UCLA opens its NCAA tournament title bid with dominant win over California Baptist
Sisters Lauren and Sienna Betts helped No. 1 UCLA overcame a slow start to beat No. 16 California Baptist in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
UCLA guard Kiki Rice goes for the steal against California Baptist guard Reyleigh Hess in the first half of the Bruins' win Saturday at Pauley Pavilion. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) The adage goes, it doesn’t have to be pretty. But for the UCLA women’s basketball team, that’s not the philosophy.
Coach Cori Close preaches thriving, not surviving, and that's been evident in the Bruins’ lopsided victory margin all season. That’s why leading by 10 points at halftime against a No. 16 seed was likely alarming.
So much so that UCLA locked in for a 31-4 third quarter in one of its most dominant periods all season en route to a first-round NCAA tournament win. UCLA (32-1) took down California Baptist 96-43 at Pauley Pavilion, advancing to Monday’s second-round contest against No. 8 seed Oklahoma State (24-9) for a spot in the Sweet 16.
Lauren Betts earned a double-double with 22 points with 10 rebounds, while her sister, Sienna Betts, had her first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. UCLA center Lauren Betts drives against California Baptist forward Grace Schmidt in the first half Saturday. (Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press) It was the Bruins' 26th consecutive win, with the team's most recent loss in November against fellow No.