Los Angeles County under a wind advisory until Friday afternoon

• February 21, 2025

Los Angeles County is included in a wind advisory issued by the National Weather Service on Friday at 4:41 a.m. The advisory is in effect until 2 p.m.

The NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA said, “Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Local gusts of 40 to 50 mph in the favored hills and mountains.”

“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” the NWS said. “Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution.”

The full list of affected locations includes:

• Santa Clarita Valley
• Central Ventura County Valleys
• Western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational area
• Eastern Santa Monica Mountains Recreational area
• Calabasas/Agoura Hills
• San Fernando Valley
• Southeastern Ventura County Valleys
• Santa Susana Mountains
• Southern Ventura County Mountains
• Northern Ventura County Mountains
• 5 Freeway corridor near Santa Clarita
• Western San Gabriel Mountains/Highway 14 Corridor

​ Orange County Register 

Best hand blenders

• February 21, 2025

Which hand blender is the best?

From blending creamy soups to mixing up tasty smoothies, a hand blender is definitely one of the most versatile tools you can have in your kitchen.

Unlike a countertop blender, you don’t have to bring your ingredients to a hand blender. Instead, you can place a hand blender in whatever cooking container you’re using, such as a mixing bowl or pot, for plenty of added versatility in the kitchen.

What you need to know before buying a hand blender

When you’re shopping for a hand blender, you should choose a model that’s powerful enough to blend your favorite recipes. Some hand blenders offer just 100 watts of power, while others have up to 800 watts. If you want a hand blender that can chop in addition to blending, look for a more powerful motor. If you’re just mixing up smoothies, a lower wattage hand blender can usually get the job done.

You should also consider how many speeds a hand blender offers. Lower-end models often have just low and high settings, but some models offer up to 15 variable speeds. For whisking, you’ll definitely want a hand blender with more than two speeds to make sure you don’t over mix.

You can also choose between corded or cordless models. Corded models are usually more powerful, though you need to use the hand blender near an outlet. You can use a cordless model anywhere in your kitchen because it features a rechargeable battery.

Nearly all hand blenders come with a container in which to mix or chop your ingredients. Some feature a simple cup-like container that works well for liquid ingredients. High-end models have a bowl similar to a food processor, so it works well for chopping in addition to mixing and blending. The included attachments vary from model to model, too. Most models usually have a whisk and/or blender attachment, but advanced hand blenders may come with a chopper, slicer, and/or grinder attachment, too.

You can find some hand blenders for under $25, but they won’t have many special features. For a more powerful model, expect to pay at least $50, though high-end hand blenders can cost as much as $200.

Hand blender FAQ

Q. Do I need a hand blender if I have a hand mixer?

A. A hand blender and a hand mixer aren’t necessarily suited for the same tasks, so you may need both depending on the recipes you usually prepare. A hand mixer is best for combining ingredients, such as mixing up cake mix, while a hand blender can chop, blend, and liquefy ingredients for smoothies, soups, and other recipes.

Q. What can I make with a hand blender?

A. You can use a hand blender to prepare a wide variety of recipes, including smoothies, soups, milkshakes, salsas, sauces, salad dressings, dips, pancake and waffle batter, cake and brownie batters, whipped cream and eggs.

Best hand blenders

Top hand blender

KitchenAid’s 5-Speed Hand Blender

What you need to know: A longtime favorite of ours, this high-quality, multiuse hand blender is a big hit among experienced home chefs.

What you’ll love: It features a rubberized grip, so it feels comfortable in hand. It comes with a mixing/chopping cup, whisk and chopper attachment. It includes a convenient storage case.

What you should consider: It’s pricier than other hand blenders on the market.

Top hand blender for the money

Hamilton Beach’s 2-Speed Hand Blender

What you need to know: This budget-friendly blender can handle most light cooking chores. We love it as a beginner option.

What you’ll love: It features a durable stainless steel blade and can handle hard ingredients with ease. An ergonomic handle allows for a secure grip.

What you should consider: It can sometimes overheat, depending on the tasks it’s used for.

Worth checking out

Braun’s MultiQuick Hand Blender

What you need to know: Another new entry on our list, this innovative hand blender provides many useful features and blends beautifully.

What you’ll love: It features a bell-shaped top for more complete blending. It offers a TurboBoost function for extra power, and the attachments easily click into place.

