Lauren Betts returned to the UCLA lineup after missing four games and Gabriela Jaquez had 21 points and a career-high 15 rebounds as the No. 9 Bruins beat Arizona 66-58 Friday night.
Betts, who had been out for an undisclosed medical reason, didn’t start but entered the game in the first quarter. She scored her first basket on a 6-footer off the glass in the second quarter and finished with six points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots in 27 minutes.
The Bruins had gone 2-2 without Betts, who is averaging 14.8 points and entered Friday with the nation’s best field goal percentage at 68.3%.
UCLA still had a short bench Friday with Angela Dugalic and Lina Sontag playing in the women’s Olympic qualifying tournament in Brazil this weekend. Dugalic is playing for Serbia and Sontag for Germany.
It’s huge,” coach Cori Close said of Betts’ return. “Obviously even more huge because we’re missing Lina and Angela who are with their national teams, and good luck to Germany and Serbia.