UCLA
3-1
Louisiana Tech
2-2
UCLA Defeats Louisiana Tech, 68-57
November 27, 2015 | Women's Basketball
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FREEPORT, Bahamas -- UCLA improved to 3-1 on the year after posting a 68-57 win over Louisiana Tech (2-2) in the semifinals of the 2015 Junkanoo Jam at St. Georges High School on Friday afternoon. Sophomore guard Jordin Canada led four Bruins in double figures with 14 points. She also added six assists, four rebounds and two steals in the all-around effort.
Louisiana Tech got some early offensive rebounds to build a four-point lead to start the first quarter. But the Bruins battled through a sluggish start to keep it close. The Lady Techsters' Brooke Pumroy made a shot at the buzzer to give her team a 14-12 lead through one period. Kacy Swain led UCLA with four points and three rebounds in the opening period. The Bruins were outrebounded 13-10 (nine offensive boards).
The second quarter was all Bruins, with several steals leading to runouts for scores and and-ones. UCLA won the period 17-6 for a halftime lead of 29-20. Canada had eight points while Nirra Fields added six in the second quarter. Fields finished with 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds. The Bruins managed to get even on the rebounds at 21-21 in the period and forced Louisiana Tech into 11 turnovers off of seven steals (four by Kennedy Burke, two by Canada and one by Fields).
Kari Korver hit a three-pointer to give the Bruins a 10-point lead in the third quarter. Korver ended the game with 12 points, all in the third, which included three triples. She also had six rebounds. Monique Billings scored back-to-back layups in the third to push the Bruins' lead to 17, 46-29, with 3:56 left in the quarter. Billings had seven points in the period and ended with 13 points and seven rebounds. The Lady Techsters went on a 13-6 run to end the period, down 52-42.
Swain converted an and-one to give UCLA its largest lead of the game at 67-48 with 5:13 to go in the fourth quarter. Swain finished the game with seven points and four rebounds. The Bruins only managed one made free throw in the final five minutes to settle for a 68-57 victory. It was the Bruins' first win over Louisian Tech in program history after 11 defeats.
For the game, UCLA shot 43.3 percent from the floor (26-for-60) while holding Louisiana Tech to 30.7 percent (23-for-75). The Bruins rebounded from the slow start to outrebound the Lady Techsters 48-42.
The Bruin freshmen each got some quality minutes with Kennedy Burke scoring six points and adding six rebounds, three assists and a team-high four steals. Ashley Hearn was scoreless, but grabbed four boards and had one steal and recorded UCLA's only two blocks of the contest.
Brandi Wingate had a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds to pace the Lady Techsters. Ashley Santos was the only other player to reach double figures with 15 points.
The Bruins return to action tomorrow, Saturday Nov. 28 when they play No. 3 Notre Dame at 3:15 p.m. in the finals of the 2015 Junkanoo Jam (Freeport Division).
UCLA vs. Louisiana Tech (2015 Junkanoo Jam Semifinals)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Louisiana Tech | 14 | 6 | 22 | 15 | 57 |
| UCLA | 12 | 17 | 23 | 16 | 68 |
