{"id":103188,"date":"2025-12-21T00:48:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-21T00:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/103188\/"},"modified":"2025-12-21T00:48:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-21T00:48:10","slug":"no-4-ucla-caps-homestand-with-62-point-victory-over-long-beach-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/103188\/","title":{"rendered":"No. 4 UCLA Caps Homestand with 62-Point Victory over Long Beach State"},"content":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES \u2013 No. 4-ranked UCLA closed out its non-conference schedule with a 106-44 win over Long Beach State on Saturday.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Bruins head into conference play 11-1 (1-0 B1G); UCLA finished second in the Big Ten for the 2024-25 regular season and captured the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women’s Basketball Championship in its first campaign in the conference.
\n\u00a0
\nSeniors Lauren Betts<\/a> and Gabriela Jaquez<\/a> tied for a game-high 17 points; Jaquez matched her career high in 3-pointers made with five. Lauren Betts<\/a>, the reigning defensive player of the year, finished with two blocks and three steals.
\n\u00a0
\nUCLA had 30 assists on 42 made baskets Saturday and only totaled seven turnovers in the win.
\n\u00a0
\nSix Bruins got into double figures: Jaquez (17), Lauren Betts<\/a> (17), Kiki Rice<\/a> (15), Sienna Betts<\/a> (14), Angela Dugali\u0107<\/a> (13) and Gianna Kneepkens<\/a> (10). Graduate guard Gianna Kneepkens<\/a> tallied 10 rebounds to go with her 10 points, her first double-double as a Bruin.
\n\u00a0
\nJaquez knocked down a three to open scoring for the Bruins en route to a scorching first quarter. She hit another pair of threes before the first media break, shooting 3-for-3 on her first trio of long-range attempts. Lauren Betts<\/a> earned a trip to the free throw line, shooting 1-for-2 for her first point of the game; Lauren Betts<\/a> fought contact in the post on another possession to finish through the shooting foul.
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n

Gabs is a flamethrower right now! She’s 3?-for-3? from long range! ??????<\/p>\n

??: B1G+#GoBruins<\/a> | @kiki_rice0<\/a> x @gabrielarj11<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/GRmKLh3VJu<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 UCLA Women’s Basketball (@UCLAWBB) December 20, 2025<\/a>
\n\u00a0
\nRice got her first points finishing a layup after a quick spin move that got her to the rim. Dugali\u0107 made both of her free throws to get on the board. Freshman Lena Bili\u0107<\/a> tracked down an offensive rebound and immediately pulled the trigger from the left elbow to splash in a mid-range jump shot.
\n\u00a0
\nJaquez cashed in a contested corner three for her fourth-consecutive 3-pointer. Sienna Betts<\/a> and Lauren Betts<\/a> got to the rim on back-to-back possessions; the freshman forward hit the brakes after crossing the free throw line, hitting the final jumper of the quarter.
\n\u00a0
\nUCLA led 29-11 after the first ten minutes.
\n\u00a0
\nOn the first possession of quarter two, Jaquez shot faked her way into a drive, laying the ball up for her fifth make in six attempts. Bili\u0107 took the senior’s lead and stayed patient on the 3-point line; the Croatian wing pump faked and got to the rim for a left-handed layup. Dugali\u0107 worked against the Beach with her back to the basket, shooting a turnaround jump shot for her sixth point of the game.
\n\u00a0
\nRedshirt-sophomore Amanda Muse<\/a> got into the scoring column with a floater at the top of the restricted area. Rice then knocked down a pair of free throws and got to the short corner for a jumper, scoring four-straight for the Bruins. Sienna Betts<\/a> posted up in transition, drawing three Beach defenders; she found her older sister for a jumper at the top of the key. Lauren Betts<\/a> had nine points on 4-of-4 shooting at the break.
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n

A sister assister ??<\/p>\n

??: B1G+#GoBruins<\/a> | @SiennaBetts<\/a> x @laurenbetts12<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/k0ZEyP6roS<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 UCLA Women’s Basketball (@UCLAWBB) December 20, 2025<\/a>
\n\u00a0
\nKneepkens got her first triple to fall late in the second, scoring off an assist by Leger-Walker. Muse made her second shot after of the game catching an offensive board. Lauren Betts<\/a> hesitated and passed up a 3-point opportunity, but Leger-Walker whipped the ball back to the elder Betts who cashed in a jumper from one step inside the arc.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Bruins had a commanding 34-point lead at halftime, 57-23.
\n\u00a0
\nLauren Betts<\/a> went to work in the low post for her first basket of the second half; she finished through contact and completed the and-one free throw. Rice got steals on back-to-back possessions, getting to the rim on two-straight looks. The point guard scored both her free throws on the first trip and got an open layup on the second.
\n\u00a0
\nLauren Betts<\/a> got another look at the rim for her sixth basket of the game. Kneepkens missed a 3-point attempt but Dugali\u0107 tracked down the offensive board; the 6-foot-4 forward returned the ball to a cutting Kneepkens who finished at the rim. Kneepkens got an open look in the corner on the next trip down the court for her second triple of the game.
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n

Don’t lose Gianna! ??<\/p>\n

??: B1G+#GoBruins<\/a> | @Char_legerwalks<\/a> x @giannakneepkens<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/OWIlfpdp1o<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 UCLA Women’s Basketball (@UCLAWBB) December 20, 2025<\/a>
\n\u00a0
\nRice used a Sienna Betts<\/a> screen to get downhill and score a lefty layup out of the media timeout in the third. Lauren Betts<\/a> collected her second block and third steal before the final quarter break. Jaquez used a pair of screens on a baseline out of bounds play for her fifth triple in five attempts.
\n\u00a0
\nUCLA led 78-31 going into the final frame.
\n\u00a0
\nDugali\u0107 got to her spot on the low post and backed down her defender, scoring on a drop step that led to an and-one finish. The Des Plaines, Ill., native got another close-range bucket off an inbounds pass to get into double-digit scoring. She poured in TKTK points in the fourth quarter.
\n\u00a0
\nRice drove baseline and flipped it to a cutting Kneepkens for the graduate transfer’s 10th point of the game. Sienna Betts<\/a> got into double digits after fighting for an offensive rebound on her own miss; she got another offensive rebound and pair of buckets before checking out for the final time. Sienna Betts<\/a> scored 14 points in 15 minutes of action.
\n\u00a0
\nLeger-Walker slow-stepped her way into the paint and launched a pass over her head, finding Christina Karamouzi<\/a> in the corner. Karamouzi knocked down the open 3-pointer, her first collegiate field goal.
\n\u00a0
\nThe 62-point win was capped by post move and score by senior Megan Grant<\/a>, who finished through the foul for UCLA’s final points.
\n\u00a0
\nUP NEXT: at No. 21 Ohio State (Dec. 28)
\nThe Bruins travel to Columbus, Ohio, following the holiday break. No. 4-ranked UCLA will face off against the No. 21-ranked Buckeyes on Big Ten Network<\/a>; tip-off is set for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, Dec. 28.
\n\u00a0