Women’s basketball focuses on holding leads late in game after 1st loss of season
Freshman guard Charisma Osborne has shot 36% from behind the arc this season, the highest mark of any player on No. 10 UCLA women’s basketball. (Joy Hong/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By Jon Christon
Jan. 23, 2020 1:44 a.m.
Seventeen games into their campaign, the Bruins did something they hadn’t all season: lose.
No. 10 UCLA women’s basketball (16-1, 5-1 Pac-12) was defeated by crosstown rival USC (9-8, 1-5) on Friday, marking the Bruins’ first loss in nearly 300 days.
Coach Cori Close said the game featured the biggest problem for UCLA this season.
“I’ll be really blunt – our biggest (problem) right now is really being able to execute things (late in games),” Close said.
UCLA had the lead for the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter against USC, peaking with a five-point lead with 3:38 left. The Bruins missed their next eight shots and were held scoreless the rest of the quarter, allowing the Trojans to tie the game and force overtime.
In a similar fashion, UCLA held leads in both overtimes – including a six-point lead in double overtime – but was unable to keep either.
With just 15 seconds left on the clock in double overtime and facing a two-point deficit, the Bruins had the opportunity to either tie or win the game. The possession – and the game – ended with a layup attempt by junior guard Chantel Horvat that failed to hit the rim.
“We ran our play that we work on all the time in practice, but we just weren’t able to get downhill and force the help (defense) to recover,” Close said. “We weren’t able to get the clean catch on the run which disrupted the rhythm of that play.”
In games that have been decided by fewer than 10 points, UCLA has shot just 29.5% from the field in the fourth quarter. The Bruins have shot 40.7% from the field overall this season.
Before Friday’s game, UCLA was the last undefeated team in the nation. It is now one of nine Division I teams – and the only Pac-12 team – that have only one loss.
Freshman guard Charisma Osborne said even though the Bruins no longer have the pressure of being the last undefeated team, they still have to play hard every night.
“We knew we had a target on our backs,” Osborne said. “(Now) we just need to go out every night and fight – especially in this conference because anyone can win any night.”
Close said the loss Friday provides an opportunity to grow.
“Obviously it stinks,” Close said. “Our challenge now is to let it teach our hearts – mine included – and help us commit to the inches that we need in order to be successful at the highest levels.”
UCLA still has 12 Pac-12 games left on its schedule, including five games against teams currently ranked in the AP top 25.
