported by multiple trainers. Unlike Jones, Socka-Nguemen was walked toward the locker room rather than returning to the bench after her injury.

The Bruins finished off their second home game of the season with a win to extend their undefeated streak.

“​​I really loved how we responded and came out,” Close said. “Our next challenge is to be able to sustain that kind of focus and understanding roles – how those apply – and make sure there’s not long periods of time where we get away from our identity.”