LOS ANGELES (AP) — Janiah Barker recorded her fourth double-double of the season, tallying 12 points and 13 rebounds as top-ranked UCLA secured a dominant 69-37 victory over Cal Poly on Monday night at Pauley Pavilion. Joining Barker in the scoring effort were Londynn Jones and Angela Dugalic, both contributing 12 points each in UCLA’s triumphant return to their home court since claiming the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll on November 25. Timea Gardiner also had a strong performance, adding 11 points for the Bruins who unfortunately played without their leading scorer and rebounder Lauren Betts, sidelined due to a lower leg injury. Betts, averaging an impressive 19.8 points per game, was dearly missed by the team.
On the opposing end, Mary Carter put up 11 points for Cal Poly (4-6), who have now suffered four losses in their last five outings. The Mustangs showed improvement from their previous visit to Los Angeles, where they were defeated 90-35 by No. 7 USC on November 9. For UCLA (11-0), this victory marks the second consecutive season and the third time in Coach Cori Close’s 14-year tenure at Westwood that the Bruins have started off with 11 straight wins, positioning themselves as a formidable force in women’s college basketball.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Annika Shah’s 3-pointer narrowed the gap to 25-16 early in the second quarter, prompting a strong response from the Bruins. UCLA went on a 12-2 run, highlighted by crucial 3-pointers from Dugalic, to extend their lead and maintain control over the game. Reflecting on the overall performance, the statistics reveal the disparity in shooting efficiency between the two teams, as the Mustangs struggled to find their rhythm, shooting a mere 25.9% from the field (14 of 54) and converting only 2 of 15 attempts in the fourth quarter.
Looking ahead, both teams are set to return to action on Friday with Cal Poly hosting Seattle University and UCLA taking on Creighton in the Invisalign Bay Area Women’s Basketball Classic in San Francisco. As the season progresses, fans can stay updated on the latest news and rankings by signing up for poll alerts and following the AP Top 25 throughout the women’s college basketball season.
