Shortcomings Hold Indiana Women’s Basketball Back As No. 1 UCLA Prevails 73-62

Poor second quarter, lack of 3-point shooting, UCLA star Lauren Betts keeps Indiana from pulling off upset.

UCLA's Lauren Betts (51) is tied up by Indiana's Lillly Meister (52) and Henna Sandvik (21) during the Indiana versus UCLA women's game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana did a lot of things right against No. 1 UCLA at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The defense was solid for stretches of the game. And there were times when Indiana was able to solve UCLA’s size advantage and get some offense going.

But as it so often happens against a team of UCLA’s caliber, shortcomings in a game are magnified. Indiana’s shortcomings – a poor second quarter and the lack of 3-point shooting – cost the Hoosiers as they fell 73-62 on Saturday.

Indiana only scored five points in the second quarter, and the Hoosiers were 4 of 21 from 3-point range. Those two holes proved to be too much to overcome.

“It’s obviously frustrating when you have an open shot and not making it,” said Indiana’s Yarden Garzon, who scored 19 points despite a 1 of 8 day from 3-point range.

Besides Indiana’s shortcomings, UCLA’s Lauren Betts had a lot to say about Indiana’s fate. The 6-foot-7 National Player of the Year candidate was as good as advertised. She scored 25 points on 12 of 16 shooting and had 12 rebounds. Her influence was inescapable on both ends of the floor.

“Lilly (Meister) and Strip (Karoline Striplin) were working their tails off. They did everything they could. We were trying to push her out, keep her away from the low block, trying to get the leverage from our legs. We were trying to crowd her as much as we could with other players,” Indiana coach Teri Moren said.

“It was frustrating. She’s a great player. No question about it,” Moren said.

Moren cited another shortcoming that hurt the Hoosiers – especially against a team that can be difficult to break down in the half-court like UCLA.

“Give UCLA credit, I thought they slowed us in transition today and they really tagged us. That’s part of what makes us good is our transition. Playing with space and playing with pace. They did a good job of slowing us down,” she said.

UCLA (15-0, 4-0) flexed its muscle early in the game. Betts converted her first three shots in less than four minutes against comparatively undersized defenders like Meister and Striplin.

“I’ve been dealing with it for a lot of my basketball career. When it comes to these types of games, this is normal,” said Betts, who noted that Indiana fought her well defensively.

“The coaches do a really good job of just putting me in those situations in practice. When it comes to these types of games, it’s normal.”

Her dominance extended to the defensive end as the lane was a no-go zone for the Hoosiers.  It took time for Indiana to adjust to UCLA’s ability to extend its defense with its size. UCLA led 18-7 with 3:09 left in the opening period.

Indiana (10-4, 2-1) did begin to find a formula, however. On the defensive end, the Hoosiers used multiple defenders to cut off Betts’ supply of passes from the perimeter. Indiana’s guards were left to handle UCLA’s distributors, but they did a good job of keeping them from getting into a rhythm. UCLA didn’t score in the final 3:55 of the opening quarter.

Indiana began to draw Betts and other UCLA forwards away from the rim and was effective in driving and kicking. It led to a 9-0 run that sliced the Bruins’ lead to 18-16 by the end of the first period. Indiana appeared to have a beachhead upon which to make an upset bid.

Indiana's Lexus Bargesser (1) blocks UCLA's Kiki Rice (1) during the Indiana versus UCLA women's game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

UCLA, however, had other ideas. The Bruins spread out their offense and found it easier to feed Betts, who missed just two shots of six in the first half.

Indiana’s primary players got into foul trouble, too – five Hoosiers had at least two first half fouls. It incensed Moren to the point where Sydney Parrish had to calm her down after a spirited debate with the officiating crew.

The fouls may have been an annoyance, but UCLA’s nasty defensive response was a bigger irritation for the Hoosiers.

Indiana struggled to get any open looks, and it could not take advantage of the few it got. Indiana had seven second quarter turnovers and didn’t score in the period until the 2:56 mark.

The Hoosiers were 2 of 11 in the second quarter as the Bruins lengthened their lead to 33-21 by halftime.

“Lauren is really difficult. She’s able to be mobile and switch out laterally when we need her to,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “But also, the two things they make a living on are shuffle picks, back picks and the 3-point shot. We were able to go over the top, funnel everything, and Lauren was able to help on all those picks.”

The second quarter that set Indiana back proved to be a shame for the Hoosiers in the final balance. Indiana out-scored UCLA 41-40 in the second half, but the hole had already been dug.

Indiana's Chloe Moore-McNeil (22) shoots during the Indiana versus UCLA women's game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

UCLA never ceded control of the game. The Bruins built a 49-33 lead with 4:03 left in the third quarter. Indiana went on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to nine points under two minutes later, but the Bruins responded with a 5-0 run of their own. Indiana trailed 56-44 at the end of the quarter.

UCLA once again built a larger gap in the final quarter, taking a 65-49 lead with 5:23 left in the contest. This was the point in the game where Indiana needed some 3-point shots to fall, but apart from a Julianna LaMendola connection, Indiana missed all of the rest of its six 3-point attempts in the final period.

In addition to Garzon’s 19 points, Chloe Moore-McNeil had 12 points and Shay Ciezki had 11 points for the Hoosiers. Kiki Rice had 12 points, but was held to 3 of 13 shooting by Moore-McNeil.

Indiana next travels to Northwestern to take on the Wildcats on Wednesday.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• WHAT MOREN SAID: What Indiana women's basketball coach Teri Moren said after Indiana lost to No. 1 UCLA on Saturday. CLICK HERE.

• LIVE BLOG: Follow the action as it happened in the Hoosiers On SI live blog. CLICK HERE.

• INDIANA WOMEN WIN SIXTH STRAIGHT: Wisconsin was routed at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall as the Hoosiers improved to 2-0 in Big Ten play. CLICK HERE.

• PARRISH RETURNS, INDIANA BEATS OAKLAND: Sydney Parrish was back for the Hoosiers as Indiana defeated Oakland 90-55. CLICK HERE.