UCLA
Texas
UCLA Falls to No. 10/13 Texas, 75-65
November 24, 2014 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – The No. 10 Texas women's basketball team was wary of a letdown Sunday after a big win at Stanford earlier in the week.
A career-best showing from a freshman and a dominant rebounding performance ensured that wouldn't happen.
Freshman guard Brooke McCarty scored 20 points off the bench and the Longhorns dominated the boards to roll to a 75-65 win over UCLA at Pauley Pavilion on Sunday afternoon.
"I'm really proud of our team," Texas coach Karen Aston said. "We didn't know what to expect when we went on this road swing, but what we take out of it is we're a very balanced team, which I'm excited about."
McCarty made 5 of 9 3-pointers to pace Texas' offense, and set highs in points, 3-pointers and field goals (7) in her young career.
Ariel Atkins added 14 points for the Longhorns, Kelsey Lang had 12 points and six rebounds and Nneka Enemkpali had 10 points and 12 rebounds for her 22nd career double-double.
The Longhorns (3-0) outrebounded the Bruins 50-34, including 20 offensive boards that led to 20 second-chance points.
"We were forcing the kind of shots we wanted (on defense) but we just couldn't come up with the possession," UCLA coach Cori Close said. "It wasn't a height issue or an athleticism issue. It was mental toughness."
For UCLA (0-3), Nirra Fields had 19 points and eight rebounds and Kari Korver added 12 points. The Bruins had a higher shooting percentage and more blocks and assists than Texas, but couldn't overcome the rebounding deficit.
Texas clung to a slim 31-30 lead near the end of an up-tempo first half that featured three lead changes, but McCarty hit two 3-pointers in the final 56 seconds to give the Longhorns some breathing room and send them into halftime up 37-32.
Texas pulled away at the start of the second half when Atkins hit back-to-back field goals to spark a 9-2 run. UCLA crawled back within seven at 48-41, but McCarty responded with five points during a 7-0 run to stretch Texas' lead back out to double figures.
Fields hit back-to-back three-pointers to pull the Bruins to within five points (68-63) with 3:36 remaining, but Texas scored the game's next seven points to put the game out of reach.
UCLA returns to action on Nov. 28 when the Bruins play their third-straight nationally-ranked team as No. 16/15 Nebraska 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.
