By JANIE McCAULEY AP Sports Writer
SAN FRANCISCO — Kiki Rice scored 20 points and the top-ranked UCLA women’s basketball team raced to a big lead on the way to a 70-41 victory over Creighton on Friday night in the Bay Area Women’s Classic, winning without best player Lauren Betts.
Angela Dugalic added 13 points and 14 rebounds for her second double-double for the Bruins (12-0 overall, 1-0 Big Ten), whose stingy defense made Creighton’s top shooters uncomfortable.
Morgan Maly scored 15 points to lead the Bluejays (9-3, 1-0 Big East), whose eight-game winning streak was snapped.
The 6-foot-7 Betts sat out a second straight game with a leg injury she sustained against Long Beach State last weekend. She averages team-bests of 19.8 points and 10.0 rebounds.
Rice shot 8 for 13 from the field and also had five rebounds and four assists.
UCLA shot 11 for 22 in the opening quarter (4 for 6 from 3-point range) to sprint to a 26-4 lead, while the Bluejays struggled to find their range. Creighton shot 1 for 13 in the first 10 minutes, missing all five of its 3-point attempts.
UCLA held a commanding 59-26 rebounding advantage – 29-12 in the first half on the way to a 42-23 lead at the intermission. Janiah Barker grabbed 11.
Creighton leading scorer Lauren Jensen was held to four points on 2-of-15 shooting after coming into the game averaging 19.1 points. Creighton finished 5 for 22 from behind the arc.
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UCLA hosts Nebraska in a Big Ten game on Dec. 29.
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