UCLA women’s basketball routs Southern
LOS ANGELES — Cori Close emphasized the importance of avoiding complacency during midweek practices.
Southern, in many ways, is the appetizer before the multiple-course entrée of ranked matchups against No. 4 Texas and No. 15 Tennessee — along with the second round of the Players Era Women’s Championship in Las Vegas against No. 2 South Carolina or Duke on Thanksgiving — in the next seven days.
The Bruins could have turned in a haphazard performance with looming giants ahead on the non-conference schedule.
Third-ranked UCLA (6-0) instead threw complacency by the wayside on Sunday afternoon. Describing the Bruins’ effort as dominant would be disrespectful to the definition of the word. Whereas UCLA defeated Southern by 38 points in the NCAA tournament first round a year ago, the Bruins led the Jaguars by 40 points at halftime.
“I just think it just sets the tone for these up-and-coming games that we have,” center Lauren Betts said of the Bruins’ first-half defensive stand.
In UCLA’s 88-37 victory Sunday, Southern (1-4) failed to score across the final 13:12 minutes of the first half — spending the entire second quarter with a goose egg — as the Bruins tallied a 38-point unanswered run into the third quarter. Southern’s scoreless quarter was the first time UCLA held an opponent without a point in a quarter since Dec. 5, 2021, against San Jose State.
“There’s just no mistake,” Close said postgame. “If we want to be a championship team, we have to be an elite defensive team.”
Southern dropped games to ranked foes — Iowa, Iowa State and Ole Miss — and yet, UCLA blew their Associated Press Top 25 comrades out of the water. The effort ultimately boils down to the messaging that Close has shouted from the rooftops.
“Other people are focusing to beat us,” Close said Friday. “We are focusing to be us.”
She repeated the sentiment at halftime during her on-the-court interview for the crowd.
It’s clear; the Bruins are on a quest in 2025-2026 to become the best versions of themselves, an edition of UCLA women’s basketball that leaps beyond the Final Four — for which rings were handed out pregame — and into the national championship.
The 15th-year coach wanted to see Angela Dugalić impose her will better with matchups against Texas preseason All-American Madison Booker and former UCLA forward Janiah Barker, who now plays for Tennessee. The sixth-year graduate student turned in a 20-point effort, two off her career-high, combining with freshman forward Lena Bilić for 24 points in the first half — on six-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc.
“I just think Angela is playing her best basketball of her career, and so obviously she wants me to even raise the standard,” Close said of Dugalić, who is averaging 11.3 points and seven rebounds per game. “I’m like, fight for consistency. That’s what your fight is. Fight for consistency.”
Bilić, who Close said recently was the top European freshman in the country, trounced her previous high of four points to finish with 14 points and six rebounds.
“I think just the amount of practices and extra work I’ve been putting in,” said Bilić, when asked about her blossoming confidence. “I feel like that leads to more confidence that I’m still going to maintain, … to catch up quicker.”
Added Close on Bilić: “She has a level of toughness and just a sense of who she wants to become. She’s going to be a really big-time player here, and I’m really excited about how she’s progressing.”
Close said Friday that she wanted to see an improved and purposeful rebounding effort. UCLA won the board game 50-20. Before the season — and after UCLA’s opener against San Diego State — Close said she wanted to see improved defensive efforts.
On Sunday, the proof was in the pudding at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA forced Southern to turn the ball over 13 times, tallying seven steals and four blocks. But most impressively, Close’s Bruins held the Jaguars to 28.6% shooting.
When UCLA is firing on all cylinders, like it did Sunday, it doesn’t matter that Gabriela Jaquez (who recorded her 1,000th-career point), Gianna Kneepkens (who was on a minutes restriction Sunday) and Charlisse Leger-Walker scored in single digits.
“The last five out of six national champions have been the number one defensive team in the country,” Close said. “The offensive stuff is just the gravy on top.”
Next woman up is squarely in UCLA’s DNA.