UCLA women’s basketball team can’t get its glass act together, falls to Texas in NCAA regional semifinal

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — For UCLA Coach Cori Close, Saturday’s NCAA women’s regional semifinal was all about rebounding.

The Bruins didn’t do enough of that, especially in the fourth quarter when they let a six-point lead get away in losing to Texas, 72-64. Now how her players rebound from that disappointment, Close said, will determine whether UCLA can build off its most successful season in 17 years.

Unbeaten Connecticut (35-0) won the first semifinal, blowing out Mississippi State, 98-38, in the most one-sided result in a regional semifinal or any subsequent round in history. So if there was any consolation for UCLA in Saturday’s loss, it was the fact that Texas, and not the Bruins, will play the Huskies next.

But Close wasn’t interested in consolation prizes.

“Right now as a competitor, it just stinks to lose. I hate it,” said Close, who got the Bruins to the final 16 of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1999. “I’m disappointed. I’m frustrated. I’m mad as a competitor.

“As a leader of a program, I think we will learn tremendously.”

One thing the team already learned is it’s not a good idea to give up the first 10 points of the fourth period. That, too, comes back to rebounding, since Texas scored eight of those 10 points in the paint.

When the Bruins (26-9) controlled the backboards, they were able to limit Texas to one shot per possession and push the ball upcourt before the Longhorns could set their defense. When Texas (31-4) turned that around, the game turned as well.

“They were more aggressive down the stretch,” said UCLA sophomore guard Jordin Canada, who finished with 20 points. “We just couldn’t match it. You can’t really describe that feeling.”

If the fourth quarter belonged to Texas, the first three periods belonged to UCLA. With sophomore center Monique Billings grabbing nine rebounds and scoring 11 of her 20 points in the first half, the Bruins enjoyed a 10-point lead midway through the second quarter.

So when center Imani Boyette, Texas’ best player, went to the bench with her third foul in the opening minute of the second half, the Longhorns’ hopes appeared to go with her.

But that proved wishful thinking for the Bruins. Boyette, a senior from Los Angeles, came back in the fourth period to block two shots, grab three rebounds and score four points, helping Texas turn a six-point deficit into a four-point lead. She then keyed a Longhorns defense that didn’t allow a field goal over the final six minutes.

Boyette said one thing that inspired the turnaround was the memory of how last season ended, with Texas reaching the round of 16 only to get blown out by UConn by 51 points — the previous record for the most one-sided Sweet 16 game.

Now UCLA has a painful loss of its own to fuel what Close hopes will be a big rebound next season.

“It will teach us,” she said. “Right now it hurts too much to think about. But I know that our players . . . are willing to look in the mirror, they’re willing to say the hard things to each other.

“What I love about the NCAA tournament,” she continued, “is not only does it prepare them to become better basketball players . . . but it teaches them as young women. That’s about preparing you for life. And to watch them mature in that way, that doesn’t go away.”

UConn, meanwhile, jumped out to a 61-12 halftime lead and barely broke a sweat after that, running its winning streak to 72 games in its rout of Mississippi State (28-8).

“There’s really not a lot that you can say when you start the game the way we started it,” said Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma, whose team has won its three NCAA tournament games by 158 points combined.

Senior Breanna Stewart, chasing her fourth national title in as many seasons, led UConn with 22 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots in just 25 minutes. Freshman Katie Lou Samuelson of Santa Ana Mater Dei High added 21 points, one off her career high, as the Huskies made nearly two-thirds of their shots (37 of 59).

“They have the complete package,” Bulldogs Coach Vic Schaefer said. “And [when] they play like they played today, there’s not anybody in the country that can beat them.”

[email protected]