UCLA Women Reach Sweet 16

UCLA’s women stumbled and fumbled for the game’s first eight minutes, then put together two Marie Philman-led surges for a 87-63 blowout victory over Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA tournament Monday night before 2,604 at Pauley Pavilion.

With 20-12 and 16-9 runs in the first and second half, third-seeded UCLA (25-7) launched itself into the NCAA’s round of 16, advancing to the West Regional semifinals Saturday at the Sports Arena.

It was UCLA’s second victory over Kentucky (21-11) this season. The Bruins beat the Wildcats in Hawaii in November, 64-54.

Kentucky quick-started the second half, scoring the first three baskets after halftime, but Philman ignited a 20-10 run that took UCLA to a 54-40 advantage with 13:33 to go.

The constant throughout was Philman, a 6-foot junior, playing perhaps one of her best games and finishing with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Maylana Martin led the Bruins with 21 points, making 15 of 15 from the free-throw line.

When Philman leaped above Kentucky’s front line and scored while fouled with 16:05 left in the game, she gave UCLA a 45-35 lead with the free throw.

Then she made it 50-35 and 52-37 by powering to the basket and then driving for two more off a fastbreak.

Back-to-back shots by Erica Gomez and LaCresha Flannigan soon pushed the lead to 60-40 with 11 minutes to play. Then Philman drilled a 16-foot jumper and added a free throw for 63-40.

When she drained an 18-footer with 8:12 to go, UCLA led, 69-43.

In the first half, Bruin partisans were feeling queasy until the last five minutes before intermission. And with good reason--leading scorer Martin was being well-defended by 6-4 Kentucky center Shantia Owens. And 6-4 Bruin center Janae Hubbard was out of the game after 2 1/2 minutes with two fouls. Then point guard Gomez departed after her second foul with 14:16 remaining.

But with 5:39 left, UCLA launched a 13-0 run, led by Melanie Pearson and Carly Funicello. Martin made it 29-19 at 3:18 with her first clean look at the basket, a 12-footer from the baseline.

The 6-4 Funicello, who developed rapidly into a first-rate post player over the season’s second half, scored on an acrobatic drive with 4:43 left to give UCLA a 24-19 lead. UCLA’s widest first-half margin, 32-19, came on two Martin free throws with 2:07 to go.

Owens’ defensive work on Martin was outstanding, as evidenced by the cheer of relief UCLA fans sent up when she was whistled for her third foul at 2:07.

Kentucky got a big early lift when, leading 9-2, Carolyn Alexander got a putback of Tiffany Wait’s missed three-point attempt. She was fouled and Kentucky led, 12-2, at 13:30.

When Flannigan scored on a breakaway to cut the deficit to 12-6 with 12:31 before the break, it was UCLA’s second field goal over a five-minute span.

But suddenly Kentucky was as flat as UCLA was at the outset. The Wildcats scored once over the last 5:49 of the half. Martin’s 11-for-11 free-throw shooting (while UCLA was 18 for 19) in the first half carried the Bruins to a 34-24 lead at intermission.

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NCAA Notes

Saturday’s NCAA West Regional women’s games at the Sports Arena start at 7 and 9 p.m. Monday’s title game begins at 9 p.m.

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* BOX SCORE, PAGE 10