UCLA women’s basketball opens season with win against Cal State Fullerton
Sophomore guard Charisma Osborne put up the second-most points in her Bruin career Friday, leading the way with 31 points in UCLA’s win against Cal State Fullerton. Osborne also added six assists, eight rebounds and four 3-pointers made. (Samuel In/Daily Bruin senior staff)
Women's Basketball
| CSU Fullerton | 49 |
| No. 9 UCLA | 98 |
By Gavin Carlson
Nov. 28, 2020 2:46 p.m.
This post was last updated Nov. 29 at 6:08 p.m.
The Bruins brought their own energy and focus to an empty Pauley Pavilion on Friday night.
Following the postponement of its season opener Wednesday, No. 9 UCLA (1-0) finally ended its elongated break from competition with a 98-49 win against Cal State Fullerton (0-1).
Despite empty seats, fake crowd noise and a week of uncertainty, sophomore guard Charisma Osborne said the Bruins were able to lock in mentally.
“We didn’t even really notice the crowd noise,” Osborne said. “I think we were all just really focused on the game plan and what we were supposed to do.”
For Osborne, that game plan included a game-high 31 points, including four 3-pointers. Her total marked the second-highest scoring output of her career for the Pac-12 Preseason All-Conference sophomore.
Naismith Collegiate Player of the Year candidate and senior forward Michaela Onyenwere had an all-around effort, scoring 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting while adding eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
Onyenwere said one of last year’s key messages has become a guiding focus this season.
“Even when we had fans, we always talked about being intrinsically motivated, and I think even now it’s just so much more important for that,” Onyenwere said. “We have to bring our own energy within our own circle.”
Following an early 9-4 deficit, the UCLA defense picked up by not allowing a single point in the next 6 minutes and 22 seconds of the game. The lockdown defense helped spark a 19-0 run in the first quarter that gave the Bruins a 23-9 first-quarter lead, one they would never lose.
Despite the lead that UCLA was able to eventually build, Onyenwere said she was not satisfied with the team’s early performance.
“We didn’t come out the way we probably wanted to in the first half honestly,” Onyenwere said. “In the second half we really adjusted, and that shows me we can really lock into a game plan when we need to, but I think that needs to start from the beginning.”
It may have taken longer than Onyenwere wanted, but the Bruins defense continued to stifle the Titan offense throughout the remainder of the game.
UCLA forced Fullerton to commit 25 turnovers and scored 44 points off of those turnovers.
Even with the team’s stats sheet filling up on the defensive end, coach Cori Close said she had criticisms similar to Onyenwere’s. Close continued the theme of intense focus by downplaying her team’s defensive performance.
“Defensively we’ve got a long ways to go,” Close said. “Rebounding, defending without fouling – those are some of the areas of improvement that I’d like to see a little more consistency in.”
Nevertheless, Close acknowledged the challenges the unprecedented offseason has brought and is grateful the team gets to play basketball at all.
“I’m just gonna focus on getting better and bringing the joy every day,” Close said. “I did think they brought the joy today, and I was thankful for that.”
UCLA will again be faced with an empty arena when it travels to Firestone Fieldhouse on Sunday to take on a Pepperdine team that has not played a game yet this season but went 16-15 last season.
