UCLA Women’s Basketball to Face Tennessee After โคResilient Week
LOS ANGELES – UCLA will conclude aโ challenging week of basketball by hosting No. 14 Tennesseeโฃ on Sunday at Pauley Pavilion.The Bruins (6-1) rebounded from their first loss of the season -โฃ an 88-79 defeat against Texas – with an impressive 93-63 victory over Dukeโฃ on Wednesday, despite โคplaying without starting center Lauren Betts.
UCLA’s โearly season schedule has been demanding,โ testing the team’s resilience and depth. Tennessee (5-1) presents another significant challenge as the Bruins โnear โthe end of their non-conference play.
Tennessee’s record stands at 5-1,with their โขsole loss โcoming โคagainst No. 9 NC State.The Volunteers reached the Sweet 16 of last year’s NCAA Tournament, falling to Texasโ 67-59. Talaysia Cooper leads Tennessee in scoring with 16.2 points per game, alongside 7.7 reboundsโข and 4.0 assists.
theโ game will โfeature a familiar โface for UCLA fans, as โJaniah โBarker, who was a member of the Bruins’ Final Four team last season, now plays a key role for Tennessee.โค Barker is averaging 15.2 points per โgame, a significant increase โขfromโข her 7.4 points per game average while comingโค off the benchโ for UCLA.
Tennessee โboastsโ size in the frontcourt โwithโ Barker and โforward Lazariaโฃ Spearman, both 6’4″, which โcoudl test UCLA afterโค the Bruins were challenged physically in the first โฃhalfโค against Texas.
UCLA’s frontcourt depth may be limited, as โTimea Gardinerโค and Sienna Betts are still awaiting their season debuts. Head โคcoach Cori Close stated on Thursday that Lauren Betts’โ status โfor Sunday’s game remains undecided following her absence in the win overโข Duke.
Following Sunday’s contest, โUCLA’s schedule eases up, withโ their next game against a ranked opponent โnot scheduled until January 3rd against USC.