Bruins overcome first-half deficit to defeat Trojans 71-60, win season series

One second on the shot clock and the ball found freshman guard Jordin Canada. Falling back, she had no other choice but to shoot.

The Bruins were up two with 1:17 left in the game but hadn’t found lasting momentum all game. After moments where the Bruins appeared to have momentum on their side, play would stop and the Trojans would respond. After 37 minutes, UCLA finally put its foot down.

Basketball can be a funny sport. The quietest of sounds – the ball kissing only the net – unleashed a flurry of ear-shattering, body-rattling cheers as Canada’s last-second shot fell.

It fell, the crowd leapt and USC wouldn’t score again.

UCLA (8-9, Pac-12 4-2) overcame a six-point deficit against USC (11-6, Pac-12 3-3) to win 71-60 and sweep the season series. Despite a 11-point victory, the final score did not represent how close the game really was. There were seven lead changes and the game was tied 11 times.

More than 4,000 fans, the most at any home game this season, filled Pauley Pavilion with raucous cheering that drowned out communication even on the court.

“I was trying to yell out there’s a screen coming and I could barely hear myself,” said redshirt sophomore guard Kari Korver.

But the atmosphere did more to catalyze the Bruins than inhibit them.

“They’re like our sixth man,” said junior guard Nirra Fields. “When we’re down, when we’re not feeling it, when we hear them in the background it gets me energized, it gets the entire team energized and that’s what makes us go.”

The Bruins spent the week knowing it would be an intense, physical game and it didn’t help that they would begin disadvantaged.

A handful of key players, including Canada and fellow freshman guard Recee’ Caldwell, were suspended for the first half for violating team rules.

Coach Cori Close made the decision herself, citing the importance of accountability. Without some of their key players, the Bruins relied on players who hadn’t had much experience this season including sophomore guard Dominique Williams and senior guard Madeline Poteet.

During the first half UCLA was outrebounded 28-19 and struggled to stop USC in the paint as it scored 32 of its 60 points in the post. The Trojans led 32-26 at the half.

“I thought we were overextending our zone in the first half and trying to run out on shooters that don’t shoot the ball very well and therefore made our next rotation harder,” Close said.

Despite the lack of some of its key players, UCLA held its own. In the second half, the Bruins surged, and ended the game outrebounding USC by four. The Bruins recorded only six offensive rebounds in the first half, but grabbed eight in the second half while limiting the Trojans to three.

“That was a huge change, getting ourselves second shot opportunities because we weren’t shooting the ball very well,” Close said.

Korver scored 14 of a career-high 23 points in the first half and Canada dominated the Trojan defense with 15 points in only 17 minutes.

“We just came together,” Fields said. “I know that a lot of games are won by certain details and really small things. I felt like if we kept talking about stops that would ultimately get us over the hump.”

Canada was a huge reason for the momentum swing that occurred in the latter part of the second half.

“Our team is really starting to rely on her ability to create plays in the middle,” Close said.

She said that her ability to charge the middle creates better shots for Fields and Korver and also allows the team to run the Trojans off more screens.

Close commended Canada, who was out for the first 23 minutes, for her resolve and maturity after sitting due to violating team rules.

“I’m sure Jordin could’ve made a different choice, but she chose to be all about the team,” Close said. “You can swish your feet in the pity pond, but no swimming laps.”