UCLA
Cincinnati
UCLA Gets First Win of the Year with 66-58 Victory Over Cincinnati
December 03, 2014 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – UCLA won its first game of the 2014-15 season with a 66-58 win over Cincinnati on Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins improved to 1-4 on the year while the Bearcats dropped to 1-5.
Redshirt sophomore Kari Korver led the Bruins with 15 points and a career-best eight rebounds. Junior Nirra Fields had her second straight double-double with 10 points and a career-high 13 boards.
The Bruins struggled offensively in the first half, shooting just 35.0 percent (14-for-40) from the floor and 20.0 percent (2-for-10) from beyond the arc without attempting a free throw. But UCLA built a 13-point lead with 4:43 to go in the first and held a seven-point lead at the break (30-23) thanks to a dominant performance on the glass. The Bruins used a stingy defense (28.1 percent, 9-for-32) and outrebounded the Bearcats 33-16 in the first half to help maintain a lead from wire-to-wire.
The Bearcats opened the second half with a 7-2 run to trim the Bruins' lead to 32-30 in the first two minutes of the half. But UCLA responded with an 18-7 run, culminating in back-to-back three-pointers by freshman Recee' Caldwell and Korver, to give UCLA a 50-37 lead with 11:08 remaining. Cincinnati would hit a three to pull within six points (54-48). But Korver answered with her third three-pointer of the game (2:11) to help secure the win.
Ana Owens led Cincinnati with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds. Jasmine Whitfields (17 points) and Makenzie Cann (11 points) were the only other Bearcats to reach double figures.
Kover and Fields were the only Bruins to score in double figures, but the Bruins received a strong outing from Caldwell, who finished with a season-best nine points to go with four assists and three boards. Senior Corinne Costa had eight points and six rebounds while Luiana Livulo added six points and five boards in 11 minutes. Freshman Lajahna Drummer had four points and seven boards with two assists and was the only Bruin who played in double-digit minutes without a turnover.
For the game, UCLA shot 37.7 percent from the floor (26-for 69) while holding Cincinnati to 33.9 percent shooting (19-for-56). The Bruins dominated the rebounding battle, 57-30, but the Bearcats won the turnover battle, 12-18.
UCLA returns to action on Dec. 10 when they host UC Riverside in a double-header with the men's basketball program. The women's game tips at 5:00 p.m. on the Pac-12 Networks while the men follow with an 8:00 p.m. tip 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.
