UCLA’s Cori Close Provides Injury Update on Sienna Betts After Win vs. UCSB
The head coach, Cori Close, and her UCLA Bruins are all in this season. Entering her 15th year with the program, she’s got a powerhouse squad that looks ready to make serious noise. The Betts sisters, surrounded by Kiki Rice, Gianna Kneepkens, Charlisse Leger-Walker, and Gabriela Jaquez, all look ready to dominate. And guess what? They’ve even laid the foundation with 2-0. And that too when the entire roster hasn’t taken the floor just yet. But will they for the next game?Â
For that to happen, the Bruins need Sienna Betts back, 100% healthy on the court. But, it seems it won’t happen anytime soon. That’s because Cori Close recently addressed the question every Bruin fan had been waiting for. “We’re taking it day by day with her. She was in there working this morning and I was like, oh, yeah, I sure would like to get her out there. We really are just sort of a week-by-week kind of thing,†Close shared in her postgame press conference.
Well, Betts had been out ever since she “tweaked†something in her left leg during a scrimmage against UC Riverside on October 19. Ever since she’s been sidelined. And, while some time has passed, it looks like she isn’t fully ready yet. Close added, “I really don’t know the answer to that. She is coming along great. I asked our trainer today, how do you feel about her progress? Do you feel like it’s going? She says, I think she’s doing a great job. I think it’s going really well. I just don’t—I literally haven’t been given a timeline yet.â€
Well, the last Betts ‌seen was with her walking boots. And while the program hasn’t shared any other details of her injury, it looks like something serious. So yes, fans may need to wait a bit longer before they see her on the court again. But the anticipation is real. Especially since she’s the No. 2 player in the 2025 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings by ESPNW. Her size, skill, and court IQ just add to the dominance she could provide to Close’s squad.Â
As Close shared during her October 29th media availability, “Sienna is going to be a no-go for our opener… She’s coming along great, she’s doing a great job, but we’re going to rule her out for Monday. We’re excited to get her back and get her in the mix.†So yes, she can be a real game-changer for the Bruins.Â
How are the Bruins playing without Sienna Betts?
For the 2025-26 season, UCLA’s dominance so far has been led by its starters. In the season opener, the team cruised to a 77–53 win, and the starters scored 62 of those points, while the bench chipped in 15. Even the starters were led by the team’s core of Jaquez and Lauren Betts, who set the tone with crucial minutes.
And, even the second game wasn’t much different. Though this time it was a lineup of Jaquez, Rice, and Kneepkens, as each scored 20 points or more. Jaquez finished with 21 points and six rebounds, Rice followed with 20 points and eight rebounds, and Kneepkens added 20 in the win.Â
Then, it was Lauren Betts who added 12 points to the team’s total. But while the first win came easily, the second required some adjustments. At first, the Gauchos trailed only 21–17, but then UCLA responded by outscoring them 30–9 to take a 51–26 lead at halftime. Then, the Bruins opened the third quarter with 16 straight points and outscored UC Santa Barbara 23–17.
And, by the final buzzer, UCLA had improved to 2-0 with an 87–50 victory. But while the Bruins are rolling early, the road ahead won’t be as smooth. A slate of ranked opponents awaits. So what do you think? Can this group continue driving the team forward once the schedule tightens?
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