Friday, March 3
Las Vegas, NV
6:00 PM
UCLA
25-8,11-7Pac-12
69
vs
65
Stanford
28-5,15-3Pac-12
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F
UCLA
8
14
18
29
69
Stanford
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65
Photo by: Caren Nicdao
Bruins Complete 10-Point Fourth Quarter Comeback to Upset Stanford
March 03, 2023 | Women's Basketball
LAS VEGAS – UCLA Women's Basketball (25-8, 11-7 Pac-12) trailed by 16 points in the 2023 Pac-12 Women's Basketball Semifinals on Friday, but the Bruins overcame a 10-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat the top-seeded Stanford Cardinal (28-5, 15-3 Pac-12).
The Bruins move on to the Pac-12 Championship Game for the first time since the 2020-21 season when No. 3 UCLA faced off against No. 1 Stanford (L, 55-75 – Mar. 7, 2021).
Freshman Kiki Rice scored a career-high 22 points in the game, shooting 12-of-13 from the free throw line. Rice had 11 of her points in the final period as the Bruins outscored Stanford 29-15 to close out the postseason matchup. The freshman guard finished with five rebounds and five assists with a steal in her stat line.
Four Bruins were in double figures: Rice (22), Emily Bessoir (14), Charisma Osborne (13) and Gina Conti (11). Conti had two clutch three-pointers in the final quarter to help lift UCLA past The Cardinal.
The Bruins shot 3-for-15 in the first quarter, putting eight points on the board in the first frame. UCLA and Stanford had 12 boards apiece in the quarter.
Rice hit a pair of free throws, then knocked down a mid-range jumper off a screen, and followed that up converting an and-one layup for UCLA's first seven points of the second quarter.
UCLA trailed 22-35 after two, its second-lowest scoring total through the first half this season (18 at Washington, Jan. 20).
The Bruins started to flow in the third quarter, shooting 40.0% from the field and knocking down all four of their freebies. Lina Sontag started the second half with the Bruins and contributed four points in the third; the freshman also swiped two key steals to swing the Bruins' momentum near the end of the quarter.
Trailing 40-50 at the end of the third, the Bruins settled in for battle. UCLA went on a 9-2 run in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter; Bessoir and Osborne scored inside the arc, and Conti knocked down a triple that caused a Cardinal timeout.
Down the stretch, it was the Kiki Rice show. The freshman was 7-for-8 from the charity stripe, making clutch free throws after attacking the basket and getting fouled intentionally in the last minute. Conti grabbed the offensive board off Rice's only miss, and she swung the ball into Osborne's hands. The shooting guard was fouled and knocked down both of her free throws in the clutch. Rice went to the line one more time, sinking both and making it a two-possession game. Stanford did not get off a shot in the last five seconds of the game.
The Bruins outscored Stanford 29-15 in the final frame and only led for 2:31 in the game.
The Bruins move on to the Pac-12 Championship Game for the first time since the 2020-21 season when No. 3 UCLA faced off against No. 1 Stanford (L, 55-75 – Mar. 7, 2021).
Freshman Kiki Rice scored a career-high 22 points in the game, shooting 12-of-13 from the free throw line. Rice had 11 of her points in the final period as the Bruins outscored Stanford 29-15 to close out the postseason matchup. The freshman guard finished with five rebounds and five assists with a steal in her stat line.
Four Bruins were in double figures: Rice (22), Emily Bessoir (14), Charisma Osborne (13) and Gina Conti (11). Conti had two clutch three-pointers in the final quarter to help lift UCLA past The Cardinal.
The Bruins shot 3-for-15 in the first quarter, putting eight points on the board in the first frame. UCLA and Stanford had 12 boards apiece in the quarter.
Rice hit a pair of free throws, then knocked down a mid-range jumper off a screen, and followed that up converting an and-one layup for UCLA's first seven points of the second quarter.
TALK TO 'EM, KI! AND-OOOOOOOONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ???
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) March 4, 2023
??: Pac-12 Network
??: https://t.co/f5YVZnJId9#GoBruins | #Pac12WBB | @kiki_rice0 pic.twitter.com/GPWJH22hAm
UCLA trailed 22-35 after two, its second-lowest scoring total through the first half this season (18 at Washington, Jan. 20).
The Bruins started to flow in the third quarter, shooting 40.0% from the field and knocking down all four of their freebies. Lina Sontag started the second half with the Bruins and contributed four points in the third; the freshman also swiped two key steals to swing the Bruins' momentum near the end of the quarter.
The swipe and the finish! Lina off to the races after stealing this one away!
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) March 4, 2023
??: Pac-12 Network
??: https://t.co/f5YVZnJId9#GoBruins | #Pac12WBB | @LinaSontag pic.twitter.com/Gl5tvYdbpG
Trailing 40-50 at the end of the third, the Bruins settled in for battle. UCLA went on a 9-2 run in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter; Bessoir and Osborne scored inside the arc, and Conti knocked down a triple that caused a Cardinal timeout.
One. possession. game.
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) March 4, 2023
Gina Conti, thank you Kiki Rice! ??
??: Pac-12 Network
??: https://t.co/f5YVZnJId9#GoBruins | #Pac12WBB | @kiki_rice0 x @ginamconti pic.twitter.com/hYVV7zMw24
Down the stretch, it was the Kiki Rice show. The freshman was 7-for-8 from the charity stripe, making clutch free throws after attacking the basket and getting fouled intentionally in the last minute. Conti grabbed the offensive board off Rice's only miss, and she swung the ball into Osborne's hands. The shooting guard was fouled and knocked down both of her free throws in the clutch. Rice went to the line one more time, sinking both and making it a two-possession game. Stanford did not get off a shot in the last five seconds of the game.
The Bruins outscored Stanford 29-15 in the final frame and only led for 2:31 in the game.
Team Stats
UCLA
Stan
FG%
.362
.453
3FG%
.292
.364
FT%
.870
.722
RB
35
36
TO
10
11
STL
7
1
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
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