Gabriela Jaquez Steers UCLA to Their 13th Consecutive Win Over Northwestern
EVANSTON, Ill. — Gabriela Jaquez led the charge for No. 3 UCLA with 19 points as the Bruins secured an 80-46 victory over Northwestern on Sunday, marking their 13th consecutive win.
The Bruins, now 19-1 overall and 9-0 in the Big Ten, maintained control throughout the game, never trailing and remaining tied with 10th-ranked Iowa for the conference lead. Lauren Betts contributed significantly with 16 points, while Kiki Rice recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
UCLA established an early lead, finishing the first quarter at 21-14. They surged ahead with a 15-2 run to close the first half, leading 46-22 at intermission. Northwestern struggled offensively, managing only three field goals in the second quarter and failing to score over the last 4:57 of the half.
In response to Northwestern’s early double-team on Betts, she frequently found open teammates and finished with six assists. UCLA dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Wildcats 44-25. The Bruins have been impressive in conference play, winning by an average margin of 27.8 points per game.
Grace Sullivan was the standout for Northwestern, scoring 21 points as the Wildcats fell to 8-12 overall and 2-7 in the conference, extending their losing streak to two games and marking 12 losses in their last 14 outings.
UCLA will look to build on their success as they prepare to face Illinois on Wednesday.
