LOS ANGELES – The NCAA Tournament is just over two months away and the No. 3 UCLA Bruins (17-1, 7-0) look unstoppable.
They’ve toppled another Big 10 rival and fellow Top 25 team in No. 12 Maryland (17-3, 5-3) with a 30 point blowout and 97-67 victory.
Advertisement
Five different Bruins scored in the double digits on Sunday with senior forward Gabriela Jaquez leading the way with 22 points while shooting 10-13 from the field and 2-3 from three point range.
Gabriela Jaquez #11 and Charlisse Leger-Walker #5 of the UCLA Bruins celebrate after a play during an NCAA basketball game against the Maryland Terrapins, Sunday January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Gabriela Jaquez #11 and Charlisse Leger-Walker #5 of the UCLA Bruins celebrate after a play during an NCAA basketball game against the Maryland Terrapins, Sunday January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
The end result may have been a blowout for the Bruins, but the start was dicey. The Terrapins kept it close early in the game and trailed just 25-17 by the end of the first quarter. Things quickly got away from them after that, but Close clearly wasn’t satisfied with the way UCLA began the game no matter the way it ended.
Advertisement
“We didn’t start out very well. We didn’t defend the three point line the way that we needed to,” Close said. “We had 10 turnovers at half, which I was not happy about, but on top of that we still scored 47 points. That just shows you how far below your potential you’re playing.”
What has been so outstanding for the Bruins this season has been their depth and their variety. Just about every member of the roster, especially the starting five, have the potential to go off on any given night. While last season’s Final Four reaching formula was largely reliant on senior center Lauren Betts, this season’s roster is filled to the brim with talented shooters and dynamic scorers, so much so that Betts can afford to play just 22 minutes on Sunday and have an opportunity to rest while the remainder of her team takes over the game.
Advertisement
For Leger-Walker and senior guard Gianna Kneepkens, who both transferred to the Bruins from elsewhere, this kind of dynamic is foreign to them. Both guards came from programs where they were relied on to be the leading scorers, whereas now they have the opportunity to be one of many and work together like a unit.
“That is part of the reason i came here. I just wanted to be on a team where it was really hard to scout us because you can choose someone to try and take away, but there’s four to six other people that you’re going to have to worry about,” Kneepkens said.
Graduate guard Charlisse Leger-Walker assumed the role of field general in Sunday’s game and she did a little bit of everything to help power the Bruins to a win. Leger-Walker brushed up against a triple-double with 17 points, nine rebounds and eight assists and she seemed to control the temperature of the team with her very presence.
By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Bruins were having fun with it. While they didn’t slow down the tempo for even a moment despite leading by double digits, there was still an opportunity to experiment with different plays. Freshman forward Sienna Betts pulled up from the top of the arc for her first three pointer of the season and just her third attempt. Leger-Walker fed Jaquez with a behind-the-back assist in the paint that Jaquez took home with a layup.
“I want them [UCLA] to play free. They’ve earned that,” Close said. “As long as they stay 3:1 [assists to turnover ratio] or better, then have fun with it. So, I just enjoyed it. The crowd’s getting to see what I get to see every day.”
Advertisement