What you should consider: Some report that the plastic parts have a somewhat flimsy feel.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register 

Best indoor exercise bike

• February 21, 2025

Which indoor exercise bike is best?

It can be difficult to find time to go to the gym, but indoor exercise bikes are an excellent option for exercising at home and achieving your health goals while saving the hassle and money it costs to go to a gym.

It’s important to consider the kind of indoor exercise bike you want since there are a few different types, including recumbent exercise bikes that recline, spinning exercise bikes that imitate road bikes, and traditional upright exercise bikes. You should also consider the price range and the preset programs, the resistance, the ease of use, the adjustability, and the bike’s weight limit. If you’re looking for an exercise bike with numerous features, the NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle is the best option for you.

What to know before you buy an indoor exercise bike

Consider the display on the indoor exercise bike

Most indoor exercise bikes come with an LCD that shows you various measurements during your workout, including the length of time you’ve been pedaling, the distance you’ve traveled, your speed, and your heart rate. It’s important to search for an indoor exercise bike with a simple-to-use display since you need to be able to use the display with ease while exercising.

Think about the resistance

Before making your indoor exercise bike purchase, you should look at the number of resistance levels the bike has. While basic bike models might have fewer, the average indoor exercise bike has about 20 different resistance levels. Therefore, it’s crucial to fine-tune the resistance on your bike to your workout goals and fitness levels.

Find a bike with the right weight limit for you

All exercise bikes have a maximum weight limit, typically between 220 and 300 pounds, but some recumbent indoor exercise bikes have higher weight limits.

What to look for in a quality indoor exercise bike

Heart rate monitor

Most exercise bikes come with a heart rate monitor. The heart rate monitor helps you check your heart rate throughout your workout, as you need to be working hard enough to elevate your heart rate to get an excellent cardio workout.

Programs

Many high-end indoor exercise bikes come with preset programs to help you improve your cardio workout. These programs will switch the resistance automatically during your workout.

Height adjustability

Indoor exercise bikes usually have a recommended height range of 5 feet, 3 inches to 6 feet 3 inches. As a result, it’s crucial to find a bike that works for your height, especially outside of that range.

How much you can expect to spend on an indoor exercise bike

You can expect to spend different amounts on indoor exercise bikes, depending on the type of bike. For example, recumbent exercise bikes typically range from $130-$150 for the most basic models, while the more high-end models go for more than $500.

Spinning bikes cost about $120-$150 for the budget-friendly models, while the high-end bikes cost between $350-$400. Upright exercise bikes can cost $70-$120 for basic models and $350 to $400 for more expensive models.

Indoor exercise bike FAQ

Can cycling be your only form of exercise?

A. Cycling is an excellent option for your cardio workout, which is crucial for your health. However, most fitness experts recommend doing some strength training to keep your body in good shape. Strength training can include any kind of exercise in which you work with your body weight, including Pilates and yoga.

Can you use a separate heart rate monitor when using your indoor exercise bike?

A. Yes, you can use a separate heart rate monitor when using your indoor exercise bike to get an accurate heart rate reading during your workout. However, some indoor exercise bikes either have a low-quality heart rate monitor or no monitor at all.

Keep in mind that when you use a separate heart rate monitor, you will need to look at the display on your own monitor since it won’t pop up on the LCD of your indoor exercise bike.

Which type of exercise bike is best if you are recovering from an injury?

A. You should check in with your physician before beginning a workout routine after sustaining an injury. That being said, recumbent exercise bikes are typically a good option for people recovering from injuries since they are more comfortable to sit on and require riders to use fewer muscle groups.

What are the best indoor exercise bikes to buy?

Top indoor exercise bike

NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle

What you need to know: This indoor exercise bike from NordicTrack is considered an excellent option for expert indoor cyclists.

What you’ll love: This superior indoor exercise bike features a 10-inch smart touchscreen, iFit technology, automatic trainer control, global rides, and a CoolAire fan. The bike also accommodates up to five individual profiles.

What you should consider: It’s important to consider that the studio classes were not as high-quality as Peloton classes in tests.

Top indoor exercise bike for the money

Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike

What you need to know: This budget-friendly recumbent exercise bike offers a clear-cut design and straightforward instructions for beginner indoor cyclists.

What you’ll love: This affordable Marcy recumbent exercise bike offers eight levels of resistance, seat adjustability, pedals with straps, and a built-in screen that provides information like calories burned, distance, speed, and time.

