[ad_1]
LONG BEACH — Cori Close became the winningest UCLA women’s basketball coach in program history Saturday afternoon when the Bruins beat Long Beach State 102-51 at Walter Pyramid.
Close now has 297 wins in her 14 seasons with UCLA. She surpassed Billie Moore, who coached the Bruins from 1977-1993 and died in 2022 after a battle with multiple myeloma.
“I remember specifically I was playing at UC Santa Barbara and we were driving down to UCLA playing against a really good Billie Moore team,” Close told reporters Friday. “And I remember thinking like, ‘Wow, she’s it.’”
“It’s with great humility that I have a chance to even coach in the same place, to be talked about in the same language and it gives me a chance to say thank you, Billie — wherever you are. I hope you’re looking down, and we are representing your sacrifice because she did so much for the sport.”
The Bruins got Close her win in dominant fashion, using a significant height advantage and stacking up a 28-8 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Forward Angela Ducalić had an efficient night of shooting, making all seven of her shots by halftime for 16 points. She released the ball with ease wherever she was on the court and swished a deep 3-pointer from behind the top of the key late in the second quarter.
The 6-foot-4 Dugalić finished with 22 points. UCLA also got double-doubles from 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts (22 points and 10 rebounds) and 6-foot-4 forward Janiah Barker (19 points and 10 rebounds).
Jada Crawshaw led Long Beach State with 19 points.
With Long Beach not having a player taller than 6-3 on its roster, the Bruins had a physical advantage and Betts was able to disrupt or block shots in her signature way, even when the Beach opted for mid-range shots.
UCLA has been emphasizing rebounding throughout the week after Washington beat them on the boards in its Big Ten-opening victory last week. The Bruins won that battle 51-22 against a Long Beach State team that played scrappy down low.
Long Beach State had a coaching history moment of its own at halftime when it honored Joan Bonvicini — a Hall of Fame coach at the school who compiled a 325-71 overall record in her 12 years at Long Beach State.
Eleven of Bonvicini’s 12 teams finished the season ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll and two of her teams reached the NCAA Final Four.
0 Comments