UCLA coach indicates most important player to beat Dawn Staley's South Carolina and it's not Lauren Betts
The UCLA Bruins have a tough task of protecting their 4-0 record in the Big Ten as they host the 5-0 South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday. On Saturday, UCLA coach Cori Close detailed who the team's key player will be, and surprisingly, it's not junior center Lauren Betts, who has been a cornerstone of the Bruins' success this season.
"Kiki Rice is our program's rock," Close said, via Fox Sports. "You don't find it out as much just asking Kiki how she's doing. You find out the most when you ask her teammates about her being back with us off the injury. There's a calm that has come over our group because she's back. That tells you what she means to this team."
Rice has been out with a shoulder injury since the Bruins' season opener, wherein UCLA defeated the Louisville Cardinals, 66-59. Since then, the California-based squad has managed to uncork the undefeated standing with wins of huge margins over Colgate, Pepperdine and Arkansas.
This can be attributed to the overall stellar play of the team and the rise of stalwart Lauren Betts, who has contributed majorly to the squad's success by averaging a monster double-double of 21.5 points, on an efficient 72.2% clip, to go along with 11.5 rebounds.
But, not to take away from Betts's outstanding showing up to this point, Rice's return will be received heavily by the whole team as her tenacious scoring and facilitating will be needed to secure a win against the reigning national champions, USC, and their coach Dawn Staley.
Kiki Rice's work ethic is a testament to UCLA's culture
Last season, Kiki Rice chipped in 13.2 points, 5.7 boards and 4.5 dimes per contest en route to the Bruins' Sweet Sixteen run last year in the NCAA Tournament where they bowed out to LSU, 78-69.
In the same interview, Close recognized Rice's tenacity and said:
"I have been coaching basketball for 32 years and her work ethic is in the top five for the best I've ever seen. Her work ethic is just elite, and the way she attacks the game from an IQ standpoint and studying the game, getting extra work all the time, I have to kick her out of the gym.
"And because of her (Kiki's) example, I now have to kick a lot of players out of the gym. She has created a culture where other players are seeking out extra work that would not be in a place that I have now because of her example. That's greatness." [H/T Fox Sports]
With high praise for her standout guard, Rice's anticipated return will be one that Close will accept with open arms as UCLA looks to go beyond their Sweet Sixteen appearance last season.