UCLA Women’s Team, Led by Lauren Betts, Easily Defeats Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb. — In a commanding performance on Sunday, Lauren Betts scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, propelling the No. 4 UCLA Bruins to an 83-61 victory over the 25th-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Betts also contributed significantly on defense, recording four blocks and five steals. With this win, UCLA improved to a record of 15-1 overall and 5-0 in Big Ten play.
The Bruins established their dominance early, launching an 11-2 run in the first quarter. They expanded their lead to 35-20 after Gianna Kneepkens hit a three-pointer with 2:21 remaining in the first half.
Despite an effort from Nebraska to narrow the gap, with a layup by Jessie Petrie at the start of the second half that cut the deficit to 10, the Cornhuskers struggled to make headway. Sienna Betts’ layup late in the third period increased UCLA’s advantage to 52-32, culminating in a commanding 27-point lead late in the game.
UCLA’s scoring depth was evident as five other players joined Lauren Betts in double figures: Kneepkens with 16 points, Charlisse Leger-Walker with 14, followed by Sienna Betts and Kiki Rice at 12 points each, and Gabriela Jaquez with 11.
On the defensive end, the Bruins effectively stifled Nebraska, which shot just 38% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc. The Huskers were held to 24 points below their season average of 85 points per game. UCLA also dominated the boards, securing 43 rebounds to Nebraska’s 28 and converting 16 offensive rebounds into 17 second-chance points.
Leading the charge for Nebraska was Amilia Hargrove with 12 points, while Logan Nissey added 11. Jessie Petrie, Callin Hake, and Eliza Maupin each contributed 10 points as the Huskers fell to a record of 14-3 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
