UCLA Women's Basketball: Big Ten Media Day Will Feature Two Star Bruins

The Bruins begin play in a month.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

UCLA women's basketball center Lauren Betts and guard Kiki Rice will accompany head coach Cori Close to Big Ten Media Day for women's basketball this week, per the Big Ten. Women's basketball Big Ten Media Day will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Close is set to speak in the 9:40 a.m. time window, along with Oregon's Kelly Graves and Indiana's Teri Moren.

Betts and Rice were two of UCLA's leading scorers last season, with Betts ranking first and Rice third. Charisma Osborne finished as the team's second-leading scorer but has gone on to the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.

Betts is entering her junior season and second season with UCLA. The 6-foot-7 center spent her first year of college at Stanford, before transferring to UCLA last year. With the Bruins in 2023-24, Betts nearly averaged a double-double, putting up an average of 14.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game.

Rice is also entering her junior season, and third overall at UCLA. A season ago, she averaged 13.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. She stepped up for the Bruins during the NCAA Tournament, putting up at least 20 points in two of their three March Madness games.

Rice has had a big offseason as she was one of three women's basketball players featured in the documentary Full Court Press, along with Caitlin Clark and Kamilla Cardoso.

Betts and Rice were the top two recruits in the recruiting class of 2022, per ESPN, and expected to lead UCLA this season. Betts and Rice were each named to both the Big Ten Coaches and Media All-Big Ten Preseason Teams, and UCLA is ranked second in the conference behind USC.

The Bruins are seeking to get past the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018, one of the two times they have advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight. The Bruins are still seeking their first NCAA Final Four appearance, and tournament championship.

UCLA women's basketball begins play on Nov. 4 against Louisville. This game will take place in Paris, France, at the Aflac Oui-Play event. USC and Ole Miss will also play in Paris to open up the season.

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UCLA Women's Basketball: Two Bruins Selected to Preseason All-Big Ten Team