"Illinois was a tight game and I actually thought there was some great value in that we were challenged,"
"They cut it to five in the second half and we had to practice poise and make some adjustments to how they were playing. They're the first team that's played us one-on-one in the post. We had to make some adjustments in our defense in the second half. I could've coached better. I could've made adjustments in the first half to disrupt their rhythm. We got challenged, we had to respond with less margin for error and had to do it quick in a pressurized, hostile environment. That'll be a lesson that bodes well for us as we go down the stretch to possibly a more contested game against Iowa."
UCLA (20-1, 10-0 Big Ten) enters a home game against No. 8 Iowa on a 14-game winning streak and a No. 2 national ranking behind Connecticut. The Bruins won 80-67 at Illinois despite shooting 1-for-10 from three and facing execution issues. All-American center Lauren Betts had 23 points and nine rebounds despite early foul trouble. Coach Cori Close emphasized that the team was challenged, had to practice poise, and made defensive adjustments after facing post play. Senior Kiki Rice noted Illinois' strong young core and a difficult environment. Iowa arrives after an upset loss to USC.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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