PULLMAN, Wash. – The Bruins opened the last weekend of the regular season with a 74-69 victory at Washington State at Beasley Coliseum on Thursday night. UCLA (12-16, 8-9) improved to 22-7 all-time at WSU and 50-7 overall against the Cougars (15-13, 6-11).
The Bruins got off to a slow start as Wasington State led by five (11-6) after a three-pointer by Lia Galdeira at the 17:02 mark of the first half. Washington State made five of their first 10 three-pointers against the Bruins' zone. The Cougars still led by five at 29-24 (9:17) after a layup by Tia Presley.
But UCLA Head Coach Cori Close called timeout and switched to man-to-man. Not only did the Bruins erase their 17-9 deficit on the glass, but immediately went on a 12-0 run to lead 36-29 after back-to-back layups by Nirra Fields and Corinne Costa. The Bruins led 49-41 after a free throw by Luiana Livulo (0:38). But UCLA fouled Presley (:08) on an and one and then Presley missed the free throw and got her own rebound and was awarded another and one. After she made the free throw to complete a five-point possession, the Bruins led by just three at the half, 49-46.
Both teams had two players in double figures by halftime. Kari Korver had 11 points (3-for-5 from three-point range) to lead UCLA while Fields had 10. Presley had 16 points and Galdeira had 14 for WSU.
After the first half was all offense, the second half was all defense. Both teams shot below 28 percent from the field in the second stanza. Neither team led by more than four points in the second half that featured five ties and six lead changes. That is until Fields drained a baseline jumper with :30 to go to give UCLA a 72-67 lead. After Galdeira scored layup to pull to within three with :21 to go, Costa iced the win with two huge free throws to provide the 74-69 final.
For the game, UCLA shot 40.6 percent from the field (26-for-64) while Washington State made 34.7 percent (26-for-75). The Bruins recorded a season-high 53 rebounds (one more than they had in the overtime loss at James Madison to open the season), winning the battle of the boards by four. UCLA also had another dominant bench performance, outscoring the Cougars, 28-8.
Fields led the Bruins with 14 points while Korver had 13 (11 in the first half). Jordin Canada finished with 10 points and seven assists.
Costa finished with six points and a game-high and career-high-tying 13 rebounds. Lajahna Drummer had a solid outing with eight points and seven boards while Monique Billings had nine points and five rebounds.
Presley beat out her counterpart, Galdeira, 25-24 for game-high scoring honors. The guard duo was the only Cougs to reach double figures.
TIP-INS
WSU: The Cougars dropped their fourth straight and the 27th of their last 28 meetings to UCLA.
UCLA: The Bruins, which entered tonight's game ranked No. 58 in the country in blocks (4.5 bpg) had 10 tonight against the Cougars. Costa, Fields and Billings each had three.
UP NEXT
WSU: Hosts USC on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 3:00 p.m. on the Pac-12 Networks.
UCLA: At Washington on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 1:00 p.m. on the Pac-12 Networks.