BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – This story is part of a series that will continue through October. Is Indiana better than each of its Big Ten opponents?
Nine categories were chosen. There will be no ties in individual categories. Think of it like you would the Supreme Court.
The categories: Point guard play, free throw shooting, inside scoring, perimeter shooting, rebounding, perimeter defense, rim protection, how much proven Power Five talent is on the roster, and intangibles.
The daily series will cover both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and it will alternate between the teams.
Next up is the UCLA women’s basketball team. You may not know them well, but you will soon.
The Bruins (27-7 in 2024) advanced to the Sweet 16 just as the Hoosiers did. Unlike Indiana, UCLA has nearly every player back. Guard Charisma Osborne (13.9 ppg) is the only starter the Bruins lost from a very balanced team.
In losing Osborne, the Bruins went into the transfer portal and grabbed three players who averaged double-figure points at Power Five schools. It’s no wonder UCLA is projected as a top five team nationally.
Here’s how the battle between the Hoosiers and Bruins shakes out.
• Point guard play – Junior Kiki Rice is one of four returning starters and a preseason All-Big Ten selection. A defensive wunderkind, she is an adept scorer (13.2 ppg) who shot well from 3-point range (36.6%).
Rice would be enough of a handful, but UCLA also added Washington State transfer Charlisse Leger-Walker. The graduate student averaged 13.2 points and 5.1 assists for the Cougars. As good as Chloe Moore-McNeil is, this is a whale of a 1-2 punch that can handle the rock. Edge: UCLA.
• Free throw shooting – Both teams have elite shooters at the line. Indiana boasts Shay Ciezki (90.2%), Sydney Parrish (79.2%) and Moore-McNeil (76.1%). UCLA can’t top Ciezki’s elite-level free throw shooting, but what it can do is top Indiana in sheer numbers of quality shooters. Oregon State transfer Timea Gardiner (88.5%), Leger-Walker (81.7%), Rice (81%), guard Londynn Jones (81%) are all over 80%. Two more Bruins topped 70% in 2024. Edge: UCLA.
• Inside scoring – With the loss of Mackenzie Holmes this area is a question mark for the Hoosiers. UCLA has no such worries. Center Lauren Betts (14.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2 bpg) is one of the best post players in the country. The inside scoring doesn’t stop there. UCLA has 6-4 forward Angela Dugalic (8.7 ppg) and two transfers – former Texas A&M forward Janiah Barker (12.2 ppg) and Gardiner (13.2 ppg). Edge: UCLA.
• Perimeter shooting – Yarden Garzon (42.2%), Moore-McNeil (40.9%) and Parrish (40%) are all hard to top. UCLA counters with Gardiner (39.5%), Rice (36.6%), Jones (36.6%) and Barker (34.3%), but the Hoosiers are superior. Edge: Indiana.
• Rebounding – Indiana has several decent rebounders, but Betts (9.3 rpg), Barker (7.6 rpg), Dugalic (6.5 rpg) and Leger-Walker (6.5 rpg) all top Indiana’s best returning rebounder (Parrish, 6 rpg). Edge: UCLA.
• Perimeter defense – The Indiana-UCLA game on Jan. 4 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall is going to be a fascinating clash of elite offense vs. elite defense. Both teams are strong defensively. Gabriela Jaquez, Jones, and Rice are all returning plus-defenders. Leger-Walker was also an excellent defensive guard at Washington State. Indiana counters with Moore-McNeil, Parrish, and Lexus Bargesser. Neither team is weak, but we have to pick one team and the Bruins just have more bodies. Edge: UCLA.
• Defense at the rim – Betts (2 bpg) is one of the best shot-blockers in the nation. The ex-Stanford center blocked 7.8% of the shots attempted when she was on the floor. That alone lifts the Bruins here. Edge: UCLA.
• Proven Power 5 ability on roster – The standard here is whether a player averaged 25 minutes or more at the Power Five level at their current or former school.
Garzon, Parrish, Moore-McNeil, Ciezki all meet the standard for Indiana. Having four players who played 25 minutes or more of Power Five basketball is a sign of a very good team.
UCLA has seven players who have that level of experience. Barker, Betts, Gardiner, Jaquez, Jones, Leger-Walker and Rice all make the cut. The Bruins aren’t messing around in their first Big Ten go-around. Edge: UCLA.
• Intangibles – Travel is a concern for all of the West Coast teams. You could make a case UCLA coach Cori Close will have a challenge getting the ball in so many hands? We’re reaching here. UCLA has built an All-Star team that’s going to be difficult to counter. That’s the greatest intangible of all. Edge: UCLA.
• Verdict – An excellent Indiana team takes one on the chin as UCLA prevails 8-1. Note that UCLA’s margin is higher than that of Big Ten favorite Southern California. The Bruins really don’t have any weaknesses. They’re a legitimate Final Four threat that could be standing above the Big Ten when it’s all over.
Previous Is Indiana Better Than Women’s Basketball Results
Oregon – Indiana 5-4.
Rutgers – Indiana 5-4.
Maryland – Maryland 7-2.
USC – USC 6-3.
Penn State – Indiana 8-1.
Minnesota – Indiana 6-3.
Michigan – Indiana 9-0.