What you should consider: Some customers say that the seat can be hard to adjust on a regular basis.

Worth checking out

Yosuda Indoor Cycling Bike

What you need to know: This indoor exercise bike is designed to run silently and allows people to watch exercise training and other videos on the tablet mount.

What you’ll love: This indoor cycling bike from Yosuda comes with an online instruction video for simple assembly, a tablet holder, padded seats, non-slip handlebars, and a belt rather than a chain for quieter movement.

What you should consider: Keep in mind that the data is only shown in metric measurements.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register 

UCSB hands Cal State Fullerton another lopsided loss

• February 21, 2025

SANTA BARBARA — The Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball team couldn’t slow UC Santa Barbara enough in the paint and couldn’t keep pace from the perimeter. That doomed the Titans in the Thunderdome.

Deuce Turner scored 18 points and Zion Sensley had 14 as UCSB (17-10 overall, 9-7 Big West Conference) started to take control toward the end of the first half then hammered Fullerton in the second half on its way to an 86-56 victory in a Big West Conference game on Thursday night, handing the Titans (6-22, 1-15) their eighth consecutive loss.

Things have gotten particularly rough for Fullerton as it trudges toward the end of a frustrating season. Its last six losses have been by an average of 23.7 points.

Antwan Robinson finished with a career-high 16 points and seven rebounds, and Donovan Oday had 15 points, four rebounds and four assists for Fullerton, which has four regular-season games left. Kendrick De Luna added 10 points and Kobe Young grabbed eight rebounds.

The Titans shot 38.6% from the field, 6 for 22 from 3-point range and missed half of their 12 free throws. UCSB shot 53.2% from the field, 12 for 26 from behind the arc and 8 for 13 from the free-throw line, outscoring the visitors 38-28 in the paint to go with its 18-point advantage from long range.

Robinson and Oday combined for 21 points in the first half. Robinson hit back-to-back 3-point shots to get Fullerton within 24-22 with 7:23 left, but the Gauchos closed the half on a 9-0 run for a 38-27 halftime lead.

Robinson – who shot 4 for 6 from 3-point range – hit another one during a 7-0 run that got the Titans within 40-34 two minutes into the second half, but the Gauchos delivered a dominant response.

UCSB outscored Fullerton 26-4 over the next nine-plus minutes to open a 66-40 lead with 10:45 left and coasted the rest of the way, leading by as much as 35.

Kenny Pohto added 11 points for the Gauchos, while Turner and Sensley each grabbed five rebounds.

UP NEXT

Fullerton hosts UC Irvine on Thursday at 7 p.m.

BIG WEST STANDINGS

Through Thursday, Feb. 20

UC San Diego – 23-4, 13-2

UC Irvine – 22-5, 12-3

CS Northridge – 19-7, 11-4

UC Riverside – 18-10, 11-5

UC Santa Barbara – 17-10, 9-7

UC Davis – 15-12, 9-7

Hawaii – 14-12, 6-9

CS Bakersfield – 12-16, 6-10

Cal Poly (SLO) – 10-17, 4-11

Long Beach State – 7-20, 3-12

CS Fullerton – 6-22, 1-15

​ Orange County Register 

Long Beach State can’t keep up with UC Riverside in 10th straight loss

• February 21, 2025

RIVERSIDE — The Long Beach State men’s basketball team is running out of time to grab a spot in next month’s Big West Tournament, and Thursday night’s results nudged LBSU a little closer to exclusion.

Nate Pickens scored a career-high 27 points, Barrington Hargress had 19 and host UC Riverside made 14 3-point shots to hand Long Beach State an 87-66 defeat at UCR. Isaiah Moses added 13 points for the Highlanders (18-10 overall, 11-5 Big West), who shot 50% from behind the arc to outscore the visitors 42-9 from the perimeter. They outrebounded them 39-23 as well.

Austin Johnson tied a career-high with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting and added six rebounds, six steals and two blocked shots to lead Long Beach (7-20, 3-12), which sits in 10th place in the 11-team league. Devin Askew added 16 points, four rebounds and four assists and TJ Wainwright had 13 points.

Only eight teams advance to the conference tournament in Henderson, Nevada, and LBSU is 2½ games behind eighth-place Cal State Bakersfield (12-16, 6-10) with five games left in the regular season. Long Beach still has a home game against the Roadrunners but also has road games against first-place UC San Diego and second-place UC Irvine.

