LOS ANGELES –Trailing by 12 at the half, the California women's basketball team used an inspired second half effort to draw within four points of the 13th-ranked Bruins with 2:06 left in the game. However UCLA prevailed, winning 60-52 in the Friday night showdown at Pauley Pavilion.
Asha Thomas and Kristine Anigwe had 14 points apiece for the Golden Bears (13-5, 4-3 Pac-12) while sophomore Jaelyn Brown matched her season-high with 11 points, 10 of which came in the second half. The Bruins (14-4, 5-2 Pac-12) had four different players in double-figures, led by 14 points and 18 rebounds from senior Monique Billings.
After scoring a season-low 17 points in the first half on just 33 percent (11-33) shooting from the field, the Bears opened the second half on an 8-2 run, with all eight points coming curtesy of Anigwe. The reigning Pac-12 Player of the Week, Anigwe played just 27 minutes due to foul trouble, but connected on her first four field goal attempts of the second half, scoring 12 points in the second half on 5-6 shooting from the field. The 6'4" center/forward added five rebounds and two steals for the Bears.
Cal outscored UCLA, 16-8, in the third quarter, as Brown drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to cut UCLA's lead to 37-33 entering the fourth quarter. Brown kept the momentum going in the fourth quarter, converting a four-point play in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. The sophomore from Murrieta, California, matched her career-high with three made three-pointers, going 3-4 from beyond the arc. After a 7-0 run built the Bruins lead back to 12, the Bears went on an 8-0 run, getting back to within four when Kianna Smith converted a layup with 2:06 left to play. However the Bruins responded with five unanswered points and was never able to get it back within one possession.
Thomas scored 10 of her 14 points in the first half while registering a season-high four steals. Mikayla Cowling had a game-high six assists while senior forward Penina Davidson led the Bears with eight rebounds.
After committing 24 turnovers against the Bruins earlier this season, Cal committed just 13 turnovers on Friday night, compared to 15 for UCLA. However, UCLA held a 44-33 advantage on the glass, marking just the third time the Bears have been out-rebounded this season.
Cal's SoCal road trip continues on Sunday when the Bears take on USC at 1 p.m. PT at the Galen Center. The Golden Bears opened the 2017-18 Pac-12 slate with a 76-64 victory at home over the Trojans, and have won their last three meetings vs USC. After dropping their first three games in Pac-12 play,
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