WOMEN’S BASKETBALL : Germany’s Kuypers Is Key to Bruins’ Comeback

UCLA turned to its German guard, Ricarda Kuypers, to spur a second-half comeback that led to an 84-73 victory Saturday afternoon.

A 5-foot-8 junior guard from Aachen, Kuypers came off the bench in the second half to provide steals, breakaways and a three-pointer that put UCLA in command.

In the first game this season that she hasn’t started, Kuypers had her most productive outing. She scored a career-high 17 points in 32 minutes, was eight for 10 from the line and had five assists.

She and Nickey Hilbert were the floor leaders of a second-half comeback that erased a nine-point Oregon State lead in less than five minutes after the intermission. The Bruins (6-5, 1-1 in the Pac-10) scored the first six points of the second half--two of them on Kuypers’ steal and layup--and caught the Beavers, 46-46, on Kisa Hughes’ shot.

Aisha Veasley and Hilbert gave UCLA brief leads, but after Kuypers’ three-pointer midway through the half, Oregon State (9-2, 1-1) never led again.

USC 78, Oregon 77--Tina Thompson scored 17 points and led four players in double figures as the Trojans (8-2, 1-1) edged the Ducks (8-3, 1-1) at USC.

Six free throws in the final 53 seconds clinched the victory for the No. 21-ranked Trojans,