When sophomore forward Monique Billings received the ball from sophomore guard Jordin Canada halfway through the fourth quarter, UCLA was already well ahead.
That didn’t stop her from quickly pulling the trigger and draining the jumper. The points capped off a 13-0 run that gave the women’s basketball team a 69-54 lead and shut the door on Washington State’s hopes for a late comeback in Pauley Pavilion.
The Bruins came away Friday with a seemingly comfortable 73-61 victory over the Cougars. The result, however, did not always seem so clear. UCLA head coach Cori Close knew that better than anyone.
“This wasn’t a good night for us,” Close said. “We didn’t play with the concentration and consistent effort that we normally do.”
No. 14 UCLA (18-6, 10-3 Pac-12) started the game against unranked Washington State (12-12, 3-10 Pac-12) with a distinct lack of sharpness. The team’s inability to keep the ball set the tone for a sloppy affair in which the teams would combine to turn the ball over 51 times – 27 for the Cougars and 24 for the Bruins.
The missed shots didn’t help either. Both sides seemed unwilling to take advantage of the other’s mistakes; instead, they added to the error tally. Each team shot less than 40 percent from the floor, with UCLA having to recover from a 26.5 percent performance in the first half to finish with a somewhat respectable offensive stat sheet.
“It was an ugly game all-around,” Close said. “That’s in terms of fouls, in terms of traveling – all kinds of things. I’m sorry the fans had to watch that.”
Regardless, UCLA managed to take the early lead with its free throws, setting another pattern in motion that would continue throughout the game. UCLA would hit 23 of 29 free throws, while Washington State ended with 11 of 12. The Cougars’ inability to keep the Bruins from getting to the line proved to be a major factor in their undoing.
Another destructive force was Billings, who carved out a game-high 16 points and nine rebounds.
UCLA needed someone to step up, as Washington State refused to go away and even took the lead in the third quarter.
“We felt flat, and I just wanted to bring energy to the team,” Billings said.
She took control, igniting the 13-0 run for the Bruins in the final quarter that sealed the Cougars’ fate.
“In the second half, it was her game,” Close said. “She wanted the ball, you could tell she wanted the ball and she delivered.”
Canada, who pitched in with 12 points and eight assists, was also quick to stress the importance of Billings’ performance.
“I knew I needed to get her the ball,” Canada said. “She had the hot hand.”
Other key contributors included steady junior guard Kari Korver, who picked up 12 points, and senior guard Nirra Fields, who piled on 10 points and seven rebounds. Freshman guard Kennedy Burke also played her part by hitting an important 3-pointer to put the Bruins back in front during the third quarter.
“This team has been consistently resilient all year,” Close said. “We gave up the lead, took it back and controlled the game down the stretch.”
UCLA can find some comfort in the fact that they played as poorly as they did and still won by double-digits, but they are aware of the danger Washington poses in Sunday’s showdown.
The team was torched by Husky standout Kelsey Plum and company back in January, but Close made sure to point out the conference foe’s vulnerability.
“Washington will give us opportunities,” Close said. “It’s up to us to take advantage.”