UCLA women defeat Duke to advance to NCAA | College News
SACRAMENTO — During the UCLA women’s basketball group’s dominant run all season, a query has lingered.
When the second comes, can the No. 1 Bruins really deal with adversity?
They answered on Sunday, storming back from their first double-digit deficit of the season to earn a 70-58 Elite Eight victory over No. 3 Duke and advance to the Final Four for the second straight yr.
Lauren Betts tallied 23 factors and 10 rebounds for a double-double, with 15 factors and eight rebounds coming in the second half, while matching a season high 5 blocks.
Angela Dugalic went 4 for eight with 4 rebounds and two steals in the second half and was the catalyst for many big moments, including a buzzer-beating floater to end the third quarter and a lead-extending layup and free throw off an offensive rebound to create separation in the fourth. She completed with 15 factors off the bench.
UCLA turned on the aggression early in the third, taking deeper pictures and forcing three jump-balls and 4 turnovers as it got here from behind in the second half for the first time all season. The Bruins outscored Duke 20-8 in the third quarter.
UCLA heart Lauren Betts drives to the basket over Duke ahead Toby Fournier in the first half of the Bruins’ win in the Elite Eight of the women’s NCAA event Sunday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The only other time the Bruins (35-1) trailed at halftime was during their November loss to Texas, their sole defeat.
Duke (27-9) scored 18 factors off 18 Bruins turnovers, tied for the most UCLA has dedicated all season and 12 of those got here in the first half. But the Bruins turned it around in the second half with 18 factors off the 13 Duke turnovers.
UCLA trailed by as a lot as 10 and was down 39-31 at the half. The Bruins’ 12 first-half turnovers and zero made three-pointers knocked them off their rhythm.
Duke’s 26.8% opposing three-point proportion is the Fifteenth-best in the nation and that challenged the Bruins’ offense, which turned one dimensional attempting to get the ball to Betts in the post.
But Gabriela Jaquez, who completed with 9 factors and 5 rebounds, hit a three-pointer early in the third quarter to get back within 5, and Duke missed six consecutive pictures while the Bruins narrowed the hole. Toby Fournier (10 factors) also dedicated her third foul early in the quarter, forcing the Blue Devils’ heart off the ground.
Both offenses stalled for a period in the third quarter, but consecutive Duke turnovers led to a Charlisse Leger-Walker fast-break layup and a Gianna Kneepkens three-pointer for UCLA’s first lead since the opening seconds of the sport.
Duke didn’t rating for 5:40 in the third quarter until Taina Mair (team-high 21 factors) made a free throw with 32 seconds remaining. The eight Blue Devils’ factors had been tied for the fewest they’ve scored in a quarter this season.
UCLA prolonged its lead to 12 in the fourth and held Duke to 19 factors in the half total. Duke’s one three-pointer was its fewest in a sport this season.
Rather a lot modified since the groups last performed in the common season, when UCLA defeated the Blue Devils 89-59. Duke was 3-5 after the loss to UCLA in November, getting off to a poor start against nonconference groups. Duke then went 24-3, including its buzzer-beating upset of No. 2 Louisiana State on Friday to get to the Elite Eight.
The Bruins will face the winner of No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Michigan in the Final Four on Friday in Phoenix.
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