There’ve been no signs of slowing since coach Cori Close’s squad reached the apex of the nation’s rankings. But the undefeated Bruins are soon to face a foe that has long been a thorn on their side.

Pressing pause on conference play, No. 1 UCLA women’s basketball (17-0, 6-0 Big Ten) will face Baylor (16-3, 6-1 Big 12) on Monday at noon at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, for the Coretta Scott King Classic.

“Baylor is playing great,” Close said. “Their talent package is there, and just because they took some losses early, they’re a really good team, and they’re playing really well.”

The Bruins and Bears have battled 10 times – and though the former commanded the two squads’ most recent affair in 2017, the Bears have a stranglehold on the all-time record at 7-3.

The Bears were managing adversity in that 2017 duel, missing integral pieces of their roster. Former coach Kim Mulkey and then-sophomore forward Lauren Cox – Baylor’s second-leading scorer that year – were absent from the game as Mulkey handled a family matter, while Cox dealt with complications related to her diabetes.

Monday will be the first game between the programs in more than seven years. Both teams naturally boast entirely new lineups and coach Nicki Collen has since taken the helm of Baylor’s coaching staff.

The Bears are riding on a comfortable five-game winning streak, which began on their home court at Foster Pavilion against Colorado. But Collen’s arsenal has only been put to the true test twice this season in two ranked matchups – against No. 24 Oklahoma State and No. 23 Utah – and recorded a loss and a win, respectively.

Against Utah, guard Darianna Littlepage-Buggs – Baylor’s leading scorer and rebounder this year – was suspended after a fighting technical foul in the previous game. However, guards Bella Fontleroy and Jada Walker filled the void and showcased the Bears’ depth as each posted a double-double.

UCLA’s record speaks for itself. Junior center Lauren Betts leads the team in nearly every offensive and defensive category and ranks nationally in eight. But the Betts-led Bruins seem opposed to resting on their laurels – instead honing in on the intricacies of their craft.

“We need to do anything we can to be prepared for when it hits March, when everyone’s best is coming out,” said junior guard Gabriela Jaquez. “That’s when the details are going to matter.”

And victory for the Bruins transcends the numbers on scoresheets.

Jaquez and junior guard Kiki Rice added that “passion plays” are what holds the team accountable for exhibiting toughness and focusing on the details on the court.

“Deflections, out-of-area rebounds, assist box-outs, assist screens, all types of little things that aren’t necessarily going to show up in the stat sheet but are going to contribute to winning possessions and winning us games,” Rice said. “It just reminds us to really focus on the little things each possession.”

March is creeping up on the Bruins – and Monday’s test will be another to sharpen the team’s postseason edge.