LOS ANGELES — Gabriela Jaquez didn’t appear on the Wooden Award watchlist as the season got underway in Westwood.

A plethora of her teammates made the cut – senior center Lauren Betts, senior guard Kiki Rice, graduate guard Gianna Kneepkens and freshman forward Sienna Betts – but Jaquez remained on the outskirts of inclusion. Coach Cori Close knows she has handfuls of stars on the Bruins at the ready. But nine games into the 2025-2026 season, Jaquez may be the star that college basketball will learn to point to at Pauley Pavilion.

Leaving the 6-foot wing alone in the corner has become a threat in and of itself. Jaquez missed one three-pointer in the first half against No. 14 Tennessee on Sunday afternoon, sinking 4 of 5 attempts from beyond the arc.

Active defensively, she helped spark

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