Lauren Betts added another milestone to her standout college career on Wednesday night, scoring 25 points and surpassing 1,500 career points as UCLA rolled past Penn State, 97–61, at the Bryce Jordan Center. The win marked UCLA’s seventh straight victory and another strong statement from one of the nation’s top teams.
Betts was efficient and aggressive from the start, finishing the night 11-for-19 from the field. She scored on a layup just seconds into the game, setting the tone for what quickly became a one-sided matchup. Her presence in the paint caused constant problems for Penn State’s defense, both as a scorer and a leader on the floor.
UCLA wasted little time building a big lead. Gianna Kneepkens and Kiki Rice knocked down back-to-back three-pointers early, and Kneepkens followed with another long-range shot to push the Bruins ahead 13–2 in the first three minutes. Even when Penn State answered with a few baskets, UCLA stayed in control. Kneepkens hit her third three-pointer of the quarter, and the Bruins closed the opening period on a 14–5 run while shooting 58 percent from the floor.
By halftime, UCLA had fully taken over, leading 46–23. The Bruins’ offense continued to roll in the second half, with balanced scoring and strong ball movement keeping Penn State on its heels. UCLA led by as many as 37 points in the fourth quarter, showing no signs of slowing down.
Kneepkens finished with 17 points, while Rice added 16. Sienna Betts chipped in 10 points, giving UCLA four players in double figures. The Bruins improved to 13–1 overall and 3–0 in Big Ten play, continuing an impressive stretch in which they have averaged more than 95 points per game since their lone loss to No. 2 Texas in late November.
For Penn State, Gracie Merkle scored 15 points and Kiyomi McMiller added 13, but the Nittany Lions struggled to keep pace. Penn State dropped to 7–7 overall and 0–3 in conference play and has now fallen to 1–15 against AP Top 10 teams under head coach Carolyn Kieger.
For UCLA, the night belonged to Lauren Betts, whose scoring milestone was matched by a dominant team performance that showed why the Bruins remain one of the most dangerous teams in women’s college basketball