Sienna Betts hits career-high in UCLA win over UCI

LOS ANGELES – No. 11 UCLA (2-0) set the tone early the UCI Anteaters early and never looked back with a mix of defense and standout scoring leading the way in a 78-42 blowout win.

The Bruins took off on a meteoric 23-8 run in the first quarter to put the Anteaters down early and while the ball movement and the scoring looked good early on, the defense looked even better. 

The pace and tenacity of the defense stood out the most in the Bruins' defensive effort as the team combined for six steals in the first quarter alone, with five of those six coming from the combined efforts of senior guard KK Bransford and freshman guard Somto Okafor.

New-Look Defense

"Somto is just amazing on the court, off the court. I kind of see myself a little bit with her physicality and her versatility," Bransford said. "Her ceiling is really high for her and so I just keep trying to mentor her and being able to speak life life into her."

The defense wasn't oppressive to that level the entire game, though. Lapses in the second quarter and especially the third, where the Anteaters had their best scoring quarter of the night at 21 points, revealed that for all the talent that the team has defensively, there are still some issues of consistency to iron out. 

The Anteaters went on as high as 10-0 run midway through the third quarter and finished that same quarter with an additional 6-0 run to remind the Bruins that they aren't invincible. But as for the specific issue of that third quarter, Close took accountability just as much as she asked her team for more on the defensive end. 

"Bad coaching," Close said. "I think I could have done a better job in that third quarter too. I always want to be the example to them about taking responsibility myself. I think there's a bunch of things there, but we weren't the aggressors in that time and were lackadaisical with our passes."

But the fourth quarter seemingly absolved the Bruins of all their previous defensive faults with their most stifling effort yet. They held the Anteaters scoreless in the fourth and added 14 points of their own to shut the door on revelatory night for what the Bruins can grow into.

Career-High for Betts

While the defense was the obvious star of the show, the offense still needed to show up and several starters put together some impressive and collective performances. 

Sophomore forward Sienna Betts led the Bruins with 17 points, a new career-high for the first-time starter, who shot 8-10 from the field and added four rebounds and two assists.

Betts is adapting to a new role as the size focal point of the starting five and with that role also comes the burden of being the opposing defenses' biggest target. 

The defense converged on Betts throughout the night with double and triple teams whenever she touched the ball inside the paint. It's nothing that Betts isn't used to, but now she's learning how to lean on her team to make those coverages less oppressive.

"It's not my first time dealing with double teams. I was in Colorado going to tiny people all the time, so it was pretty bad. But obviously, a different level. Way bigger people, way stronger people, and I think I'm still learning," Betts said. "I think it's just communicating with my teammates and once they understand what the defense is doing and where their player is going, I think we're gonna be able to create beautiful offense out of it."

Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune

Somto Okafor #11 of the UCLA Bruins lays the ball up during an NCAA Women's Basketball game against the UC Irvine Anteaters, Thursday November 5, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.

An off shooting night

Behind Betts in scoring was senior guard Elina Aarnisalo with 14 and senior forward Timea Gardiner with 12. 

It wasn't UCLA's best shooting night, just 6-24 from three point range, though they were 31-68 from the field. Still, UCLA's aggressiveness is till there and with the season being as young as it is, the Bruins aren't worried about an off shooting night just yet. 

Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune

Addy Brown #24 of the UCLA Bruins shoots the ball during an NCAA Women's Basketball game against the UC Irvine Anteaters, Thursday November 5, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.

"We're amazing shooters and I want our guards to shoot as much they can, like I don't really care," Betts said. "These kinds of games, that's what their defense wants us to do. So, I feel like we could have had better recognition [that] they're not falling… just being able to slow down and get the ball inside, outside and work those threes once we're more patient on offense."