Starting conference play on solid footing often sets the tone for a successful season.

That opportunity awaits No. 4 UCLA women’s basketball (11-1, 1-0 Big Ten) when it travels to Columbus, Ohio, to face No. 19 Ohio State (11-1, 1-0 Big Ten) in its first Big Ten road game of the season.

UCLA heads east following a dominant close to its nonconference slate.

The Bruins secured a 106-44 win over the Beach in their last matchup, finishing nonconference play undefeated at Pauley Pavilion. Senior guard Gabriela Jaquez credited the team’s performance at home to daily practice habits.

“That’s coming in every day ready to work, and I think that we took it and applied it in the games,” Jaquez said. “The games are difficult too, so making sure we’re maintaining our focus – even though we’re up by how many points – but continuing to challenge ourselves with mini games inside the bigger game.”

The Bruins’ most recent victory showcased their depth, with six players scoring in double figures.

Jaquez and senior center Lauren Betts each posted 17 points, while graduate student guard Gianna Kneepkens recorded her first double-double as a Bruin, garnering 10 points and 10 rebounds.

On the front end, senior guard Kiki Rice added 15 points, seven rebounds and four steals without committing a turnover.

The facilitation of the offense from the UCLA backcourt has been the backbone of the team’s play so far this season.

“You look at Charlisse Leger-Walker and Kiki Rice, 17 assists between the two of them and one turnover,” said coach Cori Close. “When your two lead guards are that selfless and get the ball to people in good situations, that’s a pretty good foundation to build on from the offensive perspective, and it also tells you that we’ve got a lot of great weapons.”

Freshman Sienna Betts expanded her role on the court by contributing a season-high 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field in her second game, coming off a lower leg injury which kept her out until Dec. 16. Sienna Betts delivered an efficient outing off the bench in just 15 minutes, adding five rebounds and a block.

Despite the true freshman’s 14 points in the box score, Sienna Betts prides herself on contributing to the team’s efforts outside just scoring.

“Even when I was younger, I wasn’t a ‘first player’ for my team, or scorer or player at all on my team,” Sienna Betts said. “I feel like I was able to watch and understand and figure out what my teammates like, where they want to be, when people are going to be open, and that’s honestly something I just pride myself for.”

The Buckeyes enter the game on a nine-game win streak, matching the Bruins’ overall and conference records as it prepares to play at Schottenstein Center, where the Buckeyes have historically held an advantage.

Ohio State is coming off a disciplined defensive performance, committing a season-low seven turnovers against Western Michigan while extending its streak to seven consecutive games with at least 10 steals.

With five Buckeyes scoring in double figures, the Bruins will be tested by a balanced rotation anchored, in part, by guard Jaloni Cambridge, who averages a team-high 19.3 points per game.

The next game is the next step in underscoring the Bruins’ defensive emphasis, Close said.

“We have to compete with ourselves to get better every day, and that’s got to be the biggest competition that we have, is our commitment to the defensive end,” Close said.

Recent meetings between the two programs suggest an edge for UCLA, which has won three straight against Ohio State, including a 77-71 victory in Columbus in 2023.

The Bruins also swept the Buckeyes during the 2024-25 season, highlighted by a 75-46 win in the Big Ten tournament semifinals on the way to the program’s first Big Ten tournament title.

Still, those results stand in contrast to a more challenging road history, as UCLA holds a narrow 6-5 advantage in the all-time series but has managed just one win in five trips to Columbus.

“Going into this break, we’ll enjoy it and then come back and have some tough matchups ahead,” Jaquez said. “But we’re going to continue to take in the hard coaching because we know that’s what we need.”