- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
No. 2 UCLA takes 2-game lead over No. 8 Michigan in Big Ten race
Lauren Betts' double-double leads Bruins to 69-66 win over Wolverines
Feb. 9, 2026 at 2:15am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
In a highly anticipated matchup, No. 2 UCLA defeated No. 8 Michigan 69-66 on Sunday, taking a two-game lead over the Wolverines in the Big Ten conference race. UCLA's Lauren Betts had a dominant performance with 16 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and three blocks, leading the Bruins to their 17th straight victory since losing to No. 4 Texas in November.
Why it matters
This win solidifies UCLA's position atop the Big Ten standings, as they now hold a two-game lead over Michigan with just a few weeks left in the regular season. The Bruins have proven themselves as one of the top teams in the country, with nine wins over AP Top 25 opponents so far this season.
The details
UCLA outscored Michigan by 14 points over the second and third quarters, leading by as much as 13 points. Betts was the star of the game, shooting 8-of-17 from the field and making an impact on both ends of the floor. The Bruins' supporting cast also contributed, with Kiki Rice scoring 20 points, Gabriela Jaquez adding 13, and Gianna Kneepkens chipping in 12. Michigan's Olivia Olson led the Wolverines with 20 points, but the team's leading scorer, Syla Swords, was limited to just 8 points on 3-of-13 shooting.
- The game was played on Sunday, February 9, 2026.
The players
Lauren Betts
A 6-foot-7 preseason All-America center for UCLA who had a dominant performance with 16 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and three blocks.
Kiki Rice
A talented UCLA player who scored 20 points in the win.
Olivia Olson
Michigan's leading scorer with 20 points in the game.
What’s next
UCLA will travel to face No. 12 Michigan State on Wednesday, while Michigan will visit Northwestern on Thursday.
The takeaway
This win solidifies UCLA's position as one of the top teams in the country, with the Bruins now holding a two-game lead over Michigan in the Big Ten race. The dominant performance by Lauren Betts and the supporting cast shows that UCLA has the depth and talent to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.
