Tag: ucla women’s basketball

UCLA upsets #1 South Carolina for Gamecocks first loss in 44 games

A huge win for UCLA!

 The UCLA women’s basketball put the country on notice, defeating the #1 South Carolina Gamecocks 77-62 at home on Sunday.

The sold out crowd at Pauley Pavilion was engaged all night, with UCLA never trailing in the win, a signature victory for Cori Close’s program. South Carolina entered Sunday’s game winners of 43 in a row, including an undefeated season last year that ended with a national title. 

UCLA took a 43-22 lead into halftime, taking an early first quarter lead and never looking back. UCLA didn’t allow a South Carolina basket in the game’s first five minutes, holding the Gamecocks for the first half of the first quarter. A three by junior guard Londynn Jones gave the Bruins a 15-2 lead with 2:36 to play in the opening quarter.

Junior guard Kiki Rice was a full-go for UCLA for the first time all season, with Rice scoring 11 points on 5-11 shooting in 28 minutes. It was a modest scoring night for junior center Lauren Betts, finishing with 11 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks while playing 37 minutes. Jones led the Bruins with 15 points, as UCLA had five players with double figures. 

South Carolina shot the three ball well, going 8-12 from deep but just 29.6% on two point shots. The Gamecocks would win the second half 40-34 but after the dominant first half by the Bruins, it was too late. 

The #5 Bruins are due to climb in the rankings after doing what no other women’s college basketball team has done since April of 2023, beat the South Carolina Gamecocks.

UCLA’s Cori Close labels center Lauren Betts a ‘future Olympian’

Big praise from Cori Close.

After a fantastic start to the season, UCLA head coach Cori Close had high praise for junior center Lauren Betts in a press conference last week. 

Through four games, all Bruins wins, Betts is averaging 21.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. Betts was named Big Ten player of the week last week, becoming the first-ever Bruins player in program history to win the award.

“The thing I’m most happy about with Lauren is her steadiness through the adversity. Almost every game we’ve had to take her out because she had blood on her jersey. She’s just getting scratched and clawed,” Close said. “A year ago, that would have been a distraction for her and it would have stopped her from playing, she would have gotten a frustration level. Just me watching that now, now three straight games we’ve had to change her jersey or to get blood off of it and she just keeps on going.”

Betts’ determination has been key for UCLA with junior guard Kiki Rice only having played 11 minutes so far this season. 

“I’m just proud of her maturation process and her mental toughness,” Close said of the Stanford transfer in her second season with the Bruins. “I truly believe Lauren Betts will be a future Olympian and she’ll be a top pick in the WNBA draft someday.”

Betts will be put to the test on Sunday against the #1 team in the country with UCLA hosting South Carolina.

Cori Close ‘hoping’ for no minutes restriction for Kiki Rice against South Carolina

Kiki Rice would be a big boost for UCLA.

Going into Sunday’s game against #1 South Carolina, UCLA head coach Cori Close doesn’t know if junior guard Kiki Rice will be under a minutes restriction. 

Close spoke with reporters on Friday, saying that she’s “hoping” there won’t be any restrictions on the preseason Wooden Award watchlist entry, Rice.  

“I haven’t asked,” Close told reporters in the press conference about a potential minutes restriction. “I’m hoping there’s not one but I actually don’t know for sure but I’m hoping she’s going to have the reins off but I have not been told yet by our medical staff.”

Rice played 11 minutes against Arkansas last Sunday, going scoreless as she missed all four of her shots while collecting two rebounds and dishing out one assist. 

Outside of the potential limitation for Rice, the Bruins will be heading into the game against the Gamecocks with no injuries, which will be needed against the defending champion South Carolina team. UCLA announced on Friday that Sunday’s game at Pauley Pavilion had been sold out for the 1:00 p.m. game. 

“It’s a new era of women’s basketball and women’s sports and for someone who’s been in it a long time, I just could pinch myself,” Close said. “I actually think we’re just scratching the surface.”

UCLA women’s basketball draws motivation from Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra

Cori Close taking motivation from Erik Spoelstra.

While all eyes will be on the Bruins to see how they stack up against the defending champion South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday, UCLA head coach Cori Close wants to see growth in the Bruins’ “toughness and grit” despite a 4-0 start to the season for the Bruins.

“The reality for us is that this is just another step. It’s an awesome opportunity but it’s just another opportunity to develop championship habits,” Close said of the game against Dawn Staley’s 5-0 Gamecocks. “To have championship-level character and develop that toughness and grit.”

While it won’t be easy against the #1 team in the country, Close has never defeated Staley as a head coach, with a career 0-4 record against Gamecocks. The Bruins are 0-4 against South Carolina in program history, having their first meeting less than a decade ago, in November of 2015.

“I actually showed them a clip today of [Erik] Spoelstra of the Miami Heat,” Close said during a postgame press conference from UCLA’s win Sunday over Arkansas. “Talking about that grit and toughness is a learned skill and if you want to be a championship program, and he was talking about the NBA, you must have that grit and toughness. It’s a prerequisite.”

Spoelstra is a 2x NBA Finals winner as a coach, something that Close and the Bruins are aspiring to, with UCLA having never won the NCAA Tournament. 

Cori Close calls weekend of women’s college hoops ‘Final Four level’

A lot of talent coming to SoCal this weekend.

The defending champion and #1 team in the country, South Carolina Gamecocks visiting Pauley Pavilion and the #5 ranked Bruins this Sunday won’t be the only heavyweight battle this weekend in women’s college basketball, with #3 USC hosting #6 Notre Dame in what could be a preview of what’s to come in the NCAA Tournament in March.

