Gabriela Jaquez could be the key to UCLA’s national title dreams

Conventional wisdom would suggest that national player of the year candidate Lauren Betts would get UCLA going. Betts finished the game with 24 points, nine rebounds and a school record nine blocks. Or perhaps, it would be former Gatorade National Player of the Year KiKi Rice who took advantage of a mismatch against the smaller Baylor backcourt.

However, neither star put the Bruins on the board to start.

It was junior Gabriela Jaquez who received a post-entry pass from Graduate Student Angela Dugalić and dribbled around Darianna Littlepage-Buggs to finish with her right hand. Jaquez scored two of the Bruins’ first four field goals in the game’s first three minutes and finished with 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting and a team leading 13 rebounds in UCLA’s 72-57 win over the Baylor Bears in a game that was shown on big four network FOX.

“I thought the X factor tonight was Jaquez,” Baylor head coach Nicki Collen said postgame. “I just thought her ability to get them going early and then her attack in pursuit of the offensive glass really was the difference maker.”

Collen designed a scheme that she thought could “neutralize” Betts early. In the first half that worked as the UCLA center only made three field goals. But Jaquez’s ability to cut, drive with the ball in her hands and take advantage of mismatches as a 6’0 guard/wing kept the pressure on Baylor’s defense.

It wasn’t just scoring that made Jaquez stand out. As Collen said, she was locked in on pursuing the glass and created five extra possessions for her team in addition to eight defensive rebounds. While her wingspan isn’t publicly available, Jaquez’s length stood out and could be an attribute that grabs WNBA talent evaluators. More on that later.

UCLA head coach Cori Close pointed out Jaquez’s performance in her opening statement postgame, and mentioned that the junior recorded 16 “passion plays” for the Bruins in their Monday afternoon win. What are passion plays? Close explained that these are stats that don’t show up readily on a postgame stat sheet. Deflections, screens assists, box outs, 50-50 balls and “out of area” rebounds are all what Close defines as “passion plays.”

“I thought it was so evident right off the tip that [Jaquez] was just so ready to do all the dirty work,” Close said. “And you know, we needed that grit. We’ve been really challenging our team. We obviously have a lot of skill and great pieces, but I don’t think we’ve been playing gritty enough, and I thought that [Jaquez] set the tone for us to play grittier.”

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Even in the fourth quarter when Baylor was hovering between 10 and 12 points behind the Bruins, Jaquez continued playing like her team was fighting from behind rather than up a considerable margin. Baylor’s Bella Fontleroy scored on Jaquez with 9:44 left in the game. The next time down the floor, Jaquez made sure to be all over Fontleroy and put much more pressure on the ball and her opponent’s handle. Jaquez forced a steal.

She also didn’t just do the dirty work in UCLA’s 15 point win over 25th ranked Baylor. The junior uses her high level basketball instincts to help her team. In addition to her 11 and 13 double-double, Jaquez finished the game with three assists, two of which went to Betts.

The chemistry between Jaquez and Betts was notable. Even during moments when Betts didn’t score, Jaquez knew exactly how Betts needed to be involved the action. Jaquez was patient. She’d pass the ball to Betts knowing that she would probably get it back to move the defense. Jaquez has an awareness that while Betts is her team’s best player, she needs to do all that she can to ease her load. Jaquez’s ability to use her length to get on the glass when Betts is trying to fight through box outs is just another example of this.

Jacquez’s length, athleticism and matchup problems she poses bode her well as a WNBA prospect on the rise. Her array of skills is reminiscent of a young Rebecca Allen, or a WNBA player who has made a career on being a connector. Jacquez isn’t dominant, but can pick her spots and make the right plays for her team.

Collen, a former WNBA coach and talent evaluator, saw the comparison, but believes Jacquez can become a better shooter before declaring to go pro. This season Jacquez is shooting 33.3% from three on 2.3 attempts per game.

“Rebecca Allen‘s super bouncy,” Collen said. “She can bound into a curl, coming off a screen. So I think when you think about a little bit of a 3-and-D type player that’s going to get you extra possessions, you probably got to be a little bit more of a high volume three point shooter. But I do think comp wise, like as she continues to get better in that area, I think the intangibles are there. I think she competes.”

Collen continued: “I think when it comes to size versatility in the pros, it always comes down to can you can you bounce back on a pin down and hit the three? Can you curl if they’re locking and trailing? Can you take the alternate cut and finish at the rim if they top block you, but I think she’s definitely got the potential.” 

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Before Jaquez can go pro, she’s got a whole schedule of conference play and then an NCAA Tournament run ahead of her. When some of the best defenses in the country play UCLA in the coming months, it’s going to be incumbent for Jaquez to be involved in the action and force opponents to guard her.

After two straight disappointing NCAA tournament finishes in a row falling to LSU and South Carolina in the Sweet 16, 2025 could be UCLA’s year. Jaquez’s reliability as a third scorer, spacer, connector and X factor could help the Bruins finally get over the hump.

“I just want to do what I can to help the team win,” Jaquez said postgame. “And whatever my role is, I invest in that, and I try to get better at that. I think this year, being an upperclassman and having more of a leadership role, I just really take pride in that, and I really want to help my team…and it’s just been so fun this season. I can’t wait for more games.”

And neither can her team as they continue their pursuit of the Final Four and possibly their first national championship since winning the AIAW tournament in 1978.

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