The fifth-ranked UCLA women’s basketball team faces a stern road test in the Pac-12 against No. 20 Utah on Monday, Jan. 22.
The Bruins have won eight of their 11 last games in Salt Lake City. UCLA has five players in the top 25 scorers in the conference.
Sophomore center Lauren Betts leads the team with 15.6 points per game, followed by Charisma Osborne (14.1), Londynn Jones (13.3), Kiki Rice (12.9) and Gabriela Jaquez (11.5).
Betts is shooting an NCAA-leading .712 field goal percentage through 14 games. She also has 129 rebounds in her 15 appearances, averaging 8.6 rebounds per game this season (23.7 MPG). The center ranks sixth in the conference in rebounds per game.
Rice has 88 assists in 15 appearances this season. Her 5.9 assists per game ranks third in the conference, 19th in the NCAA in assists per game. Osborne has 68 assists.
Utah is riding a two-game win streak over the Bruins. The Utes have been ranked in the top 25 for 10 consecutive weeks. Utah is No. 6 in the NCAA Net Rankings and No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
Utah returned all of last year’s starting five, including All-American and Pac-12 Player of the Year Alissa Pili, who was named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25.
She also earned Preseason AP All-American Honorable Mention…
