Season’s worst field goal percentage brings down UCLA women’s basketball

This post was updated Feb. 23 at 8:59 p.m.

The Bruins were down three with as many minutes to go. 

And after a missed opponent free throw would’ve awarded forward Lina Sontag the opportunity to collect the rebound, instead the freshman mistakenly tipped the ball back into the net granting the Cougars not only the points, but also the game.

With the Pac-12 tournament looming, No. 17 UCLA women’s basketball (21-8, 10-7 Pac-12) dropped a 62-55 decision to Washington State (19-9, 9-8) in Pauley Pavilion on Thursday evening. The Bruins – who currently sit at fifth in the Pac-12 – battled it out with the Cougars who remain seventh in conference rankings.

Coach Cori Close acknowledged the shock of the Bruins’ performance, especially after getting outrebounded for the first time since Jan. 13, following the recent growth she’s seen on her team.

“I’m so disappointed and sort of flabbergasted by how we could come out this way tonight,” Close said.

However, Thursday’s contest was played for more than just Pac-12 tournament seeding. 

The game was dedicated to the Play4Kay initiative and sought to raise awareness for the battle against breast cancer. Pauley Pavilion was painted pink as players and coaches from both teams and even the referees wore designated “Play4Kay” T-shirts prior to tip off. Both teams additionally walked the perimeter of the court hoisting personalized signs that dedicated each athlete’s play for the day to someone affected by breast cancer.

“It just puts it into perspective,” said senior guard Charisma Osborne. “Just to be grateful for our circumstances in what situation we’re in. I think today we just needed to do a better job of having enough perspective.”

After the pregame ceremony, the intensity of the game was prevalent from the tip. Following back-and-forth missed shots, turnovers and shot clock violations, the first points of the game didn’t come until senior guard Camryn Brown put her team on the scoreboard with two made free throws nearly two and a half minutes into the contest. 

UCLA’s initial advantage didn’t last long as Washington State responded with a three-point play courtesy of center Bella Murekatete. 

The blue and gold’s scoring woes persisted as it went 0-for-13 from the field throughout the first eight minutes of the quarter. Despite the Bruins pacing the Pac-12 in offensive rebounding, they were outrebounded 13-10 overall throughout the first frame. 

“There wasn’t enough intensity from us,” Close said. “Intensity came from Washington State.”

The Bruins eventually managed to find the bottom of the net after graduate student guard Gina Conti ended her team’s drought with 1:37 left in the first. The first quarter buzzer rang with the blue and gold facing a 13-6 deficit. 

In the second quarter, the rookies took matters into their own hands. 

Freshman guard Kiki Rice contributed a layup to open the quarter, followed two minutes later by two made free throws from freshman forward Gabriela Jaquez and another point from the charity stripe courtesy of Sontag. 

Continuing to trim the double-digit deficit, redshirt sophomore forward Emily Bessoir notched the first make from deep for the blue and gold. Accompanied by a nearly four minute scoring lapse for the Cougars, Jaquez added to the Bruins efforts with a made 3-pointer with 2:53 to go in the half. After a field goal from Osborne less than a minute later, the two teams found themselves in a deadlock. 

After a couple of back-and-forth point exchanges, the Bruins failed to pull ahead and entered the locker room knotted with the Cougars 25 apiece. 

One minute into the second half, UCLA assumed its first lead of the game since the initial minutes of the contest off two back-to-back layups from Rice. The Bruins’ lead was quickly squandered after the Cougars emerged on a 12-0 blitz. UCLA’s scoring afflictions continued throughout the contest, marking a field goal percentage of 20% midway through the third quarter. 

“We didn’t execute together, and when we did get good quality shots, we didn’t have each other’s back to get on the offensive glass,” Close said.

The Bruins closed out the third frame facing a five-point deficit after adding back-to-back scoring drives thanks to Rice and Brown.

The final quarter marked the Bruins’ best scoring percentage throughout the entire contest as they went 4-for-5 during the first five minutes. Freshman guard Londynn Jones broke back-and-forth scoring possessions for the two teams with a made 3-pointer to limit the blue and gold’s deficit to four points with five minutes remaining. 

Despite their efforts however, the gap proved too difficult for the Bruins to overcome. UCLA was outrebounded 42 to 39 on the night, relinquishing the opportunity to secure the No. 5 seed in the Pac-12 tournament with the 62-55 decision.

“We played chaotic,” Close said. “We didn’t make each other better. We didn’t make plays for each other and that’s what I’m most disappointed in.”