Easy Sweep for UCLA and USC

If UCLA is going to have an effect on the Pacific 10 women’s basketball race, the Bruins will need more weekends like the last one.

UCLA completed a home sweep of Washington and Washington State with a 65-60 victory over the Huskies before 1,252 Sunday at Pauley Pavilion.

Just as important, UCLA (8-6 overall and 3-2 in the Pac-10) found more than one way to win.

On Friday, the Bruins routed a less talented Cougar team, 78-58.

On Sunday, when the Huskies (8-7, 1-5) recovered from an 18-point first-half deficit to draw within two points, at 62-60, with 33 seconds to play, UCLA didn’t unravel. Instead the Bruins made three free throws in the last seven seconds to secure the victory.

Lately, no Bruin is exemplifying the growth and potential of this young UCLA team more than sophomore guard Lisa Willis, who had a game-high 19 points Sunday.

A self-described “shooter who played some defense” as a freshman, Willis is becoming the kind of all-around player UCLA had envisioned. Against the Huskies she produced six-of-12 shooting, six rebounds, three assists and one steal. She also made two of the final three Bruin free throws.

This followed her career-best 22 points on Friday against Washington State.

“Over the summer I tried to work on things that would make me a more all-around player,” Willis said. “I want to be a defensive player, rebounder and shooter. I want to do it all.”

UCLA Coach Kathy Olivier said of Willis: “She knows we’re counting on her, and she likes that. Sometimes she wondered, ‘What is my role?’ Her role is to do a little bit of everything, and that’s when she plays very good basketball.”

In the beginning it didn’t appear the game would be close. With 6:29 left in the first half, the Bruins unleashed a full-court trapping defense that flustered the Huskies and triggered a 17-0 run that put UCLA in front, 36-18.

Washington, led by center Andrea Lalum’s 18 points, cut the lead to 13, at 36-23, by halftime. In the second half the Huskies responded to the Bruin pressure and steadily chipped away at UCLA’s lead, but could get no closer than 62-60.

-- Mike Terry

USC 82, Washington State 52 -- The Trojans’ victory over the Cougars in front of 832 at the Lyon Center completed a weekend sweep of the Washington schools. Ebony Hoffman’s 16 points led the Trojans (7-6, 4-1). Also in double figures for USC were Chloe Kerr and Rometra Craig with 11 points each and Jamie Hagiya with 10 points.

USC shot a season-best 65.6% in the first half to take a 49-20 lead at halftime. The 49 points in a half and the 29-point halftime lead also were season highs, as was the 30-point margin of victory. The 82 points tied a team high. Despite shooting 38.2% in the second half, USC led by as many as 39 points, 73-34, with 4:58 left, before most of the team’s starters were pulled. The Cougars fell to 4-11 overall and 0-6 in the Pac-10.