Gabriela Jaquez and UCLA women dominate in win

UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close couldn’t have imagined a better method for her workforce to wrap up nonconference play than Saturday afternoon’s 106-44 trouncing of Long Beach State at Pauley Pavilion.

Coming off Tuesday’s 115-28 triumph over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo — UCLA’s largest margin of victory during the NCAA period — the Bruins picked up where they left off, main wire-to-wire for their fifth consecutive win since struggling their lone loss to Texas on Nov. 26.

“We’re growing … we had a couple of lapses today and we’re not there yet, but we’re heading in the right direction,” Close said. “I love the selflessness of this team.”

Senior guard Gabriela Jaquez led the way in which with 17 factors and made 5 of six three-point pictures. Angela Dugalic added 13 factors while Gianna Kneepkens had 10 factors and 10 rebounds. All 11 Bruins who performed scored at least one basket.

Playing their last sport in Westwood until Jan. 3, when they are going to host crosstown rival USC, the Bruins (11-1 total, 1-0 in Big Ten) regarded every bit just like the No. 4 workforce in the nation, bettering to 6-0 at home. They are ranked fourth in both the Associated Press and coaches polls behind Connecticut, Texas and South Carolina.

“I’m really proud of our nonconference schedule. Not many local teams are willing to play us, so I want to compliment Long Beach State,” Close said. “Our starting guards [Charlisse Leger-Walker and Kiki Rice] combined for 17 assists and one turnover. We have depth and balance and that’s a great luxury to have.”

Jaquez scored 9 of the Bruins’ first 12 factors. She opened the scoring with a three-pointer from the top of the key and added triples on back-to-back possessions to increase the margin to eight factors. Her fourth three-pointer, from the suitable nook, prolonged the lead to 21-5.

Sienna Betts’ jumper in the lane put UCLA up by 19 at the end of the first quarter. The sophomore completed with 14 factors and senior Lauren Betts added 17. The sisters’ dad and mom, Michelle and Andy, performed volleyball and basketball, respectively, for Long Beach State. Sienna wears her mother’s No. 16 while Lauren dons her dad’s No. 51.

Rice’s steal and layup made it 46-18 with 3:28 left in the first half and Leger-Walker’s tip-in at the buzzer gave the Bruins a 34-point benefit at halftime. Rice had a full sport, contributing 15 factors, 9 rebounds, seven assists, 4 steals and one block.

The consequence continued the Bruins’ current dominance against the Beach. UCLA has received six straight head-to-head conferences, including a 51-point blowout in the colleges’ earlier matchup last December, when Close grew to become the all-time winningest coach in program historical past by incomes her 297th victory to surpass Billie Moore (296-181). Long Beach State has not crushed the Bruins since 1987 under Joan Bonvicini, who posted a 16-1 file versus UCLA in her 12 seasons at the Beach from 1979 to 1991.

The Bruins’ major focus on protection was slowing down sophomore guard JaQuoia Jones-Brown, who entered Saturday averaging 17.2 factors per sport. She scored 10 of the Beach’s 11 factors in the first quarter but was held scoreless the remainder of the way in which. She has scored in double figures in 9 of 10 video games. Guard Christy Reynoso added six factors for Beach (0-10 total, 0-2 in Big West).

The Bruins journey to Columbus on Dec. 28 to face No. 21 Ohio State (9-1).