Westwood, CA – Coming off a solid double-double game against a formidable USC front court, Lauren Betts four days later was on the sideline in a boot as a total surprise to most in game day attendance but even greater surprise was her teammate, Timea Gardiner, coming off the bench and draining multiple triples throughout the game. Including a go ahead three with little under a minute left in the game, to put No.1 UCLA back on top during the game, escaping their second upset of the season.
Gardiner scored 18 points, sophomore forward Janiah Barker added 18 points and junior guard KiKi Rice, who had an uphill battle with Michigan State zone pressure defense, finished with 16 points to hold off No. 22 Michigan State’s valiant effort by second year coach Robyn Fralick’s team, 75-69 on Sunday night at Pauley Pavillion.
“We’re a super deep team,” Gardiner said. “And everyone stepped up in their own way.”
Barker started as center and grabbed 12 rebounds to help her team despite the team’s collective struggle to defend the paint, allowing Michigan State to double what UCLA’s opponent usual average points in the paint.
“What we adjusted most after I learned Lauren wouldn’t be able to go once I received a text this afternoon was our defense,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “We missed her and not having her not be our rim protector played a big difference.”
Theryn Hallock led the Spartans with 19 while Grace VanSlooten and Julia Ayrault both pitched in 18 apiece.
But Barker’s presence all across the floor, in absence of her teammate Betts, mixing high-flying steals with two handed gripping rebounds transformed into quick put-back layups along with a few hard nose cuts to score over Michigan State’s “high risk, high reward” defense is the “growth” coach Close described post game needed from a player she early in the season considers their “X-factor.”
MSU challenged UCLA most of the night but couldn’t widen the score margin before UCLA took back the lead, pulling away in the final seconds.
Coach Fralick received a technical foul for her dismay of a no call on Nyla Hampton’s game winner drive attempt inside the paint. Kiki Rice hit both free throws, for a 73-69 lead. She dished 7 assists for the game in addition to making two more from the charity stripe to keep the game a two possession score. UCLA closed out the game on a 12-2 run.
“We have a competitive spirit and fearlessness but needed to finish plays tonight,” Fralick said. “But right now we feel pretty disappointed.”
Michigan State will remain a few more days in Los Angeles for USC’s return from Washington to play each other Wednesday at the Galen Center. UCLA returns to action on Thursday against Illinois at Pauley Pavillion.