Johnson scored six of the first eight points for Long Beach, which grabbed a 14-4 lead early and was ahead 20-10 with just over eight minutes left in the first half. Hargress was the catalyst for a UCR turnround, hitting a 3-pointer that sparked a 16-0 run as the Highlanders took the lead and held a 38-30 advantage by halftime.

UCR erupted for 49 points in the second half and led by as much as 27 as it remains in the hunt for a top-two seed in the Big West Tournament, a half-game behind third-place Cal State Northridge and 1½ behind UCI.

UC Riverside was hot from long range all night, going 7 for 13 in the first half and 7 for 15 after the intermission. Long Beach shot 3 for 12 from 3-point range for the night.

Pickens shot 8 for 13 from the field, 4 for 7 from 3-point range and 7 for 7 from the free-throw line. Hargress shot 7 for 11 overall and 3 for 5 from behind the arc to go with five assists and two steals. Moses shot 3 for 4 from the 3-point line, while Niyi Olabode added 10 points and five rebounds and shot 2 for 5 from long range.

UP NEXT

Long Beach State hosts UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at 4 p.m.

BIG WEST STANDINGS

Through Thursday, Feb. 20

UC San Diego – 23-4, 13-2

UC Irvine – 22-5, 12-3

CS Northridge – 19-7, 11-4

UC Riverside – 18-10, 11-5

UC Santa Barbara – 17-10, 9-7

UC Davis – 15-12, 9-7

Hawaii – 14-12, 6-9

CS Bakersfield – 12-16, 6-10

Cal Poly (SLO) – 10-17, 4-11

Long Beach State – 7-20, 3-12

CS Fullerton – 6-22, 1-15

​ Orange County Register 

CSUN rides big 2nd half to upset of UC Irvine

• February 21, 2025

IRVINE — The Cal State Northridge men’s basketball team is heating up at the right time.

The Matadors overwhelmed UC Irvine in the second half of their Big West showdown on Thursday night and ended a six-game losing streak to the Anteaters with an 84-72 victory at the Bren Events Center.

CSUN (19-7 overall, 11-4 Big West) also won its sixth in a row overall.

“I don’t want to jinx us but, yeah, we’re playing good basketball now and guys are starting to believe,” second-year CSUN head coach Andy Newman said. “When these guys put their minds on the defensive end, we can beat anybody. We proved that tonight.”

Marcus Adams Jr. scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half for Northridge, which outscored the Anteaters 50-35 after halftime.

“He’s a special talent, as you saw tonight,” Newman said of Adams, a former Harbor City Narbonne High standout who transferred to CSUN after playing one game at BYU last season. “He can score in bunches.”

Scotty Washington contributed 14 points, Tyler Beard scored 10 and Judson Martindale scored all 10 of his points off the bench in the first half for the Matadors.

Torian Lee was the best player for UCI. The freshman guard came in averaging three points per game, but he scored 20 off the bench and also distributed 10 assists.

Bent Leuchten added 18 points and Jurian Dixon finished with 11 for UCI (22-5, 12-3), which played without third-leading scorer Myles Che, who was suspended for a flagrant 2 foul against Hawaii last Saturday.

“We gave up 50 points in the second half, 50,” UCI coach Russell Turner said. “Marcus Adams dominated in the second half. Their rebounding dominated in the second half. Our big guys, in general, got dominated at the rim over and over again all night, and that’s been the formula for how teams have beat us.”

Wins certainly haven’t come easy of late for UCI, which won its first nine games of the season and its first seven conference games.

The Anteaters needed a last-second shot to beat UC Santa Barbara last Thursday, lost to UC San Diego by 18 on Feb. 8 to end a 22-game home winning streak and needed overtime to beat both Cal Poly and Long Beach State, two of the bottom teams in the conference.

The Anteaters led by three points at halftime Thursday, but neither team led by more until Dixon sank a wide-open 3-pointer for a 61-57 lead with 9:59 left.

Adams answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to move the Matadors back ahead for good at 63-61 with 8:09 remaining.

Grady Lewis then converted a three-point play for a 66-61 lead, and Adams sank another 3-pointer to make it 71-63 with 5:17 left.

