UCLA
5-2
Michigan
7-2
No. 20 UCLA Wins at Michigan, 86-77
December 13, 2015 | Women's Basketball
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- No. 20 UCLA (5-2) earned its first true road win of the season with an 86-77 win at Michigan (7-2) on Sunday afternoon at Crisler Center. In a rematch of last year's WNIT semifinal won by the Bruins, this year's game featured 10 ties and eight lead changes.
UCLA scored the first seven points of the game (five by junior guard Kari Korver). Michigan would tie the game at 9-9 and then senior guard Nirra Fields went to work, scoring six straight for the Bruins. But the Wolverines would take their first lead of the game at 17-15 with just over a minute to play in the first. Michigan held a 19-17 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter featured four ties and three lead changes until tied at 28-28, the Bruins went on a mini 6-0 run to lead 34-28 (2:00). The Bruins missed their last five shots of the quarter but only allowed Michigan one field goal to take a 34-30 lead into the locker room at the break. Korver and sophomore forward Monique Billings each scored six points in the quarter to pace the Bruin offense.
After Michigan took a 37-36 lead out of the break, outscoring UCLA 7-2 to open the third, the Bruins settled down and regained the lead on Korver's fourth trey of the game (7:56). Fields scored back-to-back-to-back layups to give the Bruins their first double-digit lead of the game at 11 points (64-53) with :20 left in the quarter.
The Bruins led by 11 (66-55) after a pair of free throws by Billings to open the fourth. But Michigan quickly cut the deficit to four at 69-65 on a layup by Thome with 6:52 to go. Billings would then score four straight points at the end of an 8-0 run to give UCLA its largest lead of the game at 12 points (77-65) with 4:41 remaining. The Bruins maintained a double-digit lead for the rest of the game until Michigan closed the gap to nine to end the contest.
For the game, UCLA shot 46.4 percent from the floor (32-for-69) while allowing Michigan to shoot 50.0 percent (33-for-66). The Bruins hammered Michigan on the boards, 45-27, including five or more by all five Bruin starters.
Fields finished the game with a team-high 22 points, her 28 career 20-point effort (ranks 10th in UCLA history). Billings ended with 20 points for the first time in her career and hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds for the third double-double of her career. Sophomore guard Jordin Canada shook off a slow offensive start to finish with 12 points, eight rebounds and a game-high seven assists while Korver had 14 points and five boards. Senior forward Kacy Swain contributed 10 points and seven rebounds to go with three steals and a block.
Hallie Thome led Michigan with 24 points and seven rebounds while Katelynn Flaherty added 20 points. Nicole Munger was the only other Wolverine in double figures with 15 points.
The Bruins return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 16 when they host UC Irvine at 7:00 p.m. in their final home nonconference game of the season.
No. 20 UCLA at Michigan (Nonconference Game)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| No. 20 UCLA | 17 | 17 | 30 | 22 | 86 |
| Michigan | 19 | 11 | 25 | 22 | 77 |
