While Bruins head coach Cori Close was pleased with the result on Sunday, as UCLA thumped Nebraska 91-54 in the Bruins’ Big Ten home opener, there was plenty that Close didn’t love from her #1 ranked team in the win.
“Not anywhere close to our best,” Close said of their performance. “I didn’t think we were as mentally focused today on our team gameplan.”
UCLA had a season-high 26 turnovers and led just 37-30 at halftime on Sunday.
“We could have played much better teamwork basketball and 26 turnovers is just unacceptable,” Close said. “That being said, thankful, because we responded in a dominant way but we need to prepare in a more focused, teamwork-oriented way.”
Close did say she was pleased with how the UCLA defense locked down the Cornhuskers offense, in particular, senior center Alexis Markowski and freshman guard Britt Prince, who combined for only ten points in the game while averaging 26.7 points per game as a duo.
“We shut down their two best players,” Close said. “A lot of good things that way.”
The 54 points allowed on Sunday bumped the Bruins average to 50.9 per game on the season, the fifth best mark in the entire country while UCLA continues to own the best rebounding margin in the league.
At 13-0, UCLA has held the #1 since late November after the Bruins defeated then #1 South Carolina.