ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Lauren Betts scored 21 points on 9 of 12 shooting and No. 3 UCLA routed San Diego State 77-53 on Monday night in the teams’ season opener.
Gabriela Jaquez added 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, and former Pac-12 freshman of the year Charlisse Leger-Walker had 12 points and five assists for the Bruins in what was billed as the Orange County Hoops Classic. They made the 44-mile trip to Honda Center in Orange County on the same night the 12th-ranked Bruins men’s team opened at Pauley Pavilion.
The Bruins are coming off a Final Four appearance last season.
Six of UCLA’s first eight games will be played at neutral sites, including two visits to Las Vegas in a three-week span.
Kaelyn Hamilton scored 11 points, and Nat Martinez and Nala Williams had 10 each for the Aztecs. They were better in 3-point shooting than the Bruins, hitting 10 of 25, with Hamilton making three.
Betts got double-teamed most of the game, but at 6-foot-7, she was the tallest player on the court and often outmuscled the Aztecs’ defense down low. The Bruins controlled the boards, 49-25, with Amanda Muse grabbing seven off the bench.
The Bruins broke the game open in the third, opening with a 16-2 run that produced a 29-point lead, their largest of the game. Jaquez had seven points and Betts had six. The Aztecs closed the quarter by outscoring the Bruins 14-5, but still trailed 58-38.
The Bruins were without touted freshman Sienna Betts, younger sister of Lauren, and Timea Gardiner, the team’s leading 3-point shooter last season who has a knee injury. Betts hurt her lower left leg in a scrimmage.
The Bruins beat the Aztecs for the seventh straight time and lead the all-time series 26-6.
Up next
San Diego State hosts Cal State San Marcos on Saturday.
UCLA hosts UC Santa Barbara in the Bruins’ home opener on Thursday.
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By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
