UCLA looks unstoppable after dismantling of Iowa for Big Ten tournament championship

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – UCLA’s dominance reached a new height on Sunday in the Bruins’ masterful takedown of Iowa to claim the Big Ten tournament title for the second-straight season. 

The game was over as soon as it began. UCLA finished the first quarter leading 22-5 and just kept rolling beyond that to a 51 point victory 96-45. The game was a microcosm of everything that has made UCLA great this season and was a true testament to the stunning depth that has carried the Bruins to a program-record 25 straight wins and still counting. 

“It’s just a team effort," senior guard Kiki Rice said after the game in a televised postgame interview. “We do it every single day. We fight for each other. We play for each other and I love this group."

Whole team dominance

Six different Bruins scored in the double digits with graduate guard Gianna Kneepkens leading the way with 19 points while shooting 6-11 from the field and 4-8 from beyond the arc. 

Freshman forward Sienna Betts had the best performance of her debut season scoring 14 points along with seven rebounds and five assists while shooting nearly perfect from the field, 7-8.

Betts’ performance was the sign of everything that the Bruins expected of her and more when she joined the team ahead of this season. She featured the same kind of overwhelming physicality that has made her sister and teammate senior center Lauren Betts so dominant and the younger Betts showed off elite midrange shooting and dynamic movement under the hoop. 

Rice was named the tournament Most Outstanding Player after the game as the confetti fell and the Bruins hoisted their second trophy in as many weeks. 

The Big Ten First-Team selection averaged 16.7 points and 5.3 assists in the tournament while displaying lockdown defense and valuable playmaking on the court. 

Pursuing greatness

The Bruins have continued to show why they have been one of the best teams in the country the entire season and why they have a legitimate case to not only contend with UConn, which has been the the No. 1 team in the nation throughout the season, but surpass the Huskies for the number one spot. 

As a team, UCLA shot 63.5% from the field and 50% from three in one of the best offensive performances from any team this season and set a Big Ten tournament record with 31 assists, but the defense the Bruins put on display may have been even more impressive. 

Not only did they hold Iowa to 45 points, but their stifling defense limited the Hawkeyes to just a 27.9% field goal percentage. 

The next step is the Big Dance. UCLA has huge momentum to carry into the NCAA tournament and despite their dismantling of Iowa, head coach Cori Close isn’t satisfied with her team’s abilities just yet.

“I think we obviously did some really good things and were locked in, but I actually don’t think we’re there yet," Close said in a televised postgame interview. “I think that’s what’s made them special is that they’ve been really willing to go, ‘Hey, we can get 1% better today.’ We can do a great job… really questing to get the best version of ourselves today. Not comparing what’s down the road, but just really getting better today."