UCLA
10-3, 1-1
California
10-3, 1-1
No. 11 UCLA Routs No. 20 California, 82-46
December 31, 2017 | Women's Basketball
The Bruins pick up their largest win ever in Haas Pavilion.
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BERKELEY, Calif. – No Bruin player had ever won at California and entered today's game reeling after an 11-point loss at Stanford to open Pac-12 play on Friday. But No. 11 UCLA used an inspired defensive effort to snap a six-game losing streak at California on Sunday afternoon with an 82-46 win in Haas Pavilion. The victory eclipsed UCLA's largest-ever at California, a 32-point win (86-54) on Feb. 14, 1998.
The Bruins were led by senior forward Monique Billings with her third-straight double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds. Senior point guard Jordin Canada, who is third in the NCAA in assists (5.8), had 16 points and nine assists for UCLA (10-3, 1-1 Pac-12). Kennedy Burke added 10 points, five assists and four steals as the Bruins had 26 assists on 34 field goals.
Kristine Anigwe opened Pac-12 play with back-to back double-doubles to pace Cal (10-3, 1-1). She had 15 points and 10 rebounds, Asha Thomas added 12 points and Mikayla Cowling had 11 points and nine rebounds. The Golden Bears were just 1 of 12 from 3-point range.
The Bruins got off to another slow start at California, trailing 7-0, before Billings grabbed an offensive rebound and scored a putback to make it 7-2 at the 7:06 mark of the first period. Canada's three-ball at the 3:14 mark tied the game at 13-13. UCLA took its first lead of the first quarter on a pair of free throws by Burke with 2:29 left in the opening period. UCLA lead Cal 19-15 at the end of the first.
Both teams really struggled for over four minutes at the start of the second quarter. But UCLA used defensive pressure to hold the Golden Bears to just four points in the period, ending the second on a 13-1 run to build a 34-19 lead at the half. Cal missed its last nine shots of the half but outrebounded UCLA 23-16.
After Cal scored a basket to open the third quarter, UCLA engineered a 9-0 run to build a 43-21 lead at the 6:19 mark. Japreece Dean hit a three-ball (1:51) to give the Bruins' a 26-point lead (54-28). Michaela Onyenwere scored a baseline jumper with four seconds left to give the Bruins a 58-30 lead at the end of the third.
The fourth quarter was more of the same as the Bruins scored another 24 points, equaling their total from the third. The Bruins led by as many as 37 points on three occasions in the fourth and cruised to victory.
The Bruins return home for the first time since Dec. 3 to host No. 17 Oregon State on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Network.
