Just last season, the UCLA Bruins reached new heights by securing their first-ever Final Four berth. And now head coach Cori Close, entering her 15th season with the team, is hungrier than ever. She has a capable and talented roster led by Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice. “It was probably the best summer I’ve had with a group in 32 years of coaching,” she had said. But before the No. 3 team in the AP preseason poll could even tip off its season, it’s already hit by a setback…

The Bruins were dealing with the loss of freshman Sienna Betts. The forward and younger sister of Lauren Betts has yet to recover from a lower leg injury sustained in a scrimmage and won’t be making her debut in the season opener. “She’s coming along great, she’s doing a great job, but we’re going to rule her out for Monday,” Close said. Unfortunately, she’s not the only one sidelined.

According to On3 reporter Talia Goodman, forward Timea Gardiner will also miss the game because of a knee injury. Sadly, this isn’t Gardiner’s first injury setback across her three college seasons.

Timea Gardiner’s freshman year was cut short after doctors discovered blood clots in her lungs. And because she was on blood thinners, she couldn’t play for three months. Then, she spent the following season battling a nagging knee injury. Unfortunately, now, the 2025–26 season seems to be starting on a similar note. While it’s still unclear if it’s the same knee injury, the UCLA team hasn’t provided further details as of writing.

But, no doubt, it’s a significant blow for the Bruins. Especially since Gardiner is coming off a season where she averaged 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. As Close puts it better, “It’s so valuable to us… I have told her, ‘I am relying on you,’” she said last year after the Bruins’ 84-67 win over Richmond. 

Well, that’s immense praise coming from the head coach, and it is well-deserved. Even though Gardiner wasn’t a starter, she still logged an average of 18.3 minutes per game. And the impact she made was valuable to the Bruins. She hit five of eight three-pointers against No. 3 seed LSU last year in the Elite 8. And that’s one example of her dominant performances across the 5 postseason games she played.

While Timea Gardiner’s absence on opening night will definitely be felt, it’s unclear when she’ll return. The senior has already set an unfinished goal for her UCLA team, as she said earlier this year, “It’s the same goal and the same mentality of winning it all.” 

Can the Bruins hold it together until Timea Gardiner returns? 

Well, they ended up winning. The Bruins entered the Honda Center in Anaheim and kicked off the season with a 77-53 victory. While 62 points came from the starters alone, led by Lauren Betts with 21 points, the bench contributed 15 more. So, overall, a solid start for a retooled squad against San Diego State.

Especially since the team was missing two key players. But, as usual, it was the veteran core – Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez, and Lauren Betts – leading the charge with crucial minutes. The Bruins broke the game open in the third quarter with a 16-2 run that propelled them to a 29-point lead.

The Bruins boast one of the most experienced rosters in the country, with seven seniors and two juniors. And that’s precisely what gives them their best shot at winning a national championship before the program heads into a rebuild. So while it might be too early to predict, can they stay strong enough to make another Final Four run? I certainly think so. Up next, the UCLA side hosts UC Santa Barbara in its home opener on Thursday.