Or at least that’s what UCLA head coach Cori Close suggested in her post-game press conference after the Bruins’ 101-52 win over Arkansas last Sunday. 

“It’s going to be an unbelievable atmosphere,” Close said of the top-five matchup against the Gamecocks. “I love it that the day before Notre Dame to play USC. It’s like Final Four-level basketball in November, in LA. How awesome is that?”

Close and the Bruins will certainly have their hands full on Sunday, with the Gamecocks having won 43 games in a row entering Sunday’s game. The last loss for South Carolina came in the Final Four back in 2023 against Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes, where Clark needed 41 points to hold off South Carolina 77-73.

It will be quite the collection of talent in Los Angeles this weekend, with both schools welcoming top-ten opponents with the Crosstown Showdown between the Bruins’ and the Trojans’ football teams right in between the two basketball games.

Lauren Betts dominates in UCLA’s blowout win over Pepperdine

UCLA moves to 3-0!

The UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team played a day game on Tuesday against Pepperdine. And, it was all UCLA from beginning to end as the Bruins got the win, 91-54.

Betts led the way with 17 points and 12 rebounds and four UCLA players recorded double figures in the victory.

UCLA started the year by defeating Louisville in France and then returned home and beat Colgate on Sunday. 

Now, UCLA goes to 3-0, and Kiki Rice and Charlisse Leger-Walker have both not played this season as of yet.

UCLA scored 31 points in the first quarter and went into halftime with a commanding 50-25 lead.

The big win allowed Cori Close to dip into the depth and get the reserves some playing time. A total of nine Bruins saw the floor in the win.

UCLA has a few days off before a Sunday night game against Arkansas and then a showdown against South Carolina in Pauley Pavilion on November 24.

Why UCLA and Louisville women’s basketball teams are playing in Paris

UCLA and Louisville open the season in Paris. Here’s the lovely reason why.

College basketball is back, and UCLA and Louisville kick off the 2024-2025 season for women’s hoops in Paris, France.

Why are the Bruins and Cardinals in Paris? There’s actually a really awesome reason.

In 2023, when South Carolina and Notre Dame opened the season with massive success in Aflac’s first Oui Play event, Aflac decided to continue investing in women’s basketball and continue the game for a second season — but with a twist. This year, UCLA plays Louisville at Adidas Arena in Paris as part of a doubleheader. The Bruins and Cardinals will compete at 2:30 p.m. ET. on November 4 after a 12:00 p.m. ET matchup between USC and Ole Miss.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch UCLA vs Louisville with a Fubo FREE trial” link=”https://www.fubo.tv/welcome/leagues/191277?irad=356362&irmp=1205322&subId1=SMG&subId2=FTW&subId3=2024″]

That’s it — pretty cool stuff. Enjoy the season!

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Photos of UCLA alumnus Natalie Nakase

Natalie Nakase from the years.

UCLA Bruins alumnus Natalie Nakase has been named the head coach of the new WNBA franchise, the Golden State Valkyrie.

Nakase began her college career as a walk-on in Westwood before eventually cracking the starting lineup, and her time as a player ranged from 1998 until 2003.

Since then, Nakase has spent time coaching a number of teams and leagues.

She spent time with the Wolfenbuttel Wildcats, Tokyo Apache, Agua Caliente Clippers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Las Vegas Aces all as an assistant.

Now, she has earned a head coaching job with the Valkyrie, who are playing in the next WNBA season as an expansion team.

Here are photos of the former UCLA player from her stints as an assistant coach.

Cori Close ‘so happy’ after UCLA alum Natalie Nakase becomes Valkyrie head coach

Close is happy for this UCLA alum.

The Golden State Valkyrie is the new team set to play in the WNBA next season. On Thursday, the Valkyrie made the decision on who will be the head coach, and it comes with UCLA ties.

The Valkyrie announced Natalie Nakase as the team’s head coach, who is a UCLA alumnus and former women’s basketball player with the Bruins.

After the Valkyrie made the announcement, UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close released a statement on her getting the job.

“We are so happy for Natalie, “Close said. “She has a brilliant basketball mind, she is a proven tactician and a passionate leader of people! She has been a tremendous resource for us at UCLA, and I can’t wait to see her soar with the Valkyries.”

Nakase began as a walk-on for UCLA and played between 1998 and 2003 in Westwood, eventually cracking the starting lineup. She was most recently an assistant coach with the Las Vegas Aces.

Now, she is the head coach of the newest WNBA franchise.

UCLA Women’s basketball in the running for top-five recruit

The UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team has high expectations in 2024 and is in the running for a top-five recruit.

The UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball showed real potential in 2024, falling in the Sweet Sixteen to LSU after an impressive season. Now, the Bruins are in the running for a top-five recruit that could make them even better.

Emilee Skinner, a guard for the gold medal-winning 2024 USA Women’s U17 National Team, has narrowed her potential college destinations to five teams, according to Talia Goodman of On3 (subscription required). Skinner, the fifth-ranked player in the nation in the class of 2025, has UCLA, Notre Dame, TCU, Duke, and Iowa on her shortlist.

With star guard Kiki Rice returning to the Bruins this season, Skinner can see how Cori Close uses guards and sets them up for success in UCLA’s program. In addition, the long line of UCLA greats and the program’s upward trajectory is an enticing factor for the Ridgeline High School senior.

If the Bruins can string together another good season and a deep run into March, the Bruins could be the front-runner to land Skinner as the team begins its tenure in the Big Ten.