​TUCSON, AZ – NOVEMBER 08: Arizona Wildcats forward Breanna Williams (40) during a basketball game between the Iona Gaels and the University of Arizona Wildcats on November 08, 2026 at McKale Center at ALKEME Arena in Tucson, AZ. (Photo by Christopher Hook/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Arizona women’s basketball has a stronger roster this year. How much stronger is the question, and it’s one the Wildcats have an early opportunity to answer. Head coach Becky Burke and her squad will take on the No. 10 UCLA Bruins in Los Angeles on Thursday.UCLA is not the same team, either. Head coach Cori Close lost quite a bit of firepower from her national championship team after last season. Six of the eleven players who got into a game on last year’s 37-1 team are now gone. That list includes Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Gianna Kneepkens, Angela Dugalić, and Gabriela Jaquez. Those were the team’s top six scorers and six of its top seven rebounders last season. They were the top six players in total assists and steals. The top four players in total blocked shots were also in that group.The Bruins lost 75.7 of their 83.9 points per game. That’s 90 percent of their scoring. They are missing 32.9 of 42.4 rebounds per game or 78 percent of last year’s boards. They had 281 of 318 total steals graduate, leaving them without 88 percent of last year’s steals. When it comes to assists, 763 of 834 total assists (91 percent) are no longer available. They had 170 total blocks last year, but the six departing players accounted for 140 (82 percent) of them.Close went into the portal for reinforcements. She got KK Bransford from Notre Dame, Addy Brown from Iowa State, and former Oregon State and TCU guard Donovyn Hunter. While they bring experience, this is a much younger team that hasn’t spent the years together that last year’s Bruins did. Last season’s UCLA team had five players who started their careers somewhere else, but most were not new to the program. Only Kneepkens came over during the offseason. Leger-Walker was only on the court for one season, but she spent two in the program. Betts and Dugalić both spent three years at UCLA. Rice and Jaquez were four-year members of the team.Up next for Arizona women’s basketballWho: Arizona Wildcats (2-0) @ UCLA Bruins (2-0)When: Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. MSTWhere: Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, Calif.TV: Big Ten NetworkStreaming: FOX Sports appStats:UCLA Live StatsRadio:KTUC 1400 AMAs expected, the losses have had an impact. The Bruins were regularly blowing out teams around the country. They outscored their opponents by 27.4 points per game last season. That wasn’t confined to overmatched mid-majors or bottom dwellers of the Power 4 leagues. UCLA played 11 ranked teams during the regular season. It lost its first matchup against Texas by the score of 76-65. It was not only the only loss of the season, but the Bruins went on to ou