During the fourth quarter of the women’s basketball game, despite the team being up 35 points, Jordin Canada was bothering coach Cori Close to let her back into the game. When Close finally relented, Canada was fed a pass inside and immediately blew a wide-open layup. The sophomore guard grabbed her own rebound and dribbled back to the perimeter, trying to bite back a smile.
She was clearly having fun.
It was easy to see why she would be, as the No. 19 UCLA cruised to an 83-48 victory over UC Irvine in Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday night. The Bruins finished the game shooting 46 percent compared to the Anteaters’ 28 percent.
“When we’re playing to our strengths and, you know, we’re playing the way we’re supposed to play, it’s definitely fun,” Canada said. “I know I had fun and I know my teammates had fun.”
The game involved UCLA pushing the ball quickly in transition before UCI could react on defense. Long outlet passes proved especially effective, as the Bruins continually found players streaking to the basket after grabbing defensive rebounds.
“If I was a player I’d think, ‘It’s a lot more fun to play this way, maybe I’ll outlet better all the time,'” Close said. “But really it starts with rebounding – it’s easy to outlet when you control over 80 percent of the offense’s misses.”
UCLA out-rebounded its opponent 59-30, with its top three rebounders coming from the backcourt. Senior guard Nirra Fields dominated the glass, finishing with 14 rebounds, four of them offensive.
“It’s our guard rebounding that really has made us much more consistent, and that has to become a strength,” Close said. “You look at the Pac-12, and we’ve got a lot of good guard rebounders.”
Fields and Canada also combined for 39 points, in what is shaping out to be one of the most productive backcourts in the Pac-12. Senior forward Kacy Swain added an additional 12 points off the bench.
“I think we were (in sync) the whole game, or the majority of the whole game,” Canada said. “I think that’s just practicing good habits in practice and just having that chemistry, and I think that showed out on the court tonight.”
It was the second game back for sophomore forward Lajahna Drummer, who was out for almost a month with a leg injury.
“I’m anxious to get back and do what I do best, which is rebounding, aggressiveness,” Drummer said.
Considered one of the better defenders on the team in full-court press situations, Drummer’s return helped the Bruins’ defense pressure the Anteaters early, which led to nine first-half turnovers.
“Lajahna was a great boost tonight. She played under control,” Close said. “She was a great scoring punch for us – she added confidence and versatility.”
This was the Bruins’ second victory of the week, after winning at Michigan 86-77 on Sunday. Their latest win capped off a three-game winning streak which has helped them continue to ascend in the polls.
“We beat a good team, pretty solidly, and controlled most of the game (against Michigan), and we have so much more to grow on,” Close said.
The team begins a three-game road series Friday starting with Sacramento State.