This post was updated Dec. 8 at 5:56 p.m.

UCLA commenced its Big Ten conference schedule against a familiar rival.

In its inaugural Big Ten contest, No. 1 UCLA women’s basketball (9-0, 1-0 Big Ten) defeated Washington (7-3, 0-1 Big Ten) 73-62 at the Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle. Prior to the Big Ten opener, the teams last met Jan. 26 of the 2023-2024 season in Pac-12 conference play.

“You better go get every win, especially road wins in the Big Ten,” said coach Cori Close. “I think there’s nine ranked Big Ten women’s basketball teams this week. It’s crazy how good our conference is.”

While the Bruins remained in control throughout a majority of the game – they never relinquished their lead after going up 12-10 with 4:51 remaining in the first quarter – the Huskies nearly pulled off a 17-point comeback, at one point bringing the game within five. 

While UCLA was ultimately victorious, it was not perfect, as Washington accumulated the second-most points allowed by UCLA this season while outrebounding the Bruins by two and grabbing 13 offensive boards in the process. 

“It was rebounding,” Close said. “That was the one we didn’t execute. They were coming from long distances and really outhustling us for the ball and outcompeting us for rebounds.”

Following tip-off, the game began as a heated back-and-forth affair, as neither side managed to extend a lead beyond four points throughout the first quarter. The Bruins utilized their strength in team depth, as seven different players scored in the first frame, while the squad shot 56% overall from the field.

The Bruins began to create some separation in the second quarter, as their defense held the Huskies to just nine points on 4-of-15 shooting while extending their lead to 10 points. 

After 43 fouls were committed in UCLA’s most recent contest against Hawai’i in the Rainbow Wahine Showdown, the Bruins and Huskies had a combined eight fouls at the half and wound up committing 20 on the game. 

“We had better refs, bottom line,” Close said. “I do think we played with more discipline, without fouling. But we had some of the best refs in the country tonight, period.”

Junior guard Gabriela Jaquez committed four of the Bruins’ 12 fouls. However, the Camarillo, California, local led the team in rebounds with seven and was tied with junior guard Kiki Rice for a team-high five assists. 

UCLA made a statement out the gate to begin the second half, extending its 10-point lead to 17 within the first two minutes of the third quarter, with Rice’s layup capping off a 7-2 run. Rice would go on to score 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting through the game and was one of only three Bruins to reach double digits.

However, the Huskies would not be deterred, as they connected on three of four three-point attempts after converting only 20% of their shots beyond the arc in the first half. Washington wound up shooting 36.4% from three-point range throughout the game, including converting six of 12 in the second half alone. 

“You have to win the toughness battle,” Close said. “I didn’t think we were the tougher team the whole time today. That came across as too many mental errors.”

The Bruins, on the other hand, shot 4-for-12 from beyond the arc, with the 2023-2024 leading 3-point shooter junior guard Londynn Jones and Jaquez each converting one 3-point shot and junior forward Timea Gardiner putting up two. Gardiner, a transfer from Oregon State who scored six points in the game, shot 39.5% from beyond the arc last season.

Junior center Lauren Betts scored 10 of her points in the third quarter while converting five of her six shot attempts. Her 23 points in the game marked a team high and a personal second-highest total of the season.

“On the court, her (Betts’) impact is undeniable,” Rice said. “Best forward in the country, and you can see the offensive impact she has, she’s unstoppable in the paint. But also on defense, that’s where she really anchors our team down.”

However, Betts only grabbed three rebounds – her second-straight game at that total after grabbing no fewer than nine in her first seven games. 

Rice and Betts collectively put up over half of the Bruins’ points, each shooting just above 61% from the field.

“My teammates just did a really good job trying to find me no matter how many shots I’m making,” Betts said. “Our offense flows a lot better when we’re getting paint touches.”

After outscoring the Bruins 24-22 in the third, the Huskies brought the game within five points after nailing two more three-pointers – the closest the contest had been in over two quarters.

But a converted three-point-play by Betts saw the lead extend back to eight. Washington then failed to score over the next three and a half minutes, giving UCLA a road victory to kick off its conference schedule.