Ucla Women Surge In Second Half To Defeat Minnesota And Advance To Elite Eight

SACRAMENTO — Once again, it wasn’t a blowout from commencement to finish, but triumph besides wasn’t overmuch of a mobility for nan UCLA women’s hoops squad connected Friday.

The Bruins led by 5 astatine halftime against Big Ten foe and No. 4 seed Minnesota successful a Sweet 16 lucifer astatine Golden 1 Center successful Sacramento, but moreover not playing their best, UCLA was excessively overmuch for nan Golden Gophers to grip successful nan 2nd half.

UCLA pulled distant successful nan 3rd 4th to return down a scrappy Minnesota squad 80-56 and beforehand to its 2nd consecutive Elite Eight. Kiki Rice led nan Bruins pinch 21 points and Angela Dugalic nabbed her 2nd double-double of nan tourney pinch 13 points and 10 rebounds. Lauren Betts added 16 points and matched her play precocious pinch 5 blocks.

UCLA halfway Lauren Betts celebrates against Minnesota successful nan first half Friday.

(Justine Willard / Associated Press)

It was UCLA’s 28th consecutive victory, a streak that dates backmost to November.

The Gophers’ 38% shooting from nan section was their eighth lowest successful a crippled this play and their 56 points were their 3rd fewest this season.

UCLA (34-1) hardly came retired hot, but nan Gophers (24-9) struggled to do thing successful nan opening quarter. Minnesota went 4 minutes without scoring, shooting 0 for 5 pinch 3 turnovers.

The Bruins, though, went acold connected discourtesy successful nan 2nd 4th and Minnesota trim it to a three-point crippled contempt committing turnovers and having respective shots blocked.

UCLA went 0 for 6 from three-point scope successful nan first half but led 34-29 astatine nan break. Betts and Dugalic mixed to deed 10 of 13 shots successful nan opening half, but nan remainder of nan Bruins went six of 23.

UCLA’s Kiki Rice shoots complete Minnesota’s Brylee Glenn successful nan first half Friday.

(Sara Nevis / Associated Press)

Minnesota didn’t people for nan first 4:40 of nan 2nd half, giving nan Bruins room to grow their lead. The Gophers were stopped connected consecutive shot-clock violations retired of a timeout while UCLA went up 40-29.

The UCLA defense sealed nan game, holding Minnesota to 33.3% shooting successful nan 2nd half.

On a nighttime wherever 1 of their champion violative weapons was off, that was key. UCLA, whose 37.5% from three-point scope is sixth successful nan NCAA, went 4 of 15 from deep.

UCLA hit Minnesota 76-58 successful January during Big Ten play. The Gophers precocious to nan Sweet 16 past week disconnected an Amaya Battle buzzer-beater against No. 5 seed Mississippi.

UCLA will look nan victor of No. 2 seed Louisiana State (29-5) versus No. 3 seed Duke (26-8) connected Sunday.