University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Wednesday, January 21
Los Angeles, Calif.
7 p.m. PT
UCLA
18-1,8-0Big Ten
96
vs
48
Purdue
10-9,2-6Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Purdue
8
12
18
10
48
UCLA
22
24
22
28
96
Photo by: Mac Brown
No. 3 UCLA Doubles Purdue, 96-48, in Home Victory
January 21, 2026 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – No. 3 UCLA (18-1, 8-0 B1G) doubled up Purdue (10-9, 2-6 B1G) on Wednesday night, 96-48.
All Bruin starters scored in double figures: Jaquez (25), Lauren Betts (16), Rice (15), Leger-Walker (15), and Kneepkens (14).
Senior Gabriela Jaquez had the best second half of her career, adding 23 points to her total of 25 points, four rebounds, and two assists. She was 9-for-10 from the floor in the final 20 minutes after early foul trouble kept her sidelined before the break.
Senior Lauren Betts recorded her eighth double-double of the season, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and three steals. Senior Kiki Rice also finished with a double-double, adding 15 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Senior Gianna Kneepkens scored her 300th career 3-point field goal, making her one of three active players to hit that mark.
Jaquez also reached her career high in games in a season in which she scored 11+ points, scoring over 11 in 15 out of 19 total games played this season (previous high was 14 in 2024-25).
The Bruins started the game scoring on their first three possessions to quickly reach a 7-0 lead; Lauren Betts won the tip-off, allowing Leger-Walker to find Rice in the paint to finish the contested layup. Moments later, Rice found Jaquez driving down the hole to complete the left-handed finish. UCLA's defense forced the Purdue turnover afterward, giving Kneepkens the ability to hit the 3-point shot on the other side. Despite being triple-teamed at the 7:35 mark, Lauren Betts kicked out the ball to Kneepkens, who found Leger-Walker for a corner three.
Lauren Betts continued with her offensive awareness, grabbing an offensive rebound over two defenders a minute later and adding two points to the board. The Bruins activated their defensive command, with Leger-Walker stripping a player to force a turnover and UCLA forcing a 24-second violation on the next possession. Lauren Betts scored six points in the last four minutes, most notably being her steal on the defensive end and double spin move finish on the other side. UCLA finished the quarter up 22-8.
Lauren Betts led the team for the Bruins, finishing with 4-6 on shooting for eight points, four rebounds, and one assist. Rice followed her lead with six points, two rebounds, and two assists. UCLA shot 64 percent from the field while holding Purdue to 29 percent.
UCLA opened the second quarter on a 10-0 run (3-4 FG) in the first 2:52, with Kneepkens and Rice both scoring five points. Shortly after Kneepkens hit a three off a dime from redshirt-sophomore Amanda Muse, Rice grabbed a defensive rebound and drove across the court to hit a three herself to put UCLA up 30-8. The Bruins' defensive stance continued, with Leger-Walker grabbing a steal and finding Kneepkens for the fast break layup. After Purdue responded with a jump shot, freshman Sienna Betts made a hookshot jumper of her own. Kneepkens then made her second 3-pointer of the quarter, followed by a Dugalić steal and layup after driving across the court. The Bruins concluded the quarter with Lauren Betts recording a massive block on a Boilermaker 3-point attempt with 10 seconds left, forcing Purdue into a shot clock violation. Rice then took the ball down for the layup attempt, drawing the foul with less than a second left and knocking down both free throws.
UCLA ended the half with a 46-20 lead.
Rice added nine second-quarter points for the Bruins, finishing the first half with 15 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Kneepkens followed right behind her, adding eight second-quarter points to her 11-point total, in addition to one assist and a rebound. UCLA shot 55 percent from the field (56 percent 3FG) to Purdue's 29 percent (9 percent 3FG).
After a slow team start to the half, Jaquez started her second-half dominance. After a missed UCLA shot, Rice tipped Jaquez the offensive rebound, allowing her to finish the second-chance opportunity over three defenders. A minute later, she did the same thing, snagging the offensive rebound and adding two more points. Jaquez then made back-to-back threes, scoring ten points in a row while shooting a perfect 4-for-4. After five points from Purdue, the Bruins went on a 12-2 run in the last 2:12 (7-0 run in the last 1:05), highlighted by back-to-back threes from Leger-Walker.
