UCLA women’s basketball steps up to plate against Indiana, extends winning streak

Junior center Lauren Betts jumps up toward the net with the ball in hand. Betts ranks third in the Big Ten for scoring and second in blocks. (Courtesy of UCLA Athletics)
Women’s Basketball
No. 1 UCLA | 73 |
Indiana | 62 |
By J. Spencer Brown
Jan. 4, 2025 12:19 p.m.
After a missed turn by its team bus, UCLA arrived at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall less than an hour before tip-off.
But even with a limited warmup and a 9 a.m. body clock start time, the Bruins appeared to be in full form.
Emerging as true title contenders, No. 1 UCLA women’s basketball (15-0, 4-0 Big Ten) defeated Indiana (10-4, 2-1) on Saturday afternoon in Bloomington, Indiana. The 73-62 victory improved the Bruins’ all-time record over the Hoosiers to 3-1, and marked UCLA’s 15th consecutive victory.
“We had a little bus transportation problem today. We thought it was six minutes (to the arena) – it ended up being about 45 minutes,” said coach Cori Close.
UCLA took an early 18-7 lead over Indiana, with junior center Lauren Betts igniting a hot start for UCLA, scoring six points – without a missed shot – in the first quarter. Betts, who is ranked within the top five in Big Ten scoring, rebounding and blocking, finished the game with 25, 12 and 2 respectively.
“I focused on trying to get as deep as I possibly could on my seals,” Betts said. “They were doing a really good job of pushing me out as much as they could. It was definitely a physical game today, but we figured out how to work around it.”
The Hoosiers held the Bruins scoreless for the last three minutes of the opening quarter, narrowing the UCLA lead to two points.
Leading the Indiana offense, guard Yarden Garzon helped close the early gap, scoring seven of her team’s 16 first quarter points.
But the Bruins opened the second quarter on a 13-0 run and prevented the Hoosiers from scoring a field goal for over eight minutes of game time. Indiana’s offense – which scored 95, 90 and 83 points in its last three outings – only scored five points in the second frame and 21 in the first half.

Close, the winningest coach in UCLA women’s basketball history, stressed the importance of team-oriented basketball and defensive toughness after UCLA’s recent win over No. 24 Michigan. The Bruin defense stepped up to the plate, forcing the Hoosiers to their third-worst point total of the season.
“That was our best defensive stand,” Close said after the game. “I think we got into a really good rhythm of forcing them into really difficult shots late into the shot clock.”
Junior forward Janiah Barker struck first for the Bruins in the third quarter with a 2-point jump shot, ending a 4-0 run by the Hoosiers. Barker and graduate student forward Angela Dugalić, however, each picked up their third fouls early in the second half.
The 6-foot-4 veteran utilized her size, elevating and completing an and-one turn-around jumper over Indiana guard Sydney Parrish. While Dugalić finished with just six points, she made her presence felt defensively, contributing a team-high three steals. Parrish, who entered the contest with a 10 point per game average, was held by Dugalić and the Bruins to just two points and was one of two Hoosiers fouled-out of the game.
“This wasn’t our best day,” Close said. “But I thought the way our team responded to adversity and being willing to win ugly, I’m impressed with their growth and maturity in that area.”
Continuing to lead the way for UCLA, Betts achieved her 9th double-double of the season with more than 10 minutes left to play. UCLA entered the fourth and final quarter of the competition with a 12-point lead.
UCLA won the battle in the paint with 40 points compared to Indiana’s 28. The Bruins also emerged victorious in the rebounding department, finishing the game with 40 boards to Indiana’s 31. Junior guard Kiki Rice was responsible for seven UCLA rebounds in addition to 12 points and seven assists.
“When we came out there for warm ups and when the game started, it was an electric environment,” Rice said. “It’s sometimes fun to play on the road in front of a ton of fans who aren’t rooting for you.”
The Bruins will round out their Midwest road trip Tuesday afternoon against Purdue.
“We’re thrilled to be in the Big Ten,” Close said. “We want to make this a great experience for our players but also the game environment in general. We want to grow our game.”