The No. 11 UCLA Bruins looked a bit sharper in their second game of the season, knocking off UC Irvine 78-42 on Thursday to move to 2-0 on the young season. 

Hot start and a strong finish

After battling in the first half in the season opener against Lehigh, the Bruins got off to a much better start this time around. UCLA led 23-8 after the first quarter, as the team didn’t allow the lesser-talented Anteaters to stick around.

UCLA finished strong too, pitching a shutout in the fourth quarter. The Bruins didn’t allow a single fourth quarter point, which is a good sign for a new-look Cori Close defense that no longer has Lauren Betts roaming the paint. Four different Bruins recorded a block, as rim protection will likely be a group effort this season.

Active paws by the Bruin defense

KK Bransford led UCLA with four steals and freshman Somto Okafor looks like a very promising defender on the wing for UCLA. Okafor notched three steals in 23 minutes off the bench on Thursday. Okafor grabbed three steals in the opener on Monday beginning her UCLA career with back-to-back three steal games.

Sienna the Scorer

UCLA had four scorers in double-figures but it was sophomore forward Sienna Betts leading the team with 17 points on 8-10 shooting in just 21 minutes. Junior guard Elina Aarnisalo added 14 points with five rebounds and five assists but did turn the ball over six times.

Timea Gardiner looks like she's right back at home

Timea Gardiner continues to look strong in her return to action. Gardiner missed all of last season but the forward scored 12 points, grabbed five rebounds and knocked down a pair of threes. The three point line was still a battle for UCLA though, shooting 25% on 24 three point attempts.

It was an improved showing for the national champions, with UCLA displaying an elite defense that will be crucial to their success this season. UCLA will have a full week before their next game, as they’ll host Arizona next Thursday.