in the country could galvanize the new-look Bruins and prepare them for their inaugural Big Ten Conference season.

Freshman Elina Aarnisalo, who came to UCLA from Finland, has started at point guard in every game this season in place of Kiki Rice, who has been out due to injury. Close did not have an update as to whether Rice would start or play against the defending national champions, but players are confident with either point guard on the floor.

“They’re both really good point guards,” Bruins center Lauren Betts said. “Kiki’s a scorer at the day. She’s gonna get hers, she’s gonna get to the rim. That’s what she wants to do. E’s more of a pass-first type of point guard. And she’s got an insane basketball IQ. I love playing with both of them.”

New shooters are finding their place within UCLA’s offense, as well. Timea Gardiner, an Oregon State transfer, reached a career-high in 3-pointers and points with seven and 23, respectively, in the Bruins’ most recent 101-52 win against Arkansas. Texas A&M transfer Janiah Barker recorded her second straight double-double off the bench with 17 points and 12 steals.

UCLA and South Carolina (5-0) are two of the top rebounding teams in the country — the Bruins rank fifth with 51.25 rebounds per game and the Gamecocks pull down an average of 47.6 The teams are even closer statistically in offensive rebounds with South Carolina grabbing 18.8 a game to UCLA’s 18.5.

“Cori has always been saying since the beginning of the first game: Last year we were the number one rebounding team in the nation and we need to make sure we keep those standards,” Barker said.

“It’s not even like they rebound, we rebound. This is what we do. You know I’m saying? It’s going in with that mindset and making sure we just continue to do what we do.”

The Bruins are approaching the game with a level head and professionalism. Close said playing Louisville in Paris gave the team a preview of the spacing and transitions they might see against South Carolina and the scout team has generated the looks to prepare the team.

“These kids, this is what they dreamed about,” Close said. “There’s no motivational speeches needed for a game like this and, at the same time, this is not our season. This is a step in our season of growth, of experience.”