UCLA Basketball: Bruins Overcome Slow Start to Defeat Lehigh
The defending champions won their season opener 73-53, snapping a third-quarter slump that had seen them trail for most of the first half.
By Henry Wilson ·
The UCLA women’s basketball team entered Monday’s matinee at Pauley Pavilion as a No. 11 team with no returning starters from the previous year’s championship squad.
The roster included five players from the transfer portal and two true freshmen, a mix that created early offensive struggles against visiting Lehigh of the Colonial League.
The Bruins were tied at 17 after the first quarter and led by only five points at halftime, falling behind the pace set by their new personnel.
UCLA found its footing in the third quarter, outscoring Lehigh 23 to 9 to take control of the game and secure a 73-53 victory.
Sienna Betts led the offense with 14 points and seven rebounds, stepping into a larger role left by her older sister Lauren, who had been an All-American in prior seasons.
Donovyn Hunter, a transfer from TCU, also scored 14 points, while KK Bransford, who arrived from Notre Dame, contributed 10 points.
Senior forward Timea Gardiner played in her first game since April 4, 2025, when she scored three points in a Final Four loss to UConn.
Gardiner had missed the entire title campaign while recovering from a torn ACL and finished with six points and five rebounds in the opener.
Lehigh relied on perimeter scoring to challenge the Bruins, with sophomore Leigh Edwards leading the team with 14 points and senior Gracyn Lovette adding 10.
The win marks the start of a new season for a squad that must rebuild its starting lineup while maintaining its status as national champions.
Source: Pasadena Star-News
