In an otherwise dominant season for the UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team, they faced challenges while battling the eighth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on Wednesday.
In the first quarter, the Buckeyes received an eight-point benefit from the eight turnovers UCLA made. They also pushed the pace, scoring nine fast break points compared to UCLA scoring two.
“We came prepared, we were ready for this game. I think it was one of our best starts this season,” said Buckeyes freshman guard Jaloni Cambridge. “Looking forward into this season, we have to keep up that for all four quarters.”
Cambridge finished the night with 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
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Ohio State also made six steals, helping them go into the second quarter with a two-point lead.
“This was the first time everybody was on the same page, locked in and ready to play,” said junior forward Cotie McMahon. “I think if we continue to go into games the way we did, the sky is the limit for us.”
UCLA head coach Cori Close noted how the Bruins were frustrated with their turnovers.
“We let it affect our purpose and talk in transition [defense],” Close said. “We were playing one-on-one defense instead of team transitional [defense].”
The Bruins adjusted to their nationally-ranked opponents. They fed balls to junior center Lauren Betts who battled through their trap and transition defense. By halftime, Betts had 13 points and 10 rebounds.
“Sometimes it’s hard but we just take it and just move on,” Betts said. “I think that poise is what we work on every single day.”
Betts ultimately led the team with 19 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. UCLA junior guard Kiki Rice and junior forward Gabriella Jaquez came alive offensively in the fourth phase.
Jaquez came into the fourth with six points but ended the game with 17. Rice ballooned her score from six to 12 in the same amount of time.
Close told the team at halftime that they were adhering to the playing styles of the Buckeyes, according to Jaquez.
“We just really needed a reset and I didn’t have a best first half,” Jaquez said. “I just took time in the locker room and just calmed myself down and remembered what I earned and all the hard work I put in.”
UCLA will travel to face Oregon on February 9 at 1:00P.M.
