UCLA defeats the Huskies, 62-44, without Betts in the lineup

UCLA Bruins #20 Charisma Osborne (G) is going up for a layup against a Washington Huskies defender at Pauley Pavilion. Photo by Darwin Walker/TGSportstv1.

WESTWOOD, CA - The UCLA Bruins lost in overtime to Utah 94-81 on Monday night. On Friday night they hosted the Washington Huskies at Pauley Pavilion. Lauren Betts did not play due to a medical issue that has not been disclosed.

During the first quarter at Pauley Pavilion, the UCLA Bruins struggled to get their offense going from beyond the arc, shooting 0 for 7. Meanwhile, Washington Huskies' forward Dalayah Daniels played most of the first quarter and scored 5 of the 9 points scored by her team.

The Huskies also struggled with their three-point shots, going 0 for 6. Both teams had difficulty scoring, but Osbourne of UCLA was able to get going in the second quarter, scoring six points on two made threes.

While the first half was not the best for both teams, the bench for the Bruins played an important role by scoring nine points out of the 23 points scored, while the Huskies bench had no points.

Washington had more success in the paint area, scoring 20 points below the basket, compared to only 6 points scored by the Bruins. However, Angela Dugalic from UCLA had a rough game, only scoring 4 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 12 minutes of play despite attempting 11 shots.

Washington Huskies #14 Dalayah Daniels (F) inside the key and posting up in the paint against a UCLA Bruins player. Photo by Darwin Walker/TGSportstv1.

Similarly, Londynn Jones struggled as well, only scoring 3 points and 2 rebounds while making just one of her six attempts from the field, including missing all four of her shots from beyond the arc in the first half.

The Bruins' head coach, Cori Close, was experimenting with different lineups to determine what works best for the team in the absence of Betts. As experienced coaches know, when one of the key players is missing, the team must work hard to stay confident and find ways to succeed.

The Bruins' basketball team has been affected by the sudden absence of their best player in terms of field goal percentage. It is not yet known how long the player will be out of action. In their recent game against the Huskies, Charisma Osborne and Kiki Rice had to step up their game to make up for the missing player. Both players performed exceptionally well, with Osborne scoring 17 points and Rice contributing 4 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Washington, on the other hand, has been struggling in the recent games, losing 5 out of their 6 games before Friday’s matchup. The team has been facing challenges in terms of coordination and team strategy. However, the team showed resilience and determination in their last game, despite the loss, with both Daniels and Ladine scoring a combined 27 points in the game.

“I was just trying to attack the basket. Focusing on attacking and finishing through contact. I think that helped me so much to be able to finish those shots.” Osborne said postgame.

UCLA Bruins #3 Londynn Jones (G) is driving towards the basket against the Washington Huskies #24 Elle Ladine (G) at Pauley Pavilion. Photo by Darwin Walker/TGSportstv1.

It wasn't until the third quarter that the Bruins took control of the game. Lina Sontag and Osborne finally found their rhythm, and the Pauley Pavilion erupted after Osborne's back-to-back and-one plays. These plays ultimately gave the Bruins a 44-36 lead with just 1:01 remaining in the third quarter.

UCLA's 10-0 run in the fourth quarter gave them a 60-40 lead.

“We’ve got a lot to work on but I’m happy we won ugly,” UCLA coach Cori Close said.

In the first quarter, the Bruins struggled with turnovers and committed seven of them. However, they were able to turn things around in the following three quarters and only had six turnovers in that time period. Their performance in the second half was much better, and they made 15 of their 36 shots, improving their shooting accuracy.

During the fourth quarter, UCLA's Jones played a significant role in helping the team secure their victory over Washington. Despite a slow start, she finished the game with 13 points, making four of her 13 field goal attempts. Her contribution was crucial in the final moments of the game, as she helped the Bruins maintain their lead and secure the win on Friday night.