UCLA
North Carolina
No. 13 North Carolina Defeats No. 23 UCLA, 84-68
November 16, 2014 | Women's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 23 UCLA dropped its second-straight game to an NCAA Tournament team from a year ago with an 84-68 defeat at No. 13 North Carolina on Sunday afternoon at Carmichael Arena.
Junior guard Nirra Fields had a game-high 21 points and added eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block to lead UCLA.
The Bruins battled to a 27-27 tie before North Carolina assumed control of the first half with a 9-0 run at the 6:02 mark (36-27). Allisha Gray drained a three-pointer to give the Tar Heels their largest lead of the half at 42-29 (5:09). But UCLA ended the half outscoring UNC 11-3, including scoring the final six points of the half to trim the deficit to 45-40 at the break.
Fields led all scorers at halftime with 15 points while freshman Jordin Canada had nine points and freshman Monique Billings had a game-high seven rebounds in the first half to help UCLA outrebound UNC, 29-20.
The Bruins shot 36.4 percent (12-for-33) in the opening 20 minutes while UNC shot 38.9 percent (14-for-36). The Tar Heels were bolstered by shooting 41.2 percent from three-point range (7-for-17) and scoring 12 points off of UCLA's 10 turnovers.
North Carolina opened the second half with a 10-4 run to build a 55-44 lead and never looked back. The Tar Heels led by as many as 20 points (13:27) in the second-half. UCLA cut it to eight, but would get no closer.
Gray led five Tar Heels in double figures with 19 points. Brittany Rountree had 17 points (4-for-9 from three) and six assists for UNC.
Freshman Lajahna Drummer was the only other Bruin to reach double figures with 11 points.
For the game, UCLA shot 35.7 percent from the floor (25-for 70) while North Carolina shot 40.6 percent (26-for-64). The Bruins outrebounded the Tar Heels, 52-42, thanks to a game-high 12 from Billings. But for the second straight game, UCLA commited 20-plus turnoveres (21) and shot a paltry 17.4 percent (4-for-23) from long range.
UCLA returns to action on Nov. 23 when they return home to host No. 9/12 Texas at 1:00 p.m. (PT) live on the Pac-12 Networks.
Women's basketball season tickets are on sale at the UCLA Central Ticket Office (310-UCLA-WIN). For more ticket information, or to buy tickets now, click here.
