Lauren Betts led the No. 2 UCLA women’s basketball team to their 14th consecutive victory despite encountering early foul trouble. The 6-foot-7 AP All-American center scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds in an 80-67 win over Illinois.
Betts faced significant challenges when she picked up her second and third fouls—one of which was a technical foul—with just 1:29 remaining in the first quarter. She was sidelined for the remainder of the first quarter and the entire second quarter but returned after halftime to play nearly 24 minutes.
Despite having only six points at halftime, Betts took control in the second half, helping UCLA maintain a strong lead throughout the game. The Bruins entered halftime ahead 45-31 and, although Illinois twice narrowed the deficit to five points in the third quarter, they were unable to close the gap further.
Alongside Betts, several other Bruins contributed significantly. Angela Dugalic added 12 points, Gabriela Jaquez posted 11, and Kiki Rice, Gianna Kneepkens, and Lauren’s sister, Sienna Betts, each scored 10 points. This balanced attack helped UCLA dominate despite struggling from beyond the arc, making just one three-pointer on 10 attempts.
Illinois was led by Cearah Parchment, who scored a career-high 26 points on an efficient 10-of-13 shooting performance and added seven rebounds. She fouled out with 36 seconds left. Teammates Destiny Jackson, Maddie Webber, and Berry Wallace also contributed 15, 12, and 11 points respectively, but it wasn’t enough to overcome UCLA’s dominance.
UCLA excelled in scoring inside the paint, putting up 48 points compared to Illinois’ 24. Additionally, the Bruins outscored Illinois’ bench players by double, 24 to 12. These advantages sustained UCLA’s control over the game despite their poor three-point shooting.
Illinois played without injured key player Gretchen Dolan and have suffered five losses in their last seven games following an 11-game winning streak. UCLA remains undefeated since their lone loss on November 26 in Las Vegas against No. 4 Texas.
Before facing Illinois, UCLA was overpowering opponents by an average of nearly 40 points per game while scoring more than 91 points on average. Their continued success is highlighted by their balanced roster and resilience on the court, with Lauren Betts proving to be a pivotal force even under challenging conditions.
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