LOS ANGELES – Cal took control of the game early with a 15-2 run out the gate behind a hot start from
Kemery Martín, who had eight first quarter points, but it wasn't enough as the Bears fell on the road 87-70 to No. 8 UCLA on Sunday. Martin tied her career-high with five 3-pointers for the third time in her career and second time this season.
Jayda Curry and
Leilani McIntosh joined Martín in double-figures with 13 and 11 points respectively. The Bears also got contributions from
Peanut Tuitele, who had nine points and seven rebounds and
Karisma Ortiz, who had two 3-pointers for the first time this season. The Bears shot 47.1 percent from deep, their second highest mark of the season.
"I think considering where we came from, with our performance on Friday (in a loss to USC), I was really proud of how we bounced back and started this game and it's a really good team," Cal head coach
Charmin Smith said. "So that was a positive. And then I just think there were too many mistakes even in the first quarter, where we should have had a bigger lead."
The Bruins (15-3, 4-2 Pac-12) trailed by as many as 12 points in the first quarter but came back. Cal (10-7, 1-5) played well on the road but couldn't finish.
It was a close game until the fourth quarter when UCLA, trailing by two points, went on a 12-2 run to lead 78-65 and put the game away.
Martín had a game-high 23 points for the Bears, just two points shy of her career-high. The Bears made 9 of 12 shots in the first quarter.
Martin made her first eight field goals in the game and was 5 of 5 from 3-point range. Her first miss came at 6:50 in the third quarter on a 10-foot jumper.
With the Bruins down by 12, they went on a 18-6 run to tie the game at 23.
Cal's
Jayda Curry made a 3-pointer for the 39th consecutive game, moving her into sole possession of second place in Pac-12 history.
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