The quarter concluded with a Jaquez steal, followed by graduate student Angela Dugalic finishing the two. The Bruins went into the fourth quarter with a 68-38 point lead.
Jaquez finished the quarter with a team-high ten points, shooting 4-for-5 from the field with three rebounds and one assist. Leger-Walker followed with six points and two rebounds, while Lauren Betts added four points, six rebounds, and one assist.
Leger-Walker started the fourth making her third 3-pointer in a row, followed by a three from Kneepkens on the next possession; the make was Kneepkens' 300th of her career. Jaquez kept her momentum from the third quarter, stealing the ball and hitting the fast break layup. Feeling the energy, she followed that by hitting a pull-up jumper on the next possession. Lauren Betts and Jaquez worked together on the next trip down the court, with Lauren Betts blocking a shot and grabbing a steal seconds later, only to find Jaquez in the paint off the fast break for a layup. Leger-Walker then hit her fifth 3-pointer of the night – the fourth in a row – before stealing the ball from Purdue and finding Jaquez on the next possession, who added two more. Jaquez finished her night hitting one more 3-pointer and two free throws, finishing her last nine field goal attempts and scoring 23 in the second half. Sienna Betts continued the scoring for the Bruins, hitting a pullaway jumper at the 2:24 mark to continue UCLA's 16-0 run over the last 5:04. Sienna Betts scored the last points of the game, finishing a layup over two defenders in the paint to give UCLA the 96-48 victory.
UCLA finished the game shooting 54 percent from the field and a season-high 59 percent from behind the line. The Bruins forced 23 Purdue turnovers while leading in the blocks (6-2), steals (16-5), rebounds (39-29), and assists (24-14). The Bruins never trailed and held Purdue to 13 percent from 3-point range.
UP NEXT: at. Northwestern (Jan. 25)
UCLA begins its two-game bout in Illinois at Northwestern on Sunday, Jan. 25. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. PT on the Big Ten Network.
All Bruin starters scored in double figures: Jaquez (25), Lauren Betts (16), Rice (15), Leger-Walker (15), and Kneepkens (14).
Senior Gabriela Jaquez had the best second half of her career, adding 23 points to her total of 25 points, four rebounds, and two assists. She was 9-for-10 from the floor in the final 20 minutes after early foul trouble kept her sidelined before the break.
Senior Lauren Betts recorded her eighth double-double of the season, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and three steals. Senior Kiki Rice also finished with a double-double, adding 15 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Senior Gianna Kneepkens scored her 300th career 3-point field goal, making her one of three active players to hit that mark.
Jaquez also reached her career high in games in a season in which she scored 11+ points, scoring over 11 in 15 out of 19 total games played this season (previous high was 14 in 2024-25).
The Bruins started the game scoring on their first three possessions to quickly reach a 7-0 lead; Lauren Betts won the tip-off, allowing Leger-Walker to find Rice in the paint to finish the contested layup. Moments later, Rice found Jaquez driving down the hole to complete the left-handed finish. UCLA's defense forced the Purdue turnover afterward, giving Kneepkens the ability to hit the 3-point shot on the other side. Despite being triple-teamed at the 7:35 mark, Lauren Betts kicked out the ball to Kneepkens, who found Leger-Walker for a corner three.
Lauren Betts continued with her offensive awareness, grabbing an offensive rebound over two defenders a minute later and adding two points to the board. The Bruins activated their defensive command, with Leger-Walker stripping a player to force a turnover and UCLA forcing a 24-second violation on the next possession. Lauren Betts scored six points in the last four minutes, most notably being her steal on the defensive end and double spin move finish on the other side. UCLA finished the quarter up 22-8.
Lauren Betts led the team for the Bruins, finishing with 4-6 on shooting for eight points, four rebounds, and one assist. Rice followed her lead with six points, two rebounds, and two assists. UCLA shot 64 percent from the field while holding Purdue to 29 percent.
FOOTWORK! ??
