03/21/26 11:12:00
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03/21 23:11 CDT UCLA clamps down after halftime, steamrolls Cal Baptist 96-43
in March Madness
UCLA clamps down after halftime, steamrolls Cal Baptist 96-43 in March Madness
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --- After giving up five 3-pointers in a competitive first
half, UCLA had seen enough. The Bruins allowed just one in a dominant second
half on the way to a 96-43 rout of Cal Baptist in the opening round of March
Madness on Saturday night.
The top-seeded Bruins (32-1) were led by Lauren Betts with 22 points and 10
rebounds. Kiki Rice had 18 points --- making all 10 of her free throws --- to
go with seven assists as UCLA opened its bid to return to the Final Four for a
second straight year.
UCLA advanced to a second-round matchup against Oklahoma State (24-9) on Monday.
Buoyed by their raucous fans who traveled 67 miles from Riverside, the scrappy
Lancers (23-10) kept it close for 20 minutes. They led by three points early
before UCLA's 14-3 run put the Bruins back in front to end the first quarter
ahead 23-15.
After two straight baskets by Betts pushed UCLA's lead to 12, Chance Bucher hit
back-to-back 3-pointers that got the Lancers within six early in the second
quarter. Their sixth 3 of the half left Cal Baptist trailing by five before
UCLA went into halftime ahead 44-34.
Then the Bruins got down to business.
They outscored the Lancers 52-9 over the final two quarters. Cal Baptist
finished 6 of 30 from 3-point range.
Bucher had 11 points as the only player in double figures for the WAC regular
season and tournament champion Lancers.
They were hampered when WAC defensive player of the year Emma Johansson picked
up three fouls in nine minutes to start the game. She managed just one block
after being the Division I leader in total blocks this season.
In 2024, the Lancers were making their NCAA Tournament debut and were beaten
84-55 by the Bruins at Pauley Pavilion.
Cal Baptist's men's team also made March Madness and lost to Kansas 68-65 on
Friday.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and
coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
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