Bruins Open Rainbow Wahine Showdown with Win over UT Martin, 97-37

Friday, November 29

Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii

2 p.m.

UCLA

6-0,0-0Big Ten

UT Martin

1-5,0-0OVC

UCLA

UT Martin

Photo by: UCLA Athletics

Bruins Open Rainbow Wahine Showdown with Win over UT Martin, 97-37

November 29, 2024 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

HONOLULU – UCLA Women's Basketball (6-0, 0-0 Big Ten) downed UT Martin (1-5, 0-0 OVC) Friday, 97-37, in the opening match of the Rainbow Wahine Showdown hosted by the University of Hawai'i.

Junior Lauren Betts dominated down low, scoring 18 points and corralling 12 rebounds in the win. Six of the center's boards came off the offensive glass; she also had a block and a steal in Friday's match.

Five Bruins finished in double figures: Betts (18), Gabriela Jaquez (17), Timea Gardiner (11), Londynn Jones (11) and Janiah Barker (10).

Jaquez finished the game shooting a scorching 8-for-9 from the field (1-for-2 3FG). The Camarillo, Calif., native collected four rebounds and two assists. Barker filled the stat sheet, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing five dimes in Friday's win.

Jones picked up right where she left off against the Gamecocks, scoring UCLA's first two buckets from long distance. Barker wanted one of her own; the junior forward splashed a three-point shot from the top of the arc. UCLA went on a 10-0 run sparked by Barker and continued by Gardiner and Jaquez. The Bruins held UT Martin to one basket in the last 6:04 of the frame.

Betts scored the first three baskets for UCLA in the second quarter, extending the Bruins' lead to 14 in the first two minutes of the period. Jaquez had a six-point run of her own; the junior attacked the basket and scored three-straight layups. Freshman Kendall Dudley got her first points of the contest on a layup, then tracked down her second rebound of the day on an airball the next defensive possession. The Bruins got back-to-back steals that led to an Aarnisalo three followed by an open fast break layup by Dudley. Freshman Avary Cain got in on the action with a 3-pointer to extend UCLA's lead to 29. The Bruins led 44-20 heading into the break.

Bruins getting out in transition! ?????#GoBruins | @ElinaAarnisalo x @Deeezzy3 x @laurenbetts12 pic.twitter.com/dMX6Np9d8c
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) November 29, 2024

The Betts and Jaquez show continued to start the third; the center knocked down a pair of free throws before Jaquez converted on a 3-pointer. Angela Dugalic scored her first points of the contest on a corner three with a hand in her face. Rice added a free throw, a stepback 3-pointer and a block in three possessions as the Bruin lead grew to 36 (56-20, 3Q - 5:37). Rice got a steal and converted the layup after forcing a Skyhawks turnover. Jones cashed her third triple in six attempts on a skip pass to break UT Martin's pressure defense.

Cain got her second 3-pointer of the game to fall in the fourth and had a sweet pass fake that led to a transition layup off her steal. The freshman finished with a new career-high eight points Betts secured her fourth-consecutive double-double on an offensive board off a Cain miss. Dudley tracked down an errant Skyhawk pass and got a free look at the rim; the freshman forward shot 4-for-5 in the game and finished with eight points, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals. UCLA dribbled out the clock with a 60-point lead.

UP NEXT: vs. Fresno State (Saturday, Nov. 30)
The Bruins play their second game of the Rainbow Wahine Showdown Saturday against Fresno State. y. UCLA holds an 11-0 record in the all-time series against the Bulldogs; the teams last met on Dec. 20, 2022 when UCLA downed Fresno State 82-48 at home.

Saturday's game will be broadcast exclusively to UCLA Digital Radio. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. PT.