Lauren Betts drops 4-word reaction after Kiki Rice leads UCLA in blowout win vs Creighton
Junior guard Kiki Rice was the leading scorer in UCLA's 70-41 win over Creighton on Friday. Her standout outing fueled the lopsided victory for the Bruins, who were playing without star stalwart Lauren Betts due to injury.
In support of her star guard and the team as a whole, Betts took to her Instagram story to repost a picture of her on the Pauley Pavilion sidelines, cheering them on with a four-word message.
"Proud of my girlies," she captioned.
The third-year center sat the game out due to a leg injury she dealt with last Saturday during UCLA's 51-point triumph against Long Beach State. Even with the post-game injury, she still finished with 22 points and 10 caroms.
But, even with her unavailable to play, the Bruins looked like the dominant team they have been this season. Aside from Rice, swingman Angela Dugalic stepped up with a double-double of 13 markers and 14 boards.
Wins like these just go to show how deep this 2024-25 Bruins squad really is. Rice and company were able to come out victorious despite not having Betts, who averages 19.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per contest.
With the victory, UCLA stays as the AP No. 1-ranked team and will have that nod heading into the games for the Big Ten Conference on the heels of their unbeaten 12-0 record.
Next up on the Bruins' schedule is a meeting against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Dec. 29 in the same venue.
When will Lauren Betts make her return?
Betts sitting out for the Creighton game is said to have been precautionary, as UCLA can't afford to lose their standout forward for an extended period, given that Big Ten games are coming soon.
The team's next game isn't due for another week, meaning we may see Betts back in action sooner rather than later. Nevertheless, coach Cori Close and the rest of her coaching staff will closely monitor her to avoid further damage.
With the Bruins in the midst of possibly their best start in program history, they will need to pull off all of the stops in order to uncork a deep run in March—which they will need Betts in full strength to accomplish alongside players like Rice and Dugalic.