UCLA Mounts Successful Second-Half Comeback

Thursday, January 24

Los Angeles, Calif.

7 p.m.

University of Oregon

UCLA

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

01/24/08 | Women's Basketball

By: GoDucks.com

LOS ANGELES ? With conference status on the line Thursday night at Pauley Pavilion, UCLA made a spectacular comeback and erased Oregon's second-half double-digit lead en route to a 63-59 victory.

Oregon's Taylor Lilley made things interesting, draining a three-pointer to make the score 62-59 with 12 seconds to go, but UCLA senior Lindsey Pluimer hit one of her two free-throw attempts to keep the Bruins ahead as the game winded down.

UCLA improves to 10-9 on the year, and 5-3 in the Pacific-10, tied with USC (12-7, 5-3) for fourth place. Oregon drops to 10-9 overall and an even 4-4 (sixth place) in the conference.

The most experienced Duck of all, senior Kaela Chapdelaine led Oregon with 16 points and 10 rebounds, the second double-double of her career. She tied her career high and set a new season mark with five three-pointers on 5-of-7 shooting from behind the arc.

Pluimer was UCLA's only double-digit scorer with 19 points.

The Ducks, who went into the half leading 30-24, opened the second set on an 8-3 run, capped by Chapdelaine's fourth three-pointer. Under a minute later, she hit her fifth at the 16:05 mark, to give Oregon a 41-29 advantage.

Oregon maintained its lead at 45-33, and freshman Tatianna Thomas recorded her third block of the year, stuffing Pluimer with 11:46 to go. Lilley then extended the Ducks' lead to 49-35 with 10:12 on the clock, draining her second three-pointer.

The Newhall, Calif., native ended her evening with 13 points, while Micaela Cocks scored 10.

As part of a 22-5 run, UCLA cut Oregon's lead to 50-43, after Christina Nzekwe completed a three-point play with 8:38 to go.

With under five minutes remaining, UCLA began to implement a full-court press, and cut the Ducks' lead to 54-52 when freshman Darxia Morris drained a jumper. A second Oregon turnover resulted in the Bruins tying the game at 54 with 3:47 to go, and a third straight miscue led to UCLA's go-ahead score.

The Ducks committed a season-high 29 turnovers, 18 in the second half, as Oregon played without junior point guard Tamika Nurse. She took a hard fall in the first half and did not return with a left shoulder sprain.

The Ducks were also without freshman Nia Jackson, who is day-to-day with a quad injury.

Oregon will now play USC with a 2 p.m. tip on Saturday. Fans in Eugene can watch the Duck-Trojan game, broadcast on the Oregon Sports Network on KEZI. The game will be available on Comcast SportsNet in Portland.

Despite a slow start to the first half, Oregon ended the period with a five-minute flurry, going on a 13-2 run to walk into the locker room leading 30-24.

Tied 22-22, Oregon's Ellie Manou gave the Duck's a one-point lead going 1-of-2 from the free-throw line. After an Oregon steal on defense, the Ducks built their lead to 26-22 as Lilley guided the break and found a wide open Chapdelaine, who buried the three-pointer on the wing.

Thomas then scored her first bucket to build the Ducks' lead to 28-22. With 20 seconds to go, Manou then added an offensive rebound and putback to give Oregon a six-point lead heading into halftime.

Chapdelaine led Oregon with seven points and eight rebounds in the first half, while Lilley added seven points as well.

The Ducks shot 37.0 percent from the floor, while UCLA struggled at 24.1 percent (7-29).

With both teams short on makes in the first half, the battle of the game developed under the boards. Canepa and Ironmonger both found themselves in early foul trouble, accumulating three and two first-half fouls, respectively.

Morris came off the bench making her first return to action after missing UCLA's three previous games with a right knee sprain suffered against Cal on Jan. 9. Her insertion into the game helped spur a 5-0 run and 11-6 lead by the Bruins. She ended the game with eight points and four steals.

Both teams struggled to get their offenses in motion, as the first field goal was not recorded until Lilley made her way through the lane for a layup at the 16:40 mark.

QUICK QUACKS: UCLA's Darxia Morris came off the bench...the freshman guard who leads the conference with 2.47 steals per game, had missed the Bruins' last three games after her spraining her right knee against Cal on Jan. 9...the Ducks were without freshman point guard Nia Jackson, who is battling trouble in her quad and is listed as day-to-day...Oregon last won at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 29, 2004...led by Chelsea Wagner's 17 points, the Ducks were victorious by the score of 61-55..the second leg of the Northwest Dodge Dealers Civil War series between the Oregon and Oregon State women's basketball programs at Mac Court on Saurday, March 1, has been moved to a 4 p.m. start time to allow for a full, statewide telecast on the Oregon Sports Network...the game will be seen on KEZI in Eugene, KDRV in Medford, KOHD in Central Oregon, and Comcast Sports Net in Portland and Salem.