Kiki Rice’s 17 points led five players in double figures as top-seeded UCLA won its 24th consecutive game, dispatching fifth-seeded Ohio State 72-62 in Saturday’s first Big Ten tournament semifinal in Indianapolis.
Lauren Betts finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, Gianna Kneepkens scored 13 points and Angela Dugalic came off the bench to produce 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks for the second-ranked Bruins (30-1), who await the winner of Iowa-Michigan.
Chance Gray shot 4 of 7 from 3-point range en route to a game-high 23 points for the 11th-ranked Buckeyes (26-7). Jaloni Cambridge provided 12 points, five assists and four rebounds, but shot 4 of 14 from the floor.
UCLA never trailed on its way to a second consecutive Big Ten title game, but the Bruins had to hold off a furious Ohio State rally in the fourth quarter.
Trailing by as many as 16 points, the Buckeyes chipped away to pull within seven points with 1:24 left. UCLA point guard Charlisse Leger-Walker fouled out during Ohio State’s comeback push, but Rice and Gabriel Jaquez (10 points) helped handle primary ball-handling duties to counter the Buckeyes’ full-court pressure defense.
–Field Level Media
