The Bruins dominate the Cornhuskers but are focused on getting better

Under the championship banners in Pauley Pavillion, the home built by John Wooden, a vibrant and raucous crowd was alive with robust, unmistakable energy as the UCLA Bruins welcomed Nebraska to town for their Big Ten home opener. The weight of history and tradition presses and looms on their shoulders. For the undefeated Bruins, the No. 1 team in the nation, their conference opener was an opportunity for them to make a statement.

The Bruins returned to Westwood for the first time in nine days. They returned to an energetic Pauley Pavilion, thick with the palpable buzz of the holiday season. They had rested, practiced, and prepared for this. Yet, the unfolded narrative was as much about the game's crescendos as the quiet subtext woven through every moment.

UCLA's Lauren Betts, who had been sidelined due to a leg injury, returned in a way that was nothing short of poetic. Returning to the court felt like she had never left, except for the nerves that clung to her as she laced up her shoes.

"Obviously, I was a little bit nervous," Betts said, as her voice tinged with a vulnerability that felt both real and relatable. "But my teammates and coaches built me up. They helped relieve some of those nerves."

And deliver she did. Betts scored 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and reminded the nation of her dominance. Her physical and mental presence was a linchpin in UCLA's dominance. She controlled the boards, locked down Nebraska players on defense, and switched seamlessly between positions.

But Betts' return wasn't the only thing that excited the fans. Kiki Rice, with her smooth, almost effortless precision, was the embodiment of the word "flawless" as she put up 18 points, made all eight of her field goal attempts, and turned defense into offense with four steals. The rhythm was there for Rice, who saw the game unfold before her as if it had already been written. She looked in complete control, a player who's evolved, found her flow and is still finding ways to surprise herself.

Yet, if any underlying thread pulled the game together, it was the raw and unfiltered reality that, despite the dominant scoreline, 91-54, the Bruins knew they weren't at their best. Coach Cori Close, celebrating her 300th career win at UCLA, offered a self-aware reflection about the balance between success and growth. "We responded in the second half. Dominated, really," Close said. "That being said, we weren't mentally focused. We need to play better team basketball." The word "teamwork" lingered in the air like a challenge.

Despite the 26 turnovers, which Coach Close called "unacceptable," the Bruins responded with aggression and a defensive intensity that's become their trademark. They locked down Nebraska's two top players, Alexis Markowski, who had been averaging 15 points a game, was held to just three. Their defense was suffocating, their rotations sharp, and their swarming pressure on the ball had Nebraska rattled, unable to find any consistency.

Rice, ever humble, reflected on her performance. "I felt like I got good looks at the rim...kind of the shots I practiced a lot and know I can knock down." But she also recognized a more profound shift had occurred. "Defense has been a big area of my game that I've been working on this season," she said, eyes glinting with the quiet confidence of someone who knows how much work has been put in.

Betts emphasized what it meant to push through physical and mental barriers. "Just reminding myself of who I am," Betts said. For Betts, basketball appears more than a game, it is about identity, resilience, and embracing the totality of who she is, not just a basketball player but a daughter, a sister, and a friend.

The Bruins have grown as a team in ways that aren't always obvious on the stat sheet. They've learned to push one another, rise in the face of adversity, and come together in ways that are not always polished but deeply authentic. You could see this in how they moved on the floor, how Rice's steals led to fast breaks, how Betts' ability to switch across positions disrupted Nebraska's offense, and how Janiah Barker stepped in with eight points and eight rebounds in just 17 minutes.

Amid all the raw emotion, Coach Close, who seemed to embody the grit and grace of the entire program, reflected on the significance of her milestone victory, her 300th as head coach. "I didn't even know," Close said, laughing softly as confetti rained from the rafters. "I'm just focused on being present."

But you could see the weight of her words and how deeply the journey had impacted her. "I'm thankful for this, for the chance to still be here with these amazing people. It's not about the wins. It's about the relationships, the stories we get to tell."

At that moment, amid the confetti, celebration, and victory, it became clear: This is not just a team. It is a family. A sisterhood bound together by their love of basketball and a shared sense of purpose that transcends any stat sheet or scoreboard.

And, when it was all said and done, it wasn't about the 91 points scored or the 54 they held Nebraska to. It isn't about Betts' return, Rice's flawless game or Close's 300 wins. It is about the journey. The process. The love, the grit, and the understanding that sometimes, the most challenging lessons are learned when things don't go as planned. "You gotta keep getting better," Coach Close reminded her team. And in that moment, it was clear that the Bruins were already on their way to doing just that.