By JILL PAINTER LOPEZ The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Gabriela Jaquez had 21 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, Kiki Rice scored 20 points and the ninth-ranked UCLA women’s basketball team beat Arizona, 66-58, on Friday night at Pauley Pavilion in Lauren Betts’ return to the lineup.
Rice shot 9 for 12 from the field and scored 10 of her points in the first quarter, while Jaquez scored 10 points in the third quarter.
UCLA (18-4 overall, 7-4 Pac-12) led 31-28 at halftime and 48-43 after three quarters and always seemed to have an answer for Arizona (12-11, 4-7).
The Bruins went on a 9-0 run in the third quarter to take a 40-32 lead. When Arizona pulled within three points at 52-49 in the fourth, the Bruins went on a 7-0 run to extend their lead to 59-49.
Betts returned to the lineup after missing four games for an undisclosed medical reason. The Bruins were 2-2 without her and Coach Cori Close had said she expected the 6-foot-7 center to return this season.
Betts participated in warmups Friday but didn’t start and entered the game in the first quarter.
Betts, who has the nation’s best field-goal percentage at 68.3% and was averaging more than 15 points per game, scored her first basket in her return on a 6-footer off the glass in the second quarter and finished with six points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots in 26 minutes.
UCLA had a short bench with Angela Dugalic and Lina Sontag playing in the women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Brazil this weekend. Dugalic is playing for Serbia and Sontag for Germany.
Esmery Martinez scored 15 points for Arizona, which was without four players. Kailyn Gilbert added 14 points.
BIG PICTURE
Arizona: The Wildcats are hanging tough in the middle of the pack in the top-heavy Pac-12. If they can make the NCAA Tournament – and the conference will undoubtedly send many teams – the high level of competition should prove beneficial.
UCLA: The outlook looks bright with Betts back.
UP NEXT
UCLA…
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