The Bruins have an opportunity to build on a history-making season and defend their perfect record.

No. 1 UCLA women’s basketball (10-0, 1-0 Big Ten) continues its dominant start to the season as it prepares to take on Cal Poly (4-5, 1-1 Big West). The Bruins are returning to Pauley Pavilion following coach Cori Close’s program-record 297th win.

“Don’t deceive yourself. March is happening now,” Close said. “We are growing into the kind of team we will be and by time March comes, you’re going to want to have used every opportunity to become who you’re going to become. … Just trying to challenge ourselves to that end.”

In the Bruins’ last matchup, graduate student forward Angela Dugalić and junior center Lauren Betts led the team with 22 points each. Additionally, the Bruins’ defense held the Beach to just 51 points and forced nine turnovers.

With the Bruins undefeated in their four-game history against the Mustangs, it’s perfecting their inconsistencies that are at the top of their to do list.

“Just making sure that boxing out, things that we don’t really do consistently … we always get those up,” Betts said. “So it’s about holding ourselves to higher standards.”

The schools last met in the Bruins’ 2022-2023 season opener. All 10 Bruins who played against the Mustangs scored, with four Bruins ending the contest in double digits: former forwards Charisma Osborne and Emily Bessoir led the way with 20 and 14 points, respectively, followed by current junior guards Kiki Rice, who added 12, and Gabriela Jaquez, who notched 10.

UCLA dominated the glass against Cal Poly, out-rebounding the Mustangs, 48-28. The Bruins also capitalized on their defensive pressure, securing 10 steals in the matchup. Their strong defensive play allowed them to capitalize on the offense, outscoring Cal Poly 26-15 in turnovers. Now facing the Mustangs with Betts in their corner, the Bruins have an opportunity to continue their defensive presence.

“Lots of teams guard us in very different ways, and I think a lot of teams are – especially with Lauren – very, very physical in the post,” Dugalić said. “So some things get called, some things don’t, but I think we still work through it and still are able to mainly focus on ourselves and what’s working for us, what’s not.”

The Bruins’s proved to be too much for Cal Poly back in 2022, as they came away with an 84-48 win.

As the Bruins prepare to face the Mustangs two years later, they now have a No. 1 ranking for the first time in program history. When the teams last faced each other, UCLA was unranked in preseason polls.

“We have the best coaching staff in the nation,” Dugalić said. “Credit to them, and also just credit to my team, because every day is an opportunity to learn and grow. … So if something isn’t the best thing, we figure out a way to fix it.”

After facing Cal Poly, UCLA will turn its attention to a challenging slate ahead. The squad will take on Creighton in its last nonconference game before diving into six-straight Big Ten matches.

“I’m also happy for an opportunity to continue to figure out what gets exposed,” Close said. “That’s what all this is, right?”