UCLA
8-2
South Carolina
9-1
No. 9 UCLA Falls at No. 6 South Carolina
December 18, 2016 | Women's Basketball
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COLUMBIA, S.C. -- No. 9 UCLA found itself in foul trouble in the third period and No. 6 South Carolina capitalized with a key 17-3 run to start the second half -- 14-1 with Jordin Canada out of the game with four fouls -- as the Gamecocks won a top-10 matchup 66-57 at Colonial Life Arena on Sunday afternoon.
UCLA built a 9-2 lead at the start as the Gamecocks opened the game shooting just 1-for-13 from the floor. The Bruins held an 11-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.
A layup by Monique Billings gave the Bruins a 15-8 lead with 7:15 to go in the second quarter, matching their largest lead of the game. South Carolina slowly chipped away at the Bruins' lead and tied it at 26-26 on a layup by Doniyah Cliney with 0:17 to go in the second, culminating an 18-10 run to close the half. The Bruins had a couple of shots at the end of the half and couldn't convert as the two teams went into the locker room all tied up at 26-26.
The Bruins shot just 4-for-10 from the free throw line and 2-for-14 from three to finish the first half shooting 25.6 percent (10-for-39) from the floor. USC shot 29.0 percent from the field (9-for-31) in the first half and outrebounded UCLA 25-23, but turned the ball over nine times compared to just five for the Bruins.
The game got away from the Bruins in the third quarter when Canada was whistled for her third and fourth fouls in the first 2:30 and USC went on a 14-1 run to build a 41-29 lead with 4:20 left. By that point, the foul disparity had grown to 18-8. Canada came back in for the final four minutes of the third and scored seven straight points for UCLA, which trailed USC 49-38 heading into the fourth.
Canada hit the first jumper in the fourth (9:17) to cut it to nine (49-40) but it was as close as the Bruins would get the rest of the way until Nicole Kornet hit a three-pointer with 0:12 left to end the scoring in the game.
Alaina Coates had 20 points -- 11 in a 17-3 run to start the second half -- and 14 rebounds for South Carolina (9-1). A'ja Wilson had 13 points and 13 rebounds -- the second straight contest both had double-doubles.
"They imposed their will with their inside game," UCLA coach Cori Close said.
Canada, UCLA's leading scorer who had 30 points in her last game, had 15 points on 6-of-20 shooting before fouling out with 2:15 to go.
Billings finished with a career-high 22 rebounds to go along with 12 points for the Bruins. She surpassed her high of 16 boards collected in a win over Michigan a week ago. The 22 rebounds tied for the fourth-most in UCLA history.
UCLA's shooting touch was ice cold. The Bruins shot 28.2 percent for the game and made just four of 27 attempts from 3-point range. South Carolina ended the game with a 54-47 rebounding edge.
THE BIG PICTURE
UCLA: The Bruins showed the speed, size and strength to match up with the best teams in the country. Billings, at 6-4, went toe-to-toe with South Carolina twin post stars in Wilson and Coates.
Canada regularly sped past the Gamecocks' quick guards. The Bruins seemed to wear down before halftime as the Gamecocks wiped out an eight-point lead with an 18-10 run over the final seven minutes of the second quarter.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks need to start faster if they hope to succeed in the rugged Southeastern Conference. South Carolina made only two of 15 field goals in the opening quarter and finished with six points. It's been a recurring problem this season for the Gamecocks, who've scored fewer than 20 points in the first quarter in six of their 10 games this season.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
UCLA could slip out of the Top 10, but should not fall too far after coming cross-country to face the Gamecocks.
South Carolina should hold its spot at No. 6 after winning three games in eight days.
UP NEXT
UCLA: Stays in the South, playing at North Carolina A&T at 12:00 p.m. ET/9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
South Carolina: Plays its final nonconference game when it travels to Savannah State on Wednesday night.
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| No. 9 UCLA | 11 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 57 |
| No. 6 South Carolina | 6 | 20 | 23 | 17 | 66 |