Next up was a 3-pointer from Scotty Washington and the lead ballooned to 67-76 with 3:43 to go and UCI never got closer than seven down the stretch.

“Our defense was incredible,” Newman said. “Guys executing defensively, playing their hearts out, so proud of them. Just, man, incredible effort defensively by our guys tonight.”

Turner was assessed back-to-back technical fouls with 20 seconds left and was ejected.

“I got tossed out of the game, which is not that good a thing to do, especially after Myles did last game,” Turner said. “We’ve got to have a better sense of how it all fits together for us than I showed, than he showed, than our team showed.”

The Anteaters took a 37-34 lead into halftime thanks to Lee, who had not scored in double figures this season, but delivered 15 in the first half.

Lee earned additional playing time in the opening half after starter Justin Hohn was called for his second foul with 12:06 left.

The Matadors started slowly, missing nine of their first 10 shots, but then strung together a 9-0 run to move ahead 13-9.

After Hohn left with his second foul, Lee sank back-to-back 3-pointers to spark an 11-0 run that moved the Anteaters back ahead 24-17 with 8:10 left in the half.

“The first half was strange in how it unfolded with Justin getting two fouls and us having to play as long as we did without him,” Turner said. “I think that bothered him and it bothered us.”

Lee scored his final points of the half after faking a 3-point shot and driving to the basket for a layup to keep the lead at 33-29 with 2:24 left.

“When we had a lead at halftime, maybe we thought that we would assert ourselves, but instead CSUN asserted themselves on us,” Turner said.

The Matadors also received more than they expected off the bench from Martindale in the first half. Martindale, a 6-foot-7 wing who played the past two seasons at Pacific and his first two at Holy Cross, scored 10 points in the opening half.

Martindale came in averaging 2.9 points.

“He got the first opportunity and never looked back, so super proud of him,” Newman said.

BIG WEST STANDINGS

Through Thursday, Feb. 20

UC San Diego – 23-4, 13-2

UC Irvine – 22-5, 12-3

CS Northridge – 19-7, 11-4

UC Riverside – 18-10, 11-5

UC Santa Barbara – 17-10, 9-7

UC Davis – 15-12, 9-7

Hawaii – 14-12, 6-9

CS Bakersfield – 12-16, 6-10

Cal Poly (SLO) – 10-17, 4-11

Long Beach State – 7-20, 3-12

CS Fullerton – 6-22, 1-15

​ Orange County Register 

LeBron James, Austin Reaves carry Luka-less Lakers past Blazers

• February 21, 2025

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Lakers have talked a lot about adjusting and adapting to their new normal with All-Star Luka Doncic now in the fold.

But with Doncic in street clothes on Thursday night, sitting out on the second night of a back-to-back, the Lakers found themselves in a familiar position.

LeBron James and Austin Reaves, for at least one night, were back carrying the load for the Lakers.

And they were successful. They combined for 72 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots in the Lakers’ 110-102 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, one night after a disappointing home loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

James led the way with 40 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot, while Reaves had 32 points, seven assists, two steals and a pair of blocked shots.

The pair combined for 23 points of the team’s 32 points in the fourth quarter, a period the Lakers won after holding a 78-77 edge at the end of the third.

The Lakers’ struggles with taking care of the ball allowed the Blazers to stay in the game after leading by as many as 18 in the second and 55-47 at halftime.

The Lakers had nine turnovers for 14 Portland points in the third quarter after having nine giveaways for 11 Blazers points in the entire first half. The sloppy start to the second half helped Portland outscore the Lakers 30-23 in the third.

The Lakers finished with a season-worst 24 giveaways for 31 Portland points, but James and Reaves made sure the Lakers avoided a third straight loss.

After Portland tied the score at 81, Reaves made a layup and James made a pair of 3-pointers and a 17-footer over Jerami Grant for a 91-84 advantage midway through the fourth.

A Reaves 3-pointer at the 3:23 mark gave the Lakers a 102-94 lead.

They still struggled to take care of the ball, with James and Reaves having late-quarter turnovers that helped the Blazers get within 106-102.

But with the Blazers intentionally fouling, Gabe Vincent made a pair of free throws to put the Lakers up by six with 16.7 seconds left. Reaves also made a trio of clutch defensive plays to prevent Portland from cutting deeper into the lead.

