The No. 3 ranked UCLA Bruins are off to a 2-0 start to their season. Head coach Cori Close spoke about her team finding offensive rhythm in a 87-50 win against UC Santa Barbara. Close said the Bruins were inspired by the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
“I showed them (the team) a clip and Kiki Rice is the one who sent it to me, and we showed them a clip of a press conference from the Oklahoma City Thunder and they were talking about the rhythm of their offense,” Close said. “And how to take advantage of the different people that were hot on any given night.”
That was the case for UCLA on Thursday. Lauren Betts, UCLA’s No. 1 option got up just seven field goal attempts but it didn’t cost the Bruins as Gianna Kneepkens, Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez all scored the ball with volume and efficiency to lead the way for the Bruins’ offense.
“They said you’re not going to do it every time but our goal is to touch it more times. That rhythm and flow, every single game,” Close said of the Thunder. “I think that’s where we’re not quite there yet. We’re not playing with great rhythm and so where Gianna is more of a hunter, like ‘Oh, there’s my chance to do that’ instead of a reactor.”
By no means is that a shot at Kneepkens, the Bruins’ new addition is still learning how to go from the No. 1 option to a complementary piece on a terrific UCLA team. The Bruins have a long way to go to bring home a title like the Thunder did but they absolutely have the talent on their roster to be capable of winning a championship.