Canada

UCLA Beats Baylor Lady Bears 82-68

Monique Billings scored 21 points, Jordin Canada added 20 and No. 8 UCLA defeated third-ranked Baylor 82-68 on Saturday for the Bruins' first win over the Lady Bears since 1996.

Kennedy Burke had 19 points for the Bruins (3-0), who held the Lady Bears to 40 percent shooting. Baylor came in leading the nation in that category at 61 percent.

The victory extended UCLA's home winning streak to 32 games, the second-longest active stretch in the country behind top-ranked UConn, which visits Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday night.

Kalani Brown scored 33 points despite playing with four fouls for Baylor (3-1). Dekeiya Cohen had 14 rebounds.

Baylor coach Kim Mulkey wasn't with the team after her daughter lost her baby, which had two life-threatening birth defects and would have been the coach's first grandchild. Associate head coach Bill Brock ran the team in her absence.

Canada had 13 of UCLA's 21 assists. Baylor managed just 16 after coming in as the nation's leader with 29.0.

Baylor trailed 62-58 on a basket by Alexis Morris in the fourth quarter before UCLA dominated the game's final 6:19.

Sports Connection

Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.

Michael Porter Jr. defends brother amid NBA investigation for gambling allegations

Dodgers extend catcher Will Smith on 10-year deal as spending spree continues

Burke hit a 3-pointer, launching an 11-0 run. She scored on a layup off a bounce pass in the lane from Canada. Billings scored on a fastbreak layup and got fouled, making the free throw. Kelli Hayes tossed in a 3-pointer that extended UCLA's lead to 72-58.

The Bruins also led by 14 in the third quarter on a basket by Canada, who fearlessly drove the lane. Billings, who gave up 3 inches to the 6-foot-7 Brown, helped shut down the Baylor star, who had her first career double-double in last year's victory.

Baylor raced out to a 12-4 lead to start the game before the Bruins went on a 16-2 run to end the first quarter leading 20-14. The Lady Bears went 9:43 without a field goal over the end of the first and start of the second quarters and made just five free throws in that span.

Hayes and Canada hit 3-pointers to give UCLA its largest lead, 31-21, of the second quarter. Canada's three-point play kept UCLA ahead 36-29 going into halftime.

Brown picked up her second foul and played just six minutes in the second quarter.

BIG PICTURE

After winning its first three games by an average of 102.3 points, Baylor got its first stiff test of the season from the Bruins. The Lady Bears made the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last season.

UCLA beat a top-three team for the first time since 2008, ending an 0-22 skid against such teams. That win came over then-No. 2 Stanford, 69-56, at Pauley Pavilion.

UP NEXT

Baylor heads to the Bahamas to play in the Junkanoo Jam starting Thursday against Missouri State.

UCLA hosts No. 1 UConn on Tuesday night, closing out a four-game home stand to start the season.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us