No. 1 UCLA is one of the best teams Indiana women’s basketball has ever faced

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana. – One of the joys of attending games in the Simon Skjodt Assembly Room is the high-quality opponents that come to us when Big Ten play begins.

On the women’s basketball side, when the No. 1-ranked University of California, Los Angeles team arrives on Saturday for a noon ET press conference, the Bruins could be one of the best women’s basketball teams to ever come to Bloomington.

It’s not just about the Bruins’ 14-0 record or the fact that the Bruins only had one team – Louisville – come within 10 points of beating them.

UCLA ranks in the top 20 nationally in eight major offensive statistical categories: 2-point field goal percentage (58.3%, 2nd nationally), field goal percentage (50%, 4th), rebounding per game (46.9, 4th), assists per game (21.1, 4th), 2-point field goals per game (25.9, 4th), field goals per game (32.9, 8th), defensive rebounds per game (31.3, 8th) and points per game (83.6, 15th).

The Bruins also rank in the top 20 in seven different defensive categories: rebounds allowed per game (27.9, 1st), defensive rebounds allowed (18.4, 1st), 2-point percentage against (34, 1st) 3%, 2nd), field goal defense (34.3%, 2nd), field goal defense (31.9%, 3rd), 2-point field goals allowed per game (12.6, 4th), field goals allowed (18.8, 9th) and points allowed (52.3, 9).

UCLA’s excellence in most of these categories can be attributed to great junior center Lauren Betts. The 6-foot-7 Betts dominates the team as she averages 19.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He is an excellent rim protector at 2.2 blocks. Think of her impact like you might think of Zach Edey’s impact on Purdue in the men’s game.

She is just one piece of the mystery that Indiana must solve. In addition to Betts, the Bruins have three other players who are 6-foot-8 or taller. The only player in UCLA’s rotation who isn’t at least 5-foot-7 is guard Londonn Jones.

The University of California, Los Angeles proved just how good it can be by defeating former No. 1 seed South Carolina 77-62 on Nov. 24 at Pauley Pavilion. Based on the Bruins’ track record, they are one of the best and most complete women’s teams Indiana has faced on home court or anywhere else.

Here’s a look at the No. 1 Bruins at UCLA.

Key players

• C. Lauren Betts: 19.3 ppg, 9.8 rpg

• G Kiki Rice: 13.3 ppm, 3 ppm, 4 mpg

• K. Gabriela Jaquez: 10.7 parts per minute, 4.9 parts per minute, 2.6 parts per minute

• F Janiah Barker: 9.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg

• F. Angela Dugalic: 9.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg

• F Timea Gardiner: 9.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg

• G Londonn Jones: 7.9 points. percent

• G. Elina Aarnisalo 7.6 pts/h, 3.1 pts/h, 4.9 pts.

2024–25 schedule (14-0, 3-0)

• W, 66-59. Louisville, November 4 – Paris, France

• W, 81-63, Colgate, November 10

• W, 91-54, Pepperdine, November 12

• W, 101-52, Arkansas, November 17

• W, 77-62, South Carolina, November 24

• W, 97-37, Tennessee-Martin, November 29 – Rainbow Wahine Showdown

• W, 97-41, Fresno State, November 30 – Rainbow Wahine Showdown

• W, 70-49, Hawaii, December 1 – Rainbow Wahine Showdown

• W, 73-62, in Washington, December 8

• W, 102-51, Long Beach State, December 14

• W, 69-37, Cal Poly, December 16

• W, 70-41, Creighton, December 20 – Invisalign Bay Area Classic for Women in San Francisco

• W, 91-54, Nebraska, December 29

• W, 86-70, Michigan, January 1

Strengths

Where do you start? We’ve already mentioned Betts’ unique talents, but she’s not the only elite player on the Bruins.

Like Betts, point guard Kiki Rice was named to the All-Pac 12 first team in the 2023-24 season. Rice (13.3 points per game) is the outside scorer for Betts’ interior production. Considered one of the best point guards in the country, Rice averages 4 assists per game. She was joined by freshman Elina Aarnisalo, who averages more assists per game – 4.9. UCLA starts both.

From this point on, UCLA overwhelms teams with its size. The forward quartet of Angela Dugalic (6-foot-4), Texas A&M transfer Janiah Barker (6-4), Oregon State transfer Timea Gardiner (6-4) and Gabriela Jaquez (5-11) create matchup hell for opponents . At least one of them lies on the floor almost all the time. Combined, this quartet averages 38.9 points and 23.8 rebounds per game.

Much of UCLA’s three-point shooting comes from these forwards as well. The most dangerous scorers are Gardiner (42.4%) and Dugalic (39.3%).

Defensively, UCLA is elite. Dugalic leads the country in defensive plus-minus with an impressive plus-11.3. She averages 1.9 steals per game, which is a nice complement to Betts’ 2.2 blocks per game at the rim.

Weaknesses

As you might imagine about an undefeated No. 1 team, nothing stands out and can be easily exploited. UCLA fouls a lot as they average 15.3 fouls per game. UCLA also has a high turnover rate of 16 per game.

Oddly enough, given the presence of Betts and so many other standout players in the frontcourt, the Bruins don’t take the court often. UCLA averages 15.1 attempts per game, good for 251st in the nation.

Season and match perspective

This is a big battle early in the Big Ten as both teams are undefeated in conference play. The University of California, Los Angeles sent a good Washington team on the road and defeated No. 24 Nebraska and Michigan in Los Angeles. Indiana defeated Penn State and defeated Wisconsin at home on Saturday.

UCLA clearly wants to continue its undefeated season. A victory for Indiana would be the seventh in a row and would be a huge boost in every respect. That would put Indiana in the Big Ten penthouse and secure a huge win in the NCAA Tournament restart.

Indiana is 2-1 against ranked teams thus far, with wins against then-ranked teams. 24 Stanford (79-66, Nov. 17), then no. 18 Baylor (73-65 on November 24 at Battle 4 Atlantis). However, UCLA is a completely different level of quality compared to these teams.

UCLA’s depth prevents the team from attempting a trick defense to stop Betts. If you double-team her or even triple-team her, the rest of the UCLA cast will be more than capable of taking advantage of this opportunity.

This will obviously be a huge defensive test for Indiana sophomores Lilly Meister and Karoline Striplin. Yarden Garzon will likely have to play a defensive role as well. They are all 6-foot-3 and the biggest bodies the Hoosiers can throw at the Bruins.

Chloe Moore-McNeil will need to be at her best defensively to keep Rice or Aarnisalo ahead. The same goes for Sydney Parrish, likely against one of the quartet of forwards drafted by UCLA.

Indiana will need to shoot extremely well, especially from beyond the arc. Since the Hoosiers returned from their November trip to Battle 4 Atlantis, they have converted a very respectable 42% of their three-point attempts in six games. This must continue.

It will be an uphill battle for the Hoosiers, but most of the players on the roster have experience against a No. 1 team. Last season, Indiana faced top-ranked South Carolina in the NCAA Tournament. Many predicted a tie, but the Hoosiers showed resolve, cutting a 22-point deficit to one point before the Gamecocks won 79-75.

That kind of effort will be necessary again against the Bruins.