Utah 38 Washington State 22 HALF. 37 combined turnovers in the first half (yipes) but Utah is dominating inside. Kennedy Mcqueen leads Utah with 13 points off 5/6 FG shooting. If you were wondering what Charli Turner-Thorne was doing post-coaching, she's doing studio analysis on the Pac 12 channel.
Utah escapes Washington State 71-66 after a great second half comeback from WSU. WSU's Motuga misses a wide open three close to the buzzer that would have tied the game. She also had a key technical at 1:13 to go where she trashtalked a Utah player after blocking their shot. Oops. Player of the game is WSU's Bella Murekatete who had 20 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. Now onto Oregon vs UCLA.
UCLA 38 Oregon 32 HALF. Oregon struggling a bit with UCLA's defense but they're also winning the rebound battle to keep it close. Kiki Rice having a blinder for UCLA so far with 15 points and 3 steals, including hitting 2/3 threes when she is 3/21 from three for the season before this game.
Paopao is having a bit of a shocker this game. Her season stats are ok but I think she's a marginal WNBA prospect. She doesn't have a standout skill - probably shooting is the closest thing, but her jumpshot isn't that great IMO. I think Endyia Rogers is the better WNBA prospect and she's also having a shocker in this game lol.
Grace Vanslooten is a great freshperson with her defensive activity and inside moves but I always have my WNBA scouting hat on and can't help thinking whenever I see her, why doesn't she have a jumpshot. She does have three and a half years to develop one but I'm surprised she doesn't have one already, especially when you see UCLA forwards Bessoir and Sontag knocking down outside jumpers.
UCLA 82 Oregon 74 FINAL. I think the turnover margin was the main difference in this game and UCLA also shot unnaturally well from three by their standards - they're 27% as a team for the season, but shot 38% this game. Their offense and defense were just a little better than Oregon's. Osborne left the game with an injury after a rough collision early in the 4th quarter. Paopao actually played well after I said she was having a shocker lol and ended up with 17 points on 6/12 shooting. But player of the game was UCLA's Kiki Rice with 21 points, 7 assists and 4 steals and can't we have her in the WNBA already. Fellow freshperson Oregon's Grace Vanslooten had 17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks.
Love to see Oregon lose, also love to see them squirm with just 9 players on the roster, and hope their poor roster planning derails their season #DucksHater4Ever