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SYDNEY, Australia – The UCLA women's basketball team concluded its trip to Australia at 4-0 after a 78-58 win over the Sydney Comets on Saturday, Aug. 27 at the Alexandria Basketball Stadium in Alexandria, New South Wales, Australia.
The Bruins had three players in double figures, led by senior Nicole Kornet's 26 points. She also added five rebounds, one steal and one assist while shooting 10-for-15 from the field and 3-for-5 from three-point range. Junior Monique Billings 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds to go with two steals, one block and one assist. Junior guard Kelli Hayes had 14 points, three steals, one rebound and one assist while going 6-for-9 from the floor, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.
Both teams battled in the first period as neither team had more than a four-point lead. The Comets held a slight 17-15 advantage at the end of the period.
Freshman Lindsey Corsaro started the second quarter and immediately had an impact, scoring five points in a span of 22 seconds. She played just 3:09 in the quarter, grabbing a rebound and making both of her shots. It was Corsaro's first game in Australia after missing the first three with an undisclosed injury. The Bruins trailed 23-22 with 5:58 left in the second quarter, but closed the period on a 13-6 run to take a 35-29 lead into the half.
Sydney cut the lead to 36-33 at the 7:38 mark of the third period, but UCLA went on a 17-4 run over the next five minutes with 11 of those points coming from the hot hand of Kornet. The Comets were able to cut the deficit to 10 (54-44) by the end of the third, but would get no closer than seven points in the final period. UCLA won the final quarter 24-14 to provide the 78-58 victory.
Senior Kari Korver scored eight points and added three assists, two rebounds, two steals and one block. Junior Jordin Canada contributed five points, five assists, three steals and two rebounds. Sophomore Ashley Hearn had four points, six rebounds and one block for the Bruins.
Freshman Ally Rosenblum chipped in two points, six rebounds and one assist while junior Paulina Hersler registered two points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal. Sophomore Kennedy Burke had one point, two rebounds and one steal.
The game capped the end of the Bruins' exhibition schedule and a very long day for UCLA. We began our day with a team breakfast at 9:00 a.m. at the hotel, followed by an excellent two-hour tour of the Sydney Opera House. After a light snack around Noon from a local stand called Quick Eats on Sydney's Circula Quay, we got on a ferry and spent over three hours at the Taronga Zoo. We then got back on the ferry and headed to Rossini Cafe for pregeam meal at 4:00 p.m. Rossini's is an authentic Italian restaurant on the Circular Quay and was very good. After a quick stop back at our hotel for a change of clothes, UCLA jumped on a bus for a short bus ride to the stadium for an 8:00 p.m. tip.