UCLA Keeps Its Hopes Alive With 64-61 Win Over Stanford

Registering its best effort in six weeks, UCLA halted a skid of poorly played games and ended Pacific 10 Conference leader Stanford’s four-game winning streak with a 64-61 victory before 6,072 Friday night at Pauley Pavilion.

Stanford (18-7, 11-4 in the Pac-10) dropped a game behind league leader Oregon. UCLA, which has three games left, is fourth at 16-9, 10-5.

The Bruins, atoning for an 83-68 loss at Stanford last month, got clutch play from seniors Maylana Martin and Erica Gomez and six consecutive free throws from freshman Nicole Kaczmarski down the stretch.

The Cardinal got three three-point baskets from freshman Jamie Carey in the final 63 seconds, including a falling-down three that beat the buzzer, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Kaczmarski’s free-throw shooting.

The Bruins, who started 6-0 in the Pac-10 before losing five of eight, had lost 21 of their previous 23 games to the Cardinal.

Janae Hubbard ignited the Bruin offense in the second half, scoring six baskets to give UCLA a 54-48 lead with 3:11 remaining.

UCLA’s Carly Funicello, Martin’s backup, played some spectacular defense in the closing minutes, blocking two shots and grabbing a key rebound.

Gomez added two baskets to give UCLA a 58-50 lead. Then Carey rallied the Cardinal with her three-point shooting, which was offset by Kaczmarski’s free-throw shooting.

Except for Carey’s last-minute marksmanship, UCLA shut down Stanford’s three-point shooting. The Cardinal was four of 23 from beyond the arc; UCLA missed all 10 of its attempts.

Martin had a game-high 22 points and Hubbard had 13 rebounds.

For the first time in weeks, Bruin Coach Kathy Olivier was smiling afterward.

“Down the stretch, we took care of the ball, and we have not done that well all year,” she said after the Bruins turned the ball over 11 times to Stanford’s 18.

“I thought our defense was tremendous. We worked very hard to get position.”

UCLA was fortunate to lead at halftime, 25-23. The Bruins made only five of 12 free throws. Stanford was one of six.

Hubbard helped UCLA take its first lead since the opening minutes with two spectacular plays. On the first, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior went strong to the basket and pulled the Bruins to 19-16, the second basket of an 11-4 Bruin run to finish the half.

She scored on another power move two minutes later to give UCLA a 20-19 lead. Then she secured three rebounds on Stanford misses to keep the Bruins in front.

Stanford’s Milena Flores stole the ball at midcourt and scored on a breakaway for a 24-23 Cardinal lead with 2:08 to go, but Hubbard responded with a basket that put UCLA ahead, 24-23, with 1:50 to go.

Martin, who had two fouls at the break, got her only basket in the first half on an assist from Gomez with 8:23 remaining. She finished the half with only three points.