UCLA Dominates Baylor, Betts Shines and Close Reflects on Growth

However, the postgame conversation revolved around Coach Cori Close, who delivered insightful reflections on her team’s performance, their season aspirations, and her personal growth as a leader. 

Close commended Baylor’s versatility and physicality, emphasizing the Bruins’ preparation for the matchup.

“They really had our attention in the preparation. … Baylor averages 81 points, and we held them to 57,” Close said. “I thought we had some really good segments. In the first quarter alone, we had four kills. … The things I can’t teach are the commitment to defense. They have to choose that, and then I’ve got players like Gabs [Jaquez], who had 12 rebounds, 11 points and 16 passion plays. That ignited us right off the bat.”

Close highlighted Jaquez’s “winner’s mentality” as pivotal.

“She understands what we’re trying to get accomplished. … She could care less about who gets the credit; she’s just a winner,” Close said.

Despite the victory, turnovers remain a concern for UCLA. The Bruins committed 18 turnovers, allowing Baylor to score 19 points off them. Close acknowledged this flaw but found solace in how the team mitigated its impact.

“The bad news is we had tons of turnovers … but the good news is a lot of those were offensive fouls, so they weren’t live-ball turnovers,” she said. “That was our number one key besides rebounding: slowing them down in transition.”

Close emphasized the need to improve, setting a benchmark of fewer than 12 turnovers per game.

“Eighteen is just way too much,” she said. “But the only reason that made it palatable … was that most of them were dead-ball turnovers.”

Close also reflected on how last year’s challenges shaped her and the program.

“Last year would be in my top five hardest losses of my career," she said. " … It was just as important for me to get better and to be hungry to improve just as much as I expected from them.”

This growth, coupled with strong recruiting and the team’s commitment to building character, has been a cornerstone of UCLA’s current success.

UCLA will now prepare to face Rutgers on Thursday at Jersey Mike’s Arena. With their defense-first mentality and hunger for growth, the Bruins appear primed for a deep postseason run.