Women’s basketball triumphs over Oregon after holding lead for entire game

This post was updated Feb. 19 at 8:44 p.m.

Last month, the Bruins needed every one of Michaela Onyenwere’s 33 points to defeat Oregon.

Tonight, the senior forward once again led the team in scoring, but this time around she received some more help behind her.

No. 8 UCLA women’s basketball (13-3, 11-3 Pac-12) began its final homestand of the season with an 83-56 victory over No. 13 Oregon (12-6, 9-6). With the win, the Bruins secured their first season sweep over the Ducks since 2015-2016 while also earning their fourth victory over a ranked opponent this season.

“We knew preparing for this game that we had to be the tougher, more together team,” said redshirt junior guard Chantel Horvat. “We had to dominate the boards, dominate on defense and just play harder than them. And I think we really did do that today. We showed just how tough we can be and what a great team we can be.”

Led by 17 points from Onyenwere and 16 from senior forward Lauryn Miller, five Bruins finished in double figures while six grabbed five or more rebounds. The balanced effort resulted in their largest victory over Oregon since 2011.

“We’ve got a team full of amazing players. It’s not just a couple of people that can score,” Horvat said. “So we know that if we have ball movement, we’re going to get great shots and great books for multiple people. And I think we took advantage of that tonight. … It’s always fun to see your teammates put some points up on the board.”

The two teams previously met Jan. 3 in a contest that came down to the wire. Onyenwere hit the game-winning layup in the final minute to pull out a 73-71 win. Sophomore guard Charisma Osborne, who scored 22 points, was the only other Bruin to post more than five points.

After nine lead changes in last month’s contest, UCLA never gave up the lead tonight after redshirt senior guard Natalie Chou drained a 3-pointer in the first minute to start the game.

Coach Cori Close said that the performance is indicative of how her players have managed to settle into their roles more comfortably as the season progresses.

“I was of course thrilled we won (last time), but 55 of our points came from two people,” Close said. “This time around, it was so much more balanced and I think a lot of our players have come into their own about what it looks like for them to have winning plays.”

The Bruins came out of the gate running, with six different players scoring at least three points in the first quarter. The team made six 3-pointers and grabbed 14 rebounds – including six offensive – to jump out to a 28-11 lead after the opening period.

UCLA maintained its advantage on the boards by securing 11 more rebounds in the second quarter to match Oregon’s first-half total. Behind 10 points each and eight combined rebounds from Onyenwere and Osborne, the Bruins headed into halftime with a 46-22 lead.

“It’s just such a diverse group of people who are scoring the ball,” Miller said. “And it was definitely harder for them to guard and keep up when you have so many different threats, in that first half especially.”

Following the halftime break, the Bruins’ balanced scoring attack continued. Chou and Miller led the team with nine and 10 second-half points, respectively. Despite making just four 3-pointers after the first quarter, UCLA still knocked down its second-most in a game this season. 

“I never felt secure at all (with the lead). I was very animated at halftime,” Close said. “Just like, ‘Are you satisfied? Is that all you want is one good half?’ I was a little bit sarcastic and definitely spirited at halftime and just challenged them. And they stepped up.”

UCLA outrebounded Oregon 47-24, its largest margin in Pac-12 play this season. The team also scored 21 points off of 16 Oregon turnovers, compared to just six Duck points off 15 Bruin turnovers.

Miller said it was the best rebounding performance of the season for her team.

“It just felt like every board was coming right to us,” Miller said. “We were fighting and scrapping. And we definitely talk to each other at halftime not to settle and to keep scrapping. … We definitely made sure that it was a team effort on the glass tonight for sure.”

Forward Nyara Sabally and guard Te-Hina PaoPao were the only Ducks to finish in double figures, as the team shot just 35.7% from the field while posting a new season low in rebounds for a second-straight game. 

A week before the beginning of the Pac-12 tournament, UCLA has two more scheduled games left in the regular season. Close said she hopes this all-around effort carries over as the team prepares for its most important part of the season.

“That’s a really big key of how we’ve been playing our best basketball in March pretty consistently, is the adoption and buy-in to everyone’s roles,” Close said. “But sometimes you have to grow into your role throughout the year. … It’s about using all the skills I already know are in their toolbox, but on a more consistent basis.”