No. 2 UCLA claims historic Big Ten crown on sentimental senior night

LOS ANGELES - The stands of Pauley Pavilion were filled with UCLA fans on a sunny Sunday afternoon to watch the Bruins send off their six seniors at the last home game of the regular season, and by the game's end they witnessed history. 

No. 2 UCLA routed Wisconsin 80-60 to remain undefeated in conference play and by doing so, secured their place as the first-ever UCLA women's basketball team to win the conference title outright. 

The fact that clinching the title landed on senior night added just a little bit more poetry to moment for a team that throughout this season, as they dominated the courts, shared openly and often just how much care they had for each other.

Feeling the sentiment

"The whole morning, I was reflecting on my experience here at UCLA and how grateful I am to be here," senior center Lauren Betts said. "The people here have just made this experience so special for me and I'm just so grateful for all my other seniors... I just love these girls so much."

With such an emotionally charged moment happening right before a basketball game, balancing the rightful feelings of joy and the focus needed for the game can be a difficult thing. In that situation, it can fall to the head coach to guide the ship and balance everyone, but as UCLA head coach Cori Close said through slight tears of her own after the game, she was feeling the emotions herself.

"It was a hard balance. Sometimes these senior games can go either way. Sometimes the emotion just fuels you and you just play at such a high level," Close said. "I was sort of walking a fine line of, 'Hey, I want you to enjoy all this. I want you to take it all in. And, we've got a job to do."

How the game actually went

UCLA won by 20 points, but for most of the game, Wisconsin made the contest far more competitive than what might have been expected. That being said, the Bruins still shot 41.8% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. 

They did commit 10 turnovers, which on a regular day, Close might have more of an issue with, but considering the circumstances, she planned to let her players slide for at least one day.

What's next is, of course, is a NCAA national championship. This season's Bruins may be the first outright conference winners in program history, but there's one UCLA team that comes before them when it comes to national championships, just not in the NCAA.

The 1977-78 Bruins won the national championship in the AIAW, before it merged with the NCAA. Close is intentional about honoring this team and just how important the programs of the past are to her and her team now.

History and what comes next

She also didn't shy away from lofty, and valid, claims about just how good this season's team has been and will continue to be.

"The reality is this is one of the best teams in UCLA history, no question," Close said. "They have done some things in our current landscape that haven't been done before. So, always wanting to honor the past and the reality of what was accomplished and also really honor the trails that these young women have blazed."

In the final moments of the game, Betts, senior guard Kiki Rice, graduate guard Gianna Kneepkens and senior forward Gabriela Jaquez were subbed out all at once. Freshman forward Sienna Betts, freshman guard Christina Karamouzi, freshman guard/forward Lena Bilic and redshirt sophomore forward Amanda Muse came in for them in a changing of the guard.

The seniors had about 15 seconds to enjoy the bench before the game ended and the trophy came out, cementing them in UCLA history forever. 

"That's the reason we all came here, is to do things UCLA has never done before and win a lot of games and win championships," Jaquez said.