LOS ANGELES - Indiana (14-13, 3-12) didn't present much of a challenge for No. 2 UCLA (25-1, 15-0) after the Bruins blew out the Hoosiers 92-48 on Sunday, but UCLA's real test was just how lopsided the matchup was.
One of UCLA head coach Cori Close's particular frustrations with the Bruins is their tendency to play down to their opponents. Their discipline tends to slip when the game is well in their favor, leading to some ugly possessions or ugly quarters.
That was most on display after their 40-point win over Rutgers on Feb. 4 and Close emphasized how much she needed the Bruins to stay disciplined and play to their standards no matter what.
They certainly made that adjustment on Sunday. After a slow star shooting just 36.4% from the field, the Bruins took over the rest of the game with lockdown defense and wildly efficient offense, shooting 46.2% from the field overall and out-rebounding the Hoosiers 51-24.
Staying competitive
"The way we continued to compete throughout the whole game regardless of what's on the scoreboard was something that I was really proud of as a group," senior guard Kiki Rice said. "We've set some tough goals for us in terms of limiting our turnovers, winning the rebounding battle on both ends of the floor... to see us get those goals, that's a testament to the way we've continued to work."
What stood out the most when it came to UCLA's discipline was the team's turnovers, or lack thereof. UCLA had just four turnovers as a team against Indiana while having 16 assists.
Their tight control of the ball was a major departure from the 14 turnovers the Bruins committed against No. 13 Michigan State on Feb. 11 and Close was determined to make sure a performance like that never happened again.
She did that with a team cardio session where every Bruin had to do sprints on a standing bike while watching every turnover from that game on screens in front of them.
It got the message across, to say the least.
Close pushing the Bruins
"I just care about them so much. It doesn't come out of a punishment, it comes out of a discipline toward the standard," Close said. "If I love them well, then I'm going to hold them to what I know they can do and become... What I love about this team is... They want to be held to the highest standards. They want to be challenged."
The Bruins won't have many more easy games on paper with the regular season drawing to a close, but no matter the opponent, adhering to the standard that they've shown they're more than capable of is a trait that can take the Bruins far this season, and it could take them all the way to the NCAA Championship.