Bruins Secure 80-67 Victory Over Illinois

In a commanding performance, the No. 2 UCLA Bruins overcame the Illinois Fighting Illini with an 80-67 victory on Wednesday at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. This marks UCLA’s continued dominance in Big Ten play, remaining undefeated at 10-0 in the conference season.

Key Performers

Senior Lauren Betts led the Bruins with an impressive 23 points, shooting 7-for-9 from the free-throw line, and narrowly missed a double-double with nine rebounds. Sienna Betts, her sister, added 10 points and grabbed six rebounds, contributing significantly especially during Lauren’s foul troubles in the first half.

Team Statistics

• UCLA shot 85.2% from the free-throw line, maintaining a streak of over 84% in the last three games.
• The Bruins dominated the boards with a 39-25 advantage in rebounds, including a 13-11 edge in offensive rebounds.
• UCLA scored 48 points in the paint against Illinois.

Game Highlights

UCLA started strong but initially trailed as Illinois scored first. However, Kneepkens quickly leveled the score and assisted Lauren Betts for UCLA’s first lead at 8-5. Kneepkens also demonstrated her free-throw prowess, maintaining a season-best accuracy of 95.8%.

By the end of the first quarter, UCLA led 23-16. The lead extended to 45-31 at halftime, thanks to strong performances from multiple players, including Angela Dugalić and Gabriela Jaquez, who also contributed heavily to the scoreboard.

Following halftime, Lauren Betts returned and quickly added four points from a hook shot and free throws, helping push the lead to 56-49 entering the final quarter. In the fourth, a combination of sharp shooting from DUgalić and effective teamwork from the Betts sisters maintained UCLA’s lead.

Final Moments

As the game neared its conclusion, Lauren Betts continued to dominate, reaching 21 points before a critical offensive surge from Kiki Rice. Rice’s late-game contributions culminated in an and-one layup, sealing the 80-67 victory for UCLA.

Next Steps

The Bruins are set to face No. 8 Iowa in their next match at home on February 1. This game promises to be another thrilling encounter, with tip-off scheduled for 1 p.m. PST, airing live on FOX.