Women’s basketball hopes to keep up momentum heading into Arizona State matchup

While the Bruins will have to wait to seek redemption against Arizona, they still have a chance to win a season-high fifth straight game this week.

No. 5 UCLA women’s basketball (9-2, 7-2 Pac-12) will return home to host Arizona State (8-4, 4-4) on Friday. The Bruins were also slated to host No. 10 Arizona (11-2, 9-2) on Sunday, but the game was postponed indefinitely because of “COVID-19 protocols within the Wildcats’ program,” according to UCLA Athletics. This marks the seventh postponement this season for the team, although none have been because of COVID-19 protocols within the Bruin program.

After last Sunday’s 70-66 win over then-No. 5 Stanford, UCLA moved up a spot to No. 5 on the Associated Press Top 25 poll, making the Bruins the highest-ranked team in the Pac-12 for the first time this season – with three conference rivals also ranked in the top 11.

Despite cracking the top five – the programs highest ranking since November 2017 – senior forward Michaela Onyenwere said there is still much more room for the team to grow.

“Obviously it’s cool being top-five, but that’s not something that we’re focusing on,” Onyenwere said. “Primarily, our everyday focus is on getting better and just finding ways to grow. So it doesn’t just stop here, it’s, ‘How can we get better today?’”

Coach Cori Close reiterated that the team is well aware of the intensified target on its back as a result of this ranking, having been on both sides of the coin this season.

“We have to be honest that there’s going to be a bigger target on our back, and people are going to give us their best shot,” Close said. “But at the same time, we call it what it is and just focus on preparation and what it takes to become great.”

Sophomore guard Charisma Osborne, who was named Pac-12 Player of the Week after scoring 24 points – including the go-ahead free throws – in the win over Stanford last week, has now scored 20 or more points in four straight games, all Bruin victories.

“I’ve just been trying to play my game and just play more free,” Osborne said. “I’ve talked to coach Cori about just playing the game and not trying to score, but instead, trying to get my teammates involved and lead the team first, and then my scoring will come.”

Also in the game against Stanford, redshirt junior guard Chantel Horvat returned from an ankle injury to play 12 minutes off the bench, her first game since Dec. 13. Osborne said she immediately provided a noticeable leadership boost in her return.

“She’s just such a great leader for us,” Osborne said. “She’s always bringing energy and she’s so consistent with that. So to have her back on the court helping with that has been great.”

The Bruins have faced the Sun Devils once already this season, resulting in a 63-59 victory – UCLA’s first conference win of the season, and tenth straight victory over Arizona State. The Sun Devils’ current leading scorer, guard Taya Hanson at 12.6 points per game, was held to 8 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Close said she expects another hard-fought, physical game Friday against the team that currently leads the Pac-12 in points allowed per game.

“It’s going to be physical, and if we want to play with our rhythm, we’re going to have to be sharper on our cuts, better on our screens, use more ball fakes,” Close said. “There’s a lot of things that Arizona State’s going to force us to do if we want to come out victorious.”

Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion.