The UCLA women’s basketball team is ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press women’s basketball poll for the first time in program history.
The Bruins beat defending national champion South Carolina, the previous top team in the polls, on Sunday afternoon to rise from the No. 5 spot. The Gamecocks are now No. 4.
UCLA is out to a 5-0 start this season and took down South Carolina 77-62 in a sold-out Pauley Pavilion. The accomplishment marked the first time in program history that the Bruins beat a No. 1 team.
It’s the first time South Carolina lost a game in 602 days after a 43-game winning streak and it was the largest loss for South Carolina since March 2019 (15 points).
“This means a lot because of the respect we have (for South Carolina),” UCLA head coach Cori Close said after the game. “That being said, we expected to win.”
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Bruins center Lauren Betts made the Big Ten Basketball Weekly Honor Roll after recording a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds in Sunday’s game. Londynn Jones led UCLA with 15 points and went a perfect 5-for-5 on 3-pointers.
UCLA next heads to Honolulu for the Rainbow Wahine Showdown, which begins on Friday against UT Martin. Big Ten Conference play begins on Dec. 8 at Washington.