UCLA Upsets Ohio St.

After having several other upsets slip past them, the UCLA Bruins got one Tuesday, stunning 18th-ranked Ohio State, 71-56, before 1,107 at Pauley Pavilion.

Sophomore guard Lisa Willis had 17 points, with Noelle Quinn and Nikki Blue adding 15 and 14 respectively as UCLA (5-5) played its best all-around game for its biggest win this season.

After taking a 33-28 halftime lead, the Bruins wore down the visitors with a relentless running game that produced a 17-6 edge in fastbreak points, and an opportunistic defense that had 16 steals and forced 21 turnovers.

UCLA led by as many as 18 points in the second half before weathering a couple of late Buckeye runs.

“Even with a big lead, we kept telling them to keep their focus and not get caught up in the score,” UCLA Coach Kathy Olivier said. “Although we didn’t talk much about the transition game, it was one of our keys tonight. And on defense, we had to make sure where their shooters were.”

The lead gunner for Ohio State (8-2) was guard Caity Matter, who had 21 points on seven three-point shots. But Matter didn’t get enough help; Brandie Hoskins, with 10, was the only other Ohio State player in double figures. Centers Jessica Davenport and LaToya Turner, who average a combined 25 points a game, were held to six and three points.

The Bruins “played aggressive and they played hard,” Ohio State Coach Jim Foster said. “I don’t think we did. When they had their hands on the ball and we had our hands on the ball, they would rip it from us. They worked a lot harder than we did tonight.”

Early on, it appeared the Bruins failed to read the memo on Matter, who was the nation’s best three-point shooter last season. She gave them a swift reminder, making four three-pointers in the first nine minutes to help Ohio State to a 16-14 lead.

“Oh, we definitely got the memo,” said Willis, smiling. “The coaches had prepared us. But we started off a little slow guarding her. We definitely had to make a change.”

After tightening up their defense, the Bruins, behind Blue and Quinn who combined for 14 assists, sped up the game’s tempo with the fastbreak. Once the Bruins got running, the Buckeyes strained to keep up.

UCLA’s biggest lead, 61-43, came on a three-pointer by Willis with 7:58 remaining in the second half.