For Sienna Betts, her UCLA journey didn’t begin with instant momentum; it began with patience. After missing the start of her freshman season due to injury, Betts had to watch UCLA’s rise from the sidelines. Since her debut, the Bruins have rattled off 14 straight wins and climbed to No. 2 in the rankings. At the center of that surge has been the steady emergence of freshman Sienna Betts.

Speaking about her freshman season so far, Sienna Betts showed appreciation for the support system around her during the postgame press conference following UCLA’s 80–67 win over Illinois. “I think I’m just really lucky. I don’t think many people get this experience, playing with so many different NBA prospects. They’re not only great players, but great people and great leaders, not just to each other, but to us younger players as well,” Sienna Betts said.

She continued, “I think it teaches us a lot. I feel like I’m growing and learning every single day, and it prepares me for moments like this when I get my opportunity to go out there. I’m really grateful to be with this group. It’s hard some days, but overall, I know I’ll look back and be appreciative of both the highs and lows of this journey so far.”

The wait to see Sienna Betts finally take the floor was not by choice. The younger sister of first-team All-American Lauren Betts, Sienna missed the first 10 games of the season with a lower-leg injury picked up during an October scrimmage against UC Riverside, delaying the debut of the No. 2 recruit in the 2025 class.

Navigating that early stretch became easier once Betts was surrounded by veteran leaders like Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez, who helped her adjust to the pace, pressure, and physicality of the college game.

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The wait finally ended on December 16, when Sienna Betts made her debut against the Cal Poly Mustangs. She logged her first minutes in a Bruins uniform while sharing the floor with her sister for the first time at UCLA. Her first field goal came in the fourth quarter, and she helped the Bruins record their first 100-point game since December 2023 against Long Beach State.

So far, Betts has appeared in 10 games this season, averaging 7.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists. UCLA remains unbeaten since she stepped on the floor. We have already seen flashes of her talent, whether it was the 14 points she scored on 66.7 percent shooting against Long Beach State or her 12-point, six-rebound outing against then-No. 25 Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The Betts sisters have locked down both the present and the future of the program. Cori Close knows that when Lauren Betts eventually makes the jump to the pros, the foundation will still be in place with Sienna continuing to grow game by game. But that is a conversation for later.

What’s next for Sienna Betts and the Bruins?

History has not been as kind to UCLA’s women’s program as it has to the men. A national title still remains out of reach. The closest they have come was last season, when their run ended in the Final Four against UConn. That loss was followed by a significant offseason reset. Six players from that Final Four team departed, including Timea Gardiner, Janiah Barker and Londynn Jones. Gardiner has yet to return while rehabbing a knee injury, Barker is now at Tennessee, and Jones has taken her talents to USC.

But despite all that change, the Bruins are still standing. UCLA remains among the top four, right in the mix to challenge the defending champions, UConn. And perhaps that is the best parting gift Sienna could give her sister, Lauren. Sentiment aside, the road ahead is demanding — and performances like Betts’ continued growth may determine how far this UCLA team can realistically go.

Up next is a tough test against the No. 8 Iowa Hawkeyes, a team riding a serious wave of momentum. Iowa has already broken its 1995–96 season record and opened Big Ten play with a perfect 9–0 mark. It is the kind of matchup that demands near perfection from both sides.

ESPN gives the UCLA Bruins an 88.8 percent chance of winning, likely influenced by their ranking and the fact that the game will be played in Los Angeles.

But what do you think? Do Sienna Betts and UCLA extend their streak to 15, or are the Iowa Hawkeyes ready to shock everyone again? Drop your take in the comments.