How To Watch, Game Preview and Game Thread: #3 UCLA Bruins at Minnesota Golden Gophers
The #3 Bruins complete their road trip when they face the Golden Gophers.
It’s almost a simultaneous doubleheader tonight with the #3 UCLA women’s basketball team taking on the Minnesota Golden Gophers at 5 pm PT and the men starting shortly thereafter at 5:30 pm. Unfortunately for the ladies, their game has been relegated to BIG+, the Big Ten’s subscription service. So, you will need that subscription to watch tonight’s game. The good news is that audio from the game will be available online. So, you can right-click on the link below and listen to the women’s game while watching the men’s game on FS1.
This week, the Bruins benefitted from a loss by Texas to LSU and UCLA is now ranked third in the nation. As long as the Bruins win tonight and on Sunday, things could get really interesting in next week’s Top 25 polls because Texas visits South Carolina tomorrow night. If the Longhorns can be the Gamecocks, it could help the Bruins move up to number two.
But, first, UCLA needs to take care of business against a Golden Gopher team which received votes in both Top 25 polls.
Last Time Out
Sunday’s game against Nebraska was close for the first six minutes. In fact, the Bruins were down 7-6 with about four minutes to go in the first quarter. But then, a jumper by Gianna Kneepkens not only put UCLA ahead, but also started an 11-2 run by the Bruins which gave them a 17-9 lead. The quarter ended with the Bruins up 17-11.
The Huskers closed the gap to three with a three-pointer to start the second quarter. A 9-2 run increased UCLA’s lead to ten and the Bruins would lead by as many as 15 in the second before heading to the locker room with the score 37-25 at the break.
In the third quarter, UCLA increased the lead to as many as 23, but finished the quarter up 61-41.
Just 30 seconds into the fourth, Gabriela Jaquez hit a pair of free throws, the first of which would prove to be the game-winner. The Bruins didn’t take their foot off the gas in the fourth either. With 1:16 to go, Charlisse Leger-Walker hit a three which stretched the UCLA lead to 27 points and the Bruins went on to win 83-61.
All six Bruins who scored in this game finished in double figures. Lauren Betts led with 18 points and she added ten rebounds for another double-double. Kneepkens added 16 and Leger-Walker scored 14. Kiki Rice and Sienna Betts both finished with 12 while Jaquez put up 11.
The Golden Gophers are coached by Dawn Plitzuweit. Before coming to Minnesota, she led South Dakota to a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the 2021-22 season. That led to her being hired by West Virginia. Her Mountaineers were one-and-done in the NCAA Tournament in 2022-23, and Plitzuweit was one-and-done in Morgantown as she left for Minnesota afterwards. In her first two seasons with the Gophers, she compiled a 45-27 record. This year, they are 12-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play.
Plitzuweit will probably start a lineup with three guards, a forward and a center. Let’s look at that probable starting lineup.
Minnesota Golden Gophers’ Starting Five
The Gophers are led by junior guard/forward Grace Grocholski who is averaging 13.9 ppg. Grocholski is also the team’s best three-point shooter with a 48.2% three-point percentage. She’s second on the team in assists with 44 and third in rebounds with an average of 5.2 rpg.
Sophomore guard Tori McKinney is averaging 12.6 ppg. She is second on the team in steals with 26. The other Gopher averaging in double figures is redshirt junior guard Mara Braun who is averaging 10.7 ppg. Braun also leads the team with 12 blocks. The final starting guard will be senior Amaya Battle, who is averaging just 7.7 ppg but who leads the team in assists with 61 and in rebounds with 7.4 rpg.
The team’s starting center will be grad student Sophie Hart. She is averaging 9.6 ppg and 6.4 rpg.
#3 UCLA Women’s Basketball (15-1, 5-0)
Opponent: Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-4, 3-2)
Series Record: UCLA leads, 3-1.
When: 5:00 pm PT, Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Where: Williams Arena, Minneapolis, MN
TV: None
Live Stream: BIG+ with Marisa Cate and Blythe Whealy
Radio/Audio
Satellite Radio: Sirius Ch. 146 and XM Ch. 201 (UCLA Call)
Online: uclabruins.com with Dave Marcus
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Game Notes:
UCLA
Go Bruins!!!
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Wow. Turnovers, smdh.
Gabs!!!