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) January 22, 2026
??: B1G+#GoBruins | @laurenbetts12 pic.twitter.com/gUlywsyGZs
UCLA opened the second quarter on a 10-0 run (3-4 FG) in the first 2:52, with Kneepkens and Rice both scoring five points. Shortly after Kneepkens hit a three off a dime from redshirt-sophomore Amanda Muse, Rice grabbed a defensive rebound and drove across the court to hit a three herself to put UCLA up 30-8. The Bruins' defensive stance continued, with Leger-Walker grabbing a steal and finding Kneepkens for the fast break layup. After Purdue responded with a jump shot, freshman Sienna Betts made a hookshot jumper of her own. Kneepkens then made her second 3-pointer of the quarter, followed by a Dugalić steal and layup after driving across the court. The Bruins concluded the quarter with Lauren Betts recording a massive block on a Boilermaker 3-point attempt with 10 seconds left, forcing Purdue into a shot clock violation. Rice then took the ball down for the layup attempt, drawing the foul with less than a second left and knocking down both free throws.
UCLA ended the half with a 46-20 lead.
Rice added nine second-quarter points for the Bruins, finishing the first half with 15 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Kneepkens followed right behind her, adding eight second-quarter points to her 11-point total, in addition to one assist and a rebound. UCLA shot 55 percent from the field (56 percent 3FG) to Purdue's 29 percent (9 percent 3FG).
Don't go under ??
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) January 22, 2026
??: B1G+#GoBruins | @giannakneepkens pic.twitter.com/UDWrnfDy6h
After a slow team start to the half, Jaquez started her second-half dominance. After a missed UCLA shot, Rice tipped Jaquez the offensive rebound, allowing her to finish the second-chance opportunity over three defenders. A minute later, she did the same thing, snagging the offensive rebound and adding two more points. Jaquez then made back-to-back threes, scoring ten points in a row while shooting a perfect 4-for-4. After five points from Purdue, the Bruins went on a 12-2 run in the last 2:12 (7-0 run in the last 1:05), highlighted by back-to-back threes from Leger-Walker.
The quarter concluded with a Jaquez steal, followed by graduate student Angela Dugalic finishing the two. The Bruins went into the fourth quarter with a 68-38 point lead.
Jaquez finished the quarter with a team-high ten points, shooting 4-for-5 from the field with three rebounds and one assist. Leger-Walker followed with six points and two rebounds, while Lauren Betts added four points, six rebounds, and one assist.
EFFORT ??????
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) January 22, 2026
??: B1G+#GoBruins | @kiki_rice0 x @gabrielarj11 pic.twitter.com/WDbdP1sku2
Leger-Walker started the fourth making her third 3-pointer in a row, followed by a three from Kneepkens on the next possession; the make was Kneepkens' 300th of her career. Jaquez kept her momentum from the third quarter, stealing the ball and hitting the fast break layup. Feeling the energy, she followed that by hitting a pull-up jumper on the next possession. Lauren Betts and Jaquez worked together on the next trip down the court, with Lauren Betts blocking a shot and grabbing a steal seconds later, only to find Jaquez in the paint off the fast break for a layup. Leger-Walker then hit her fifth 3-pointer of the night – the fourth in a row – before stealing the ball from Purdue and finding Jaquez on the next possession, who added two more. Jaquez finished her night hitting one more 3-pointer and two free throws, finishing her last nine field goal attempts and scoring 23 in the second half. Sienna Betts continued the scoring for the Bruins, hitting a pullaway jumper at the 2:24 mark to continue UCLA's 16-0 run over the last 5:04. Sienna Betts scored the last points of the game, finishing a layup over two defenders in the paint to give UCLA the 96-48 victory.
Gabs is a runaway train! She's made 9?-straight shots, good for 2?1? second-half points! ??????
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) January 22, 2026
??: B1G+#GoBruins | @gabrielarj11 pic.twitter.com/nWPnS3vKWc
UCLA finished the game shooting 54 percent from the field and a season-high 59 percent from behind the line. The Bruins forced 23 Purdue turnovers while leading in the blocks (6-2), steals (16-5), rebounds (39-29), and assists (24-14). The Bruins never trailed and held Purdue to 13 percent from 3-point range.
UP NEXT: at. Northwestern (Jan. 25)
UCLA begins its two-game bout in Illinois at Northwestern on Sunday, Jan. 25. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. PT on the Big Ten Network.
Team Stats
Purdue
UCLA
FG%
.333
.537
3FG%
.125
.591
FT%
.778
.846
RB
29
39
TO
23
13
STL
5
16
Game Leaders
Pts
25
FGM
10
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
16
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
5
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
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