Dorian Finney-Smith, starting in place of Doncic, was the lone other Laker to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points and four rebounds in 33 minutes. He reached double figures with a putback layup to give the Lakers a 106-98 lead with just under a minute remaining.

James reached 40 points with a pair of free throws with five seconds left, his second game scoring at least 40 since turning 40 years old in late December.

Doncic, who had his minutes restriction lifted coming out of the All-Star break, sat out as the team manages his load after the left calf injury that sidelined him for 6½ weeks.

The Blazers were led by Deni Avdija’s 28 points, five assists and four rebounds.

More to come on this story.

​ Orange County Register 

No. 3 UCLA women hold off No. 25 Illinois in Lauren Betts’ return

• February 21, 2025

LOS ANGELES — A full-strength UCLA women’s basketball team snapped Illinois’ winning streak, pulling away in the fourth quarter to beat the Fighting Illini, 70-55, on Thursday night at Pauley Pavilion.

Lauren Betts, who sat out Sunday’s 75-69 victory over No. 22 Michigan State because of a right foot injury, scored 22 points and blocked six shots, giving her a single-season program record 67. Betts shot 9 for 18 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds in 34 minutes.

The new record surpasses current Golden State Valkyries player Monique Billings’ previous record of 66 blocks.

“She’s left such a great legacy in this program,” Betts told reporters. “I’m just super honored to have a record like that. Just really honored and really grateful.”

Kiki Rice added 16 points, five rebounds and two blocks for third-ranked UCLA (25-1 overall, 13-1 Big Ten Conference), while Angela Dugalić chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds.

With three regular-season games remaining, the Bruins are close to wrapping up a double bye into the quarterfinals of next month’s conference tournament.

Adani McKenzie led Illinois (21-6, 11-5) with 18 points. Berry Wallace scored 13, and Kendall Bostic had eight points and 11 rebounds.

It was the Bruins’ second straight win since a loss to USC dropped them from the top spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Illinois had won eight straight games despite dealing with injuries throughout this season. Just eight players suited up for the Illini on Thursday night and each of them had played at least 18 minutes in the first half alone.

The short-handed visitors remained scrappy throughout the game. UCLA barely outrebounded Illinois 38-37 and the Illini scored 21 points in the third quarter to stay in the game.

“We all take accountability for that as players and our coaches preach to us every single day the importance of rebounding,” Rice said. “A team that only has a few players out-hustled us in a lot of ways … that’s gonna hurt us down the stretch in closer games against different teams. We really need to fix that now.”

The Illini, who had trailed by 15 points early in the second half, used an 11-4 run over the last four minutes of the third quarter to get within four going into the final 10 minutes. McKenzie had seven points during the rally.

“I’ve said all year,” Illinois coach Shauna Green said. “It’s unfortunate, our injuries, but it’s part of it, and there’s no excuses. We haven’t talked one thing about excuses when we were winning so we’re sure as hell not going to start them now.”

Illinois pulled within 48-44 with 6:55 remaining on a Bryant 3-pointer, but UCLA put it out of reach with eight straight points, including five by Rice.

Betts resumed her role in the post for the Bruins, who finished with a 46-24 advantage in points in the paint. Gabriela Jaquez and Betts teamed up for an outside-in scoring approach that got UCLA points even when it wasn’t being the most aggressive, especially on the boards.

“On the one hand, I’m really proud that they found a way. And this time of year, it’s about finding a way,” head coach Cori Close said. “On the other hand, we are not playing with the kind of fervor, passion, focus, aggression that I’ve seen from our team and we’ve got to figure that out really fast.”

Londynn Jones – whose usual role is scoring from range – was critical off the ball to make contributions on defense. She drove in for a layup as part of a 7-0 UCLA run in the second quarter and later grabbed a steal for a breakaway layup.

UCLA, which shot 51.7% in the first half, closed the opening 20 minutes with a 13-2 run for a 32-18 advantage at halftime.

Janiah Barker left the game with 7:05 remaining in the second quarter and returned to the bench in the second half but did not get back into the game. Close said in the postgame press conference that she likely suffered a lower leg injury.

“I did talk on that halftime coming out to our doc and didn’t think it was something serious,” Close said. “They were going to try to see if she could run up and down and go at half time and obviously she wasn’t able to do so, but I haven’t gotten any update further from that.”

Barker recorded her first double-double as a Bruin in Sunday’s win against Michigan State.

​ Orange County Register