University of Washington
UCLA
Dawgs Drop Tight One To No. 14 UCLA, 63-59
February 14, 2016 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – Washington made it a road split in Los Angeles, falling in a highly competitive back and forth game to No. 14 UCLA, 63-59. The Dawgs (17-8, 8-6 Pac-12) built and early cushion, but back came the Bruins (19-6, 11-3), making for an exciting finish that could have gone either way.
Kelsey Plum led the Huskies with 32 points, surpassing 30 for the ninth time this season and the 20th time in her career. However, it will be her last shot that rimmed out and could have tied the game in the final seconds that will be remembered.
Plum shot 11-27 for the game, including 3-10 from 3-point range and 7-9 from the foul line. Talia Walton added 19 points, while Chnatel Osahor ripped down 16 rebounds for the second-straight contest.
Plum came out on fire, scoring 17 points in the first quarter on 7-10 shooting from the floor, including 2-4 from 3-point range. The Dawgs led by as many as 17 in the quarter and took a 26-13 lead to the second. The Dawgs shot 50 percent in the period and held UCLA to 30 percent, including 0-7 from beyond the 3-point arc.
The Bruins made their comeback in the second quarter, outscoring the Huskies 22-10 in the period. Plum finished the half with 21 points, but UCLA cut the Dawgs lead to 36-35 at the break.
UCLA completed the comeback to regain the lead in the third quarter, but the Huskies battled back. The Bruins led by as many as three, but Washington closed on a run after a 3-pointer from Plum and then a steal by Osahor to set up Plum getting to the line. Washington led 48-47 heading to the final quarter.
The fourth quarter was a back and forth affair as both teams had leads. Walton knocked down a big 3-pointer with 7:36 to play to put the Huskies up two, but the Bruins would battle back to take the lead. Down four with just over a minute remaining, the Huskies created a turnover and Plum got to the free throw line after pushing the ball in transition.
Plum made both free throws and after a Husky stop, the Dawgs had one final chance with seven seconds left. Plum knifed through the defense and attempted an off-balance runner off the glass, but it would not go down. UCLA rebounded and the Huskies were forced to foul and that would do it.
The loss is the first for Mike Neighbors as head coach against a Los Angeles school as he came in 4-0 against USC and 3-0 against UCLA. It also drops the Dawgs to 8-6 in the Pac-12, which will remain fifth, although Oregon could tie for that spot depending on their results Sunday afternoon against Colorado.
For the game, Washington shot 34.5 percent, holding the Bruins to 30.3. UCLA won the battle on the glass 49-44, while both teams turned it over 15 times.
The Huskies will return to Seattle, but then head back out on the road for a second-straight weekend away from Alaska Airlines Arena. Washington will face Arizona on Friday, Feb. 19, at 6 p.m., followed by No. 9 Arizona State on Sunday, Feb. 21, at 11 a.m. The game with the Wildcats will be webcast only, while Sunday's game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.
