UCLA
16-5, 8-2Pac-12
Utah
12-9, 4-6Pac-12
No. 15 UCLA Rallies for 69-63 Victory
January 31, 2016 | Women's Basketball
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SALT LAKE CITY -- Nirra Fields scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and 23 of her game-high 24 points in the second half as No. 15 UCLA erased a 15-point deficit to post a 69-63 win at Utah on Sunday afternoon at Jon M. Huntsman Center.
Monique Billings registered her fifth double-double of the year (sixth of career) with 12 points and 11 rebounds and had a career-high six blocked shots for the Bruins. Kari Korver was the only other Bruin to reach double figures with 10 points.
There were four lead changes and five ties in the first quarter, the last was at 12-12 at the 3:31 mark after a free throw by Paulina Hersler. But UCLA went ice cold for the remainder of the period and found itself trailing 17-12 on a three-pointer by Katie Kuklok with six seconds remaining in the first.
UCLA's offensive struggles continued in the second quarter as the Bruins fell behind by as many as 14 (35-21) on a layup by Tanaeya Boclair with 2:33 to go. Kennedy Burke hit a three-pointer to end the scoring in the second quarter with 0:51 left to cut the deficit to 35-28 at the break.
The Bruins again were cold to start the third period, falling behind by its largest margin of the game at 47-32 on a three-pointer by Malia Nawahine with 6:13 to go in the third. But UCLA closed the period on an 11-4 run to pull to within eight points (51-43). Korver drained a three with 10 seconds to go, her second of the game.
Fields took over the game in the fourth and drained a three-pointer with 5:19 to go, giving UCLA a 54-53 lead. The Bruins never trailed again. Emily Potter scored a layup with 1:02 left to close the gap to 64-61. But Fields scored the Bruins' last five points, icing the contest.
Potter led Utah with a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds. Boclair chipped in 13 points for the Utes while Danielle Rodriguez and Nawahine each contributed 10 points.
TIP-INS
UCLA: Fields' 17 points in the fourth quarter were the most by a Bruin in any quarter this season. ... Billings and Burke combined for 10 of UCLA's season-high 15 blocked shots, a UCLA single-game record. ... The 24 points by Fields marked her 33rd game with 20 or more points (ranks 10th on UCLA's all-time charts).
Utah: The Utes dropped their ninth-straight game to UCLA, all since joining the Pac-12 in 2011. ... Utah outrebounded the Bruins 53-44, including 21 on the offensive glass, but only led UCLA in second chance points, 8-7.
UP NEXT
UCLA: Visits #8/9 Arizona State on Feb. 5 at 5:00 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Networks.
Utah: Hosts Colorado on Feb. 4 at 6:00 p.m. MT.
No. 15 UCLA at Utah (Pac-12 Game)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| No. 15 UCLA | 12 | 16 | 15 | 26 | 69 |
| Utah | 17 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 63 |
