Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LAS VEGAS — In a physical, back-and-forth game, it was UCLA that proved to be the better team.
The third-seeded Bruins maintained a two- to three-possession lead for much of the game Thursday night over the Utes in the second round of the Pac-12 Tournament at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. But the team started to pull away down the stretch to control a 14-point lead with 1:35 left in the fourth quarter.
UCLA locked in on defense to stifle a potential Utah run, and then got shots to fall behind the perimeter to maintain a comfortable lead en route to a 67-57 win in the final game of the quarterfinals in the last Pac-12 Tournament.
"At this time of year we always say in our program the reality is that the tougher, more together team wins," UCLA head coach Cori Close said. "And I thought both teams were pretty darn tough, but we found a way to win every quarter. And it might have looked different, it might have been a little chaotic, but we found a way to make enough winning plays together to win each quarter. At the end of the day, that's all that matters."
Utah's stay in Las Vegas is now over.
"What a hard-fought game — incredibly physical," Utah head coach Lynne Roberts said. "I think that's the most physical game I've ever been a part of. But I want to congratulate UCLA, they made plays. I felt like we were right there. They hit a couple of big shots, they play hard, they're disciplined, they're the whole package, and they have the ability to win a national championship for sure, so a lot of respect for them."
And though Roberts had a few things to nitpick about in an otherwise solid game, she said it came down to UCLA executing its game plan perfectly. Even with Alissa Pili holding Lauren Betts to just 8 points, UCLA found other ways to make Utah pay — especially deep.
That was most true for Angela Dugalic, who was often the benefactor of Utah's focus on Betts.
Dugalic, who hit three of the Bruins' eight 3-pointers, finished with a team- and career-high 17 points, four rebounds and three assists. Many of her shots, Roberts described as "dagger shots," especially a pair that came late in the shot lock and well behind the 3-point line.
"She hit big shots — like I said, kind of dagger shots," Roberts said. "She's a good player, and that was their X-factor tonight. When you're going to blitz Betts, you have to pick your poison. I thought we did a pretty dang good job of scrambling. Some of those shots she hit were deep.
"And, like, laws of percentages, I think coming into this game she was shooting 29% from three. She made 3-for-4, so you have to tip your hat for the kid making the plays when that was the shot they could get. Good offense beats good defense."
Charisma Osbourne added 16 points — 12 of which came in the first half and helped UCLA establish an early lead — and three rebounds in the win. Kiki Rice finished with 13 points, including a perfect 2-of-2 from behind the 3-point line, and nine rebounds.
The Utes had four players finish in double figures, with Pili leading the charge with 16 points, five rebounds and two assists. Kennady McQueen, who had three 3-pointers, added 14 points, while Ines Vieira had 11 points and Maty Wilke finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.
Vieira was forced to leave the game twice after sustaining a rolled ankle on a drive to the basket and then again after she found herself on the bottom of a pile up of UCLA players as she went for the ball. But Vieira continued to fight and played 36 minutes as a vital piece to Utah's defensive pressure against the Bruins.
"That's why they call her the mosquito," Pili said. "No matter how many times you try to swat it away, it just keeps coming back."
Jenna Johnson, too, was forced to leave the game for a bit after sustaining another cut to her face that required stitches. It's the third game in the last three weeks in which Johnson has left a game to receive stitches and later return to the game.
"These guys are just tough," Roberts said. "And I will win or lose with these guys any day."
Utah now turns its attention to the NCAA Tournament, in which the team is expected to go on the road for the first round of the tournament. The Utes will get a week off before Selection Sunday, where the team will learn who it will play and where.
"I have such confidence in these guys," Roberts said. "We get a couple of weeks to rest and heal up. We're pretty banged up, particularly after tonight; I'm excited with that. We'll get healthy, rested and get hungry to take it to the NCAA Tournament."
