There’s no doubt who’s the top dog in the Big Ten Conference. The UCLA Bruins demolished the No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday 96-45 to win a second-straight Big Ten tournament championship. It was an epic performance for the Bruins, as they head into the NCAA tournament with all the momentum in the world.
Peaking at the right time
Sunday’s game was perhaps UCLA’s best performance of the year. The Bruins defense was as staunch as ever and the UCLA offense was free-flowing, racking up the assist total and proving to be lethal from beyond the arc.
Threes were falling on Sunday for UCLA
UCLA’s three-point shooting has been deadly this season but as of late, it has been more average than excellent. The Bruins had an excellent shooting day on Sunday, burying triple after triple, which buried the Hawkeyes. For the game, UCLA went 13-26 from three.
Sharing is caring for the Bruins
What helped UCLA’s shooting was elite ball movement from the Bruins. They racked up an amazing 34 assists, which was a Big Ten tournament record. When the UCLA offense is shooting the three and moving the ball, they’re incredibly hard to stop.
Everybody played their A-game for UCLA
It’s a bit of a challenge to find standout performers for UCLA on Sunday, as the entire roster played a superb game of basketball. Kiki Rice set the tone in the first quarter and didn’t let up the entire game, scoring 15 points and eight assists with three steals. Gianna Kneepkens scored a game-high 19 points and knocked down four threes.
Freshmen looking feisty
UCLA is rightfully known for their outstanding senior class but on Sunday the freshmen played great for the Bruins too. Sienna Betts scored 14 points on 7-8 shooting with seven rebounds. Lena Bilic and Amanda Muse looked comfortable out there as well, giving the Bruins a glimpse into the future of the program.
UCLA stands above the rest of the Big Ten
It was a Big Ten annihilation for UCLA this year, going a perfect 18-0 during the conference season and then cruising to a second Big Ten tournament title in two years since joining the conference. Now the Bruins’ sights shift to capturing a first-ever NCAA tournament championship.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Big Ten Tournament champs once again: UCLA crushes No. 9 Iowa 96-45
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
