On Sunday afternoon, the UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team was able to continue their winning streak and remain No.1 as they seemed to get the easy win against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
To start off the game, the Bruins won the ball toss and UCLA junior Londynn Jones put up the first three points. Freshman guard Elina Aarnisalo was given two free throws, of which she was only able to make one. However, Aarnisalo was able to make her first three-pointer of the game, taking the lead in points among the Bruins. The first quarter ended with a score of 14-15 UCLA, making this a pretty tight game.
UCLA’s Angela Dugalić was able to score the first three-pointer of the second quarter and had Bruin fans cheering loud in Pauley Pavilion. As the second quarter went on, junior Gabriela Jaquez got her first turnover of the game as a travel violation was called on her. However, the Bruins regained their bearings as junior Timea Gardiner got her first three-pointer to help the Bruins keep the lead against the Golden Gophers. Jones also continued to score her three-pointers and led the first half of the game in points for the Bruins.
With a minute and a half left in the second quarter, the Bruins seemed to struggle to score as they only made two of their last 10 field goals. Then, with 44 seconds until halftime, junior Kiki Rice received her first personal foul. However, seconds before the end of the second quarter, Dugalić stole the ball and passed it to Jones who scored. Meanwhile, the Golden Gophers had not scored in the last two and a half minutes of the second quarter. The first half ended with the Bruins holding on to their lead at 28-33
The third quarter started off with Rice getting the first shot in. Jaquez was awarded two free throws, both of which were made. Shortly after, she made a three-pointer that had the audience going wild. However, with six minutes left in the quarter, Rice picked up her second personal foul and later, with a minute left, she picked up her third, a referee decision that clearly upset the Bruin audience. At the end of the third quarter, Minnesota had still not scored in the last three and a half minutes and had made zero of their last four field goal attempts.
In the beginning of the final quarter, Lauren Betts also picked up her third personal foul. However, Aarnisalo sunk another three-pointer, making her the leading scorer in the fourth quarter. As the Golden Gophers were getting ready to score, Jones stole the ball and proceeded to put more points on the board for the Bruins, leaving fans cheering for quite some time. The game ended with a Bruin win, and a final score of 53-79. Aarnisalo led the Bruins in points as she scored 15 points, while Betts was able to get a total of 11 assists.
Now the Bruins prepare to face a formidable opponent, No. 8 Ohio State, on Wednesday evening.
Photographed by Tanisi Venkannagari/BruinLife
Photographed by Tanisi Venkannagari/BruinLife
Photographed by Tanisi Venkannagari/BruinLife
