Learn more about the No. 1 team in the nation before the Buckeyes tip off in Los Angeles.
Wednesday night is a matchup of No. 1 and No. 2 in the Big Ten when Ohio State women’s basketball travels to the West Coast to face the No. 1 UCLA Bruins.
The Bruins are the last undefeated team remaining in the country, and boast not only a dominant big in center Lauren Betts, but an experienced side that’s grown together over the last two seasons.
To learn more about the team from someone who knows them well, Land-Grant Holy Land reached out to Mike Regalado at the Bruin Report. Regalado covers the Bruins women’s basketball team and spent a little time talking about how Betts has improved this season, the growing partnership of guard Kiki Rice and Betts and looking ahead to a blockbuster matchup between the Bruins and Trojans.
That and more in the latest Visiting Locker Room:
Land-Grant Holy Land: With JuJu Watkins just down the road getting a lot of National Player of the Year talk, Lauren Betts is putting together a season that should have her near the top of the conversation. What has Betts improved upon this season to make her even more dangerous than last season?
Bruin Report: From what I see, she has improved her confidence, rim protection, and footwork. The last one is essential to how she plays on both sides of the floor. This season, when she’s not getting double/triple teamed, she moves seamlessly in the paint. It also helps that she has become a leader on the team, one of many.
LGHL: Can you talk about the partnership between Kiki Rice and Betts? They showed glimpses of their potential last season but this year they’ve hit another level.
BR: We saw what this team was capable of last season with Rice and Betts running the floor. Now, with a year under their belt, and with the assistance of the other four juniors, they are rolling. The chemistry and experience is a huge thing, one that head coach Cori Close has not had in her time in Westwood.
LGHL: Last season, the Bruins came to Columbus and Betts pretty much had her way inside against an experienced Buckeye team. This season, Ohio State is faster and has an improved interior game. How have the Bruins done against teams who focus on speed and disruption?
BR: UCLA is also a team that can play fast. What is scary is that they are also quick on defense. The starting backcourt of Rice, Londynn Jones, and Gabriela Jaquez are defensive stoppers. Though they will not stop every attempt on the defensive end, they have been known to shut teams down.
Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images
LGHL: Big Ten voters had the Trojans No. 1 in the conference’s preseason polling, but the Bruins now lead the nation and haven’t slowed down yet. Can you talk about the gravity of the upcoming matchups between UCLA and USC?
BR: The UCLA-USC game is going to be huge. It was huge last season as both games were sold out and with both teams most likely being top 10 teams, it will draw the same crowd. Both teams matchup well and will no doubt go right at each other. But that’s not the only tough game over the next two weeks as UCLA faces No. 8 Ohio State Wednesday, at Oregon on Sunday, at No. 7 USC next Thursday, and then No. 20 Michigan State the following Sunday.
Needless to say, it will be a tough stretch.