LOS ANGELES — The UCLA women’s basketball team continued its tear through the Big Ten conference. A Sunday matinee against the No. 8 Iowa Hawkeyes, trying to avoid a second straight defeat after losing to USC on Thursday, seemed like the Bruins’ greatest test.
They handled it with ease, dominating the Hawkeyes, 88-65. Forward Angela Dugalic came off the bench to lead the Bruins (21-1, 11-0 Big Ten) with a season-high 22 points. Point guard Kiki Rice added 17 points and dished seven assists.
UCLA’s lone blemish was its heavy turnover count in the first half. Lazy post-entry passes allowed the Hawkeyes (18-4, 9-2) to deflect passes. Ultimately, the Bruins found more success probing the paint with drives.
In the first quarter, Gabriela Jaquez short-armed a pass to Lauren Betts that was intercepted. Rice threw another errant pass to Betts. Lena Bilic directed a soft toss to Dugalic, which was picked off. The Bruins committed seven turnovers in the first 15 minutes, but Iowa only turned that into seven points.
UCLA found success taking Iowa defenders off the dribble rather than passing around them. Jaquez had a quick baseline drive, and Rice bullied a Hawkeyes’ defender for a layup to build a double-digit lead in the second quarter.
To close out the first half, Iowa’s Chazadi Wright made a pair of free throws. Then Charlisse Leger-Walker rebounded her own miss and kicked to Gianna Kneepkens for a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
The intentional drives continued in the second half. Rice slow-stepped past a defender, scooping home a left-handed layup. Betts, posting up from 18 feet, dribbled and spun her way to a basket. Dugalic rebounded a miss from Addison Deal and went coast-to-coast.
Dugalic impressed on both sides from the moment she entered the game. On the first possession after checking in, she stole a pass, sparking a fast-break for Leger-Walker. Later in the first quarter, she fought through contact for a 3-point play. She banged a 3-point shot from the top of the key off a pass from Sienna Betts.
With her confidence heightened, she got creative in the paint in the second half. She pump-faked left and spun back right for a 3-point play. She cut under the basket and finished a smooth reverse layup.
Iowa started the fourth quarter scoring five straight points. UCLA head coach Cori Close called a timeout. The Bruins answered as Kneepkens made a layup and a 3-point shot. Then Dugalic swished a 3 from the left wing and pulled up for another that might as well have been from Belgrade.
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