Slow Start Does Not Deter Bruins in B1G Tournament Quarterfinal 

By Nick Jenkinson/Excel H Sports

   The Top Seed UCLA Bruins overcame a slow first quarter start to beat the #8 Seed Washington Huskies 78-60 in the Quarterfinals of the Allstate Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament Friday Afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Regular Season Big Ten Champion Bruins are 29-1 and advance to tomorrow’s Semifinals at 2 PM. Washington is 21-10 and will await their postseason tournament fate.

   Washington led 15-6 at the end of the first quarter but the Bruins outscored the Huskies 21-9 in the second quarter to lead 27-24 at halftime. UCLA outscored Washington 51-36 in the second half. The Bruins outscored the Huskies 22-17 in the third quarter to lead 49-41 going into the fourth quarter. UCLA finished the game outscoring Washington 29-19 in the fourth quarter to advance to tomorrow’s semifinals.

   Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Lauren Betts scored 23 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and a block. Betts went 13-20 from the field and 0-1 from the free throw line and scored 10 first half points. Kiki Rice scored 18 points and dished out 6 assists. Gianna Kneepkens scored 13 points and went 5-5 from the free throw line. Charlise Ledger-Walker added 10 points. UCLA had 36 rebounds, 19 assists, 7 steals, no blocks and 10 turnovers. The Bruins scored 52 points in the paint, 17 points off turnovers, 12 second chance points, 10 fastbreak points and 6 bench points.

   Avery Howell led Washington with 18 points, Brynn McGaughy added 12 points along with 10 points apiece from Sayvia Sellers and Elle Ladine. Washington was 24-53 from the field for 45%, 6-22 from three-point range for 27% and 6-8 from the free throw line for 75%. The Huskies had 25 rebounds, 16 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks and 14 turnovers. Washington scored 32 points in the paint, 9 fastbreak points, 7 points off turnovers, 6 second chance points and 5 bench points.

   Washington game out aggressively and played good defense holding the Bruins to six first quarter points as Lauren Betts had 4 of the 6 points with Gianna Kneepkens scoring the other two. UCLA came alive in the second quarter and outscored the Huskies 72-45 the rest of the game as there were 3 ties and 5 lead changes.

  UCLA finished the regular season 18-0 and won the Conference Championship. A season ago the Bruins won the Big Ten Tournament Championship defeating USC after there only two conference losses came to the Trojans in the Regular Season. UCLA made the final four a season ago and the Bruins are expected to receive a Number 1 seed for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Washington will be in the postseason and Tina Langley’s team could be a sleeper team to watch in a couple weeks.