Women’s basketball defeats Utah on 3rd stop of road trip, sweeping season series
Senior forward Michaela Onyenwere paced No. 8 UCLA women’s basketball in scoring with 25 points, the most she has scored in a game since Jan. 3. Onyenwere added seven of the Bruins’ 40 rebounds as well. (Ashley Kenney/Assistant Photo editor)
Women’s Basketball
| No. 8 UCLA | 69 |
| Utah | 58 |
By Francis Moon
Feb. 12, 2021 1:30 p.m.
This post was updated Feb. 15 at 6:12 p.m.
With just seven active Bruins on the roster, Michaela Onyenwere returned to form.
No. 8 UCLA women’s basketball (12-3, 10-3 Pac-12) defeated Utah (5-12, 4-12) by a score of 69-58 to sweep the season series. The senior forward – who has led the Bruins in scoring in each of the last two seasons – scored 25 points after averaging 14.2 in her last six games.
“Through the ups and downs, (Onyenwere’s) been so consistent as a teammate and as a person, and she’s always cheering us on,” said redshirt senior guard Natalie Chou. “It doesn’t matter how well she plays, she’s always giving. And that’s why we look to her all the time.”
The Bruins were missing freshman forward Emily Bessoir, who was out with a non-COVID-19-related illness, as well as sophomore guard Camryn Brown, who remains out with an injury. This left the Bruins with only seven players available for the game for the second straight time against the Utes.
After scoring 36 points in the first quarter alone and holding the lead for almost the entirety of their first matchup Jan. 10, the Bruins trailed for a total of 1:27 this time, all in the first quarter. Behind 17 first-half points from Onyenwere, the Bruins headed into halftime with a 35-25 lead.
UCLA jumped out to an 8-0 run to start the second half and held on behind 12 second-half points from redshirt junior guard Chantel Horvat, who finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds to record her second double-double of the season. Horvat played 29 minutes, the most she’s played since returning from injury and tied for her highest total this season.
“I’m super proud of (Horvat),” Onyenwere said. “With everything she’s battled, to come out and get three offensive rebounds right off the bat in the second half, that was huge for us. I think it set the tone for the half going forward.”
Onyenwere also contributed seven of the team’s 40 rebounds, its sixth-highest total in conference play this season. Twenty of the rebounds came on the offensive glass for the Bruins, who lead the Pac-12 in offensive rebounding.
Coach Cori Close said Onyenwere’s high effort level leads to high production on the boards and on defense, regardless of whether her shots are falling. The senior ranks second in the Pac-12 with 8.3 rebounds per game.
“What I love about (Onyenwere) the most is that you never have to coach her effort,” Close said. “She’s going to find ways to help your team, no matter if it’s scoring or something else, but she’s truly spectacular.”
UCLA also forced 16 turnovers, which led to 27 points. Close said it was a point of emphasis for the team to create easy offense by being aggressive and limiting Utah’s drives.
“When you’re able to generate easy offense off of your defense, it’s a momentum swing,” Close said. “It really helps us and, obviously, we were really fighting fatigue and all those things tonight. So those ones that are quick, easy buckets, it gives you energy for the next defensive possession as well.”
Sophomore guard Charisma Osborne scored eight points in the first half but only two in the second, snapping her streak of 20-point games at seven, tied for the longest streak among UCLA players since at least 1999. Chou was the fourth Bruin to finish in double figures, also adding 12 points.
The Utes were led by 14 points and six assists from guard Brynna Maxwell. The team shot 16.7% from beyond the arc, well below its season average of 30.4%.
UCLA has now defeated Utah 18 consecutive times, dating back to 2009. The Utes were without guard Dru Gylten, who scored 13 points in the two teams’ first matchup of the season and currently leads the Pac-12 in assists per game.
“We’re not very pretty right now, but we are gritty,” Close said. “The reality is, I didn’t think we played extremely well. But we found a way to come up and get a win – just trying to learn from every experience and to continue to fight for whatever games we get to play, so everything’s a learning opportunity.”
The Bruins will finish their four-game road trip against Colorado on Sunday in their final road matchup of the regular season.
