Story by Brett Shapoff
UCLA hosting Arizona State. Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports |
In a game that saw a total of forty-two
turnovers by both teams, it still was exciting down to the last few
seconds, as 19th-ranked UCLA squeezed by Arizona State,
54-50, at the House that Wooden built [Pauley Pavilion].
Although not pretty in terms of
execution and cohesiveness, both teams clawed and scraped to the end,
before 1,565 fans, who appreciated the hard-fought, back-and-forth
play, on Sunday afternoon.
Many of the game statistics were
virtually even: field-goals made: UCLA 19 to Arizona State’s 18;
three-pointers made: UCLA 5 to Arizona State’s 4; free-throws made:
UCLA 11 to Arizona State’s 10. The rebounding edge went to UCLA
35-24. The turnovers were not a thing either coach was happy about:
UCLA committed 23, while Arizona had 19.
UCLA's #2 Kari Korver. Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports |
The game, for the most part, was close
– never more than an 8-point lead – by either team. Both teams
played man-to-man defense, as well as, zone. It was just one of these
games that although, not very proficient in execution, it displayed
hustle, mental toughness, and real determination by both teams to
win.
UCLA (15-4 overall) was led by Nirra
Fields who had 13 points, including, 3-three-pointers, and Jasmine
Dixon Dixon who contributed 12 points. Dixon was strong underneath
and it resulted in her going to the line eight times and converting
six of them. As a team, the Bruins shot 73% (11-15) from the charity
stripe.
UCLA coach, Cori Close, stated in her
post-game conference, that the game was not pretty - with so many
turnovers - but it was her team’s mental toughness that propelled
them to victory. Coach Close mentioned her team will watch game film
to see (and learn) more about their turnovers, but she stressed the
importance of the mental toughness by her players, especially, in
pulling-out a hard-fought victory like this one.
UCLA's#33 Jasmine Dixon hustling for a loose ball. Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports. |
The Bruins needed two three-pointers,
one by Kari Korver with 2:33 remaining in the game, and one by Nirra
Fields with 1:20 remaining in the game, to keep the pesky Sun Devils
from stealing a victory.
Arizona State (11-9 overall) was led by
Janae Fulcher’s 13 points, Promise Amukamara’s 7 points, and a
trio of players – Adrianne Tomas, Arnecia Hawkins and Joy Burke –
who all pitched in 6 points a piece. Thomas and Amukamara also had 8
and 6 rebound respectively.
The Sun Devils held the Bruins to 17.5
points per game below their season average, but the Bruins still
found a way to win: ‘Mental Toughness’!
Next up for the Bruins are the
mountain-state schools of Colorado and Utah, who visit Pauley
Pavilion this coming week.