After a good but not great 27-7 season that resulted in an exit from the Sweet Sixteen, the UCLA Bruins have two junior stars who are earning All-Pac-12 attention. , the cast has been revamped, centering on Kiki Rice and Lauren Betts.
Head coach Cori Close plans to bring in a new backcourt mate for Rice, with Charisma Osborn having exhausted her college eligibility (she was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury last month, then cut, and now (WNBA Free Agent): Senior Former Player – Washington State Cougars guard Sharice Ledger-Walker is considered a top transfer on this year's market.
In fact, ESPN's Charlie Cream considers Leger Walker the fourth-best offseason transfer team.
But the Crows didn't stop there, adding former Oregon State Beavers forward Timea Gardiner, a rising junior like Rice and Betts. Creme considers the 6-foot-3 Gardiner to be the sixth-best transfer this year.
“At Gardiner, we must also say goodbye to the top-rated high school player Scott Lueck brought to Corvallis,” the complaint wrote. Gardiner, a McDonald's All-American out of Utah State, played in only 15 games as a freshman due to injury, but had a breakout sophomore season and was the sixth player in the Pac-12. Gardiner has two more years of eligibility remaining due to his size. ”
Gardiner, who earned All-Pac-12 honors in 2023-24, averaged 11.6 points, .445/.395/.885 shooting splits, 7 rebounds and 1.4 dimes per game in his second season. did. She would be a nice fit as a stretch four for a Bruins club looking to advance beyond the Sweet Sixteen in 2025.
More on UCLA: Watch Cori Close's inspiring speech to the Bruins after LSU loss