Second Half Surge Lifts UCLA Women’s Basketball Over UC Riverside

The Bruins stepped on the gas in the second half of Thursday's matinee against the Highlanders, speeding to a near-blowout victory as a result.

UCLA women's basketball (2-0) overcame a slow start to beat UC Riverside (0-2) by a score of 64-43 at Pauley Pavilion. With the victory, the Bruins have now won 18 nonconference home games in a row dating back to 2018, as well as 34 of their last 36.

UCLA never trailed in the final 34 minutes, but it took them some time to break out on the offensive end of the floor.

After hitting two of their first three shots, the Bruins fell into a cold streak that would last for most of the first half. UCLA shot 4-of-20 during a 16-minute stretch between the first and second quarters, and were only able to hold onto a lead because of their ability to get to the line.

The Bruins found themselves in a 5-4 hole midway through the first quarter, only to go on a 14-2 run. Eight of UCLA's points during that stretch came off of free throws, with forward Emily Bessoir, guard Londynn Jones and guard Kiki Rice all drawing fouls. Rice had a chance to sink two more in the first quarter, but she missed both tries on her first trip of the night.

UC Riverside then battled back with an 11-4 run to cut the deficit back down to four. Forward Gabriela Jauqez came through with two more free throws in the final minute to end that run, then Rice recorded a last-minute block that led to a breakaway layup by guard Charisma Osborne at the halftime buzzer.

While the Bruins led at the break 26-18, they were 0-for-5 from 3-point range and had already turned the ball over 12 times.

Those turnovers slowed down in the third quarter, however, and UCLA started to surge ahead.

The Bruins only turned the ball over twice in the third frame, and their offense found its footing as a result. After scoring 26 points in the first two quarters combined, UCLA dropped 25 in the third quarter alone.

A good number of those were still coming from the charity stripe, but the shooting improved as well. Bessoir finally hit the Bruins' first triple of the day, then she drained another on the very next possession.

UCLA opened up the second half on a 14-3 run, going 12-of-22 from the field immediately following their 4-of-20 stretch. UC Irvine tried to stay in it with a trio of 3s and a long range 2 in that third quarter, but they stilled entered the fourth down 22.

Jaquez drilled a corner 3 early in the fourth quarter to keep the Bruins ahead by 20-plus, and the lead grew to as many as 23 with 7:01 left on the clock. The Highlanders kept bombing away from deep, though, and a quick 8-0 run helped them tighten things up down the stretch.

Guard Gina Conti, who missed Monday's opener as well as the entire 2021-2022 season due to injury, hit a pair of free throws to stop the comeback in its tracks. Those were her first points as a Bruin, and her first points at the college level since transferring from Wake Forest in the spring of 2021.

Conti got her first field goal since her return soon after, receiving a one-handed bounce pass from Rice before converting on a fast break layup.

After all 10 UCLA players who checked in Monday scored a point, 10 of the 11 scored Thursday. Forward Lina Sontag was the only one who didn't, but she still added three rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in her 10 minutes of action.

Bessoir led the way with 16 points, while Osborne was the only other Bruin who finished in double figures with her 12-point, 13-rebound double-double. Jaquez recorded nine points and six rebounds, and Rice added five points and five assists.

UCLA will wrap up its three-game season-opening homestand Sunday against Troy. That nonconference contest, which tips off at 2 p.m., will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.

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