Jan. 31, 2013

Follow @UCLAWBB

UCLA Game Notes | Colorado Game Notes | Pac-12 Notes

THE LAST MEETING

UCLA	62
Colorado	54	OT

January 29, 2012
Boulder, Colo.

Bruins Slay the Buffaloes in Overtime Junior Markel Walker tied a career high with 24 points and added 10 rebounds, senior Rebekah Gardner (17) and sophomore Thea Lemberger (13) were also in double figures in scoring and sophomore Corinne Costa had a personal-best 10 boards with four blocks, as the Bruins outlasted Colorado 62-54 in overtime on Sunday at the Coors Events Center.

Recap | Box Score

Friday, Feb. 1
8:06 p.m. PT
No. 22/23 Colorado (15-4, 4-4) at No. 18/19 UCLA (15-4, 6-2)

Online Coverage:
Gametracker | Internet Audio
Audio Talent: Dave Marcus (play-by-play), Mike Sondheimer (analyst)

TELEVISION: Pac-12 Networks
TV Talent: Anne Marie Anderson (play-by-play), Tammy Blackburn (analyst)

STORY LINES
• No. 18/19 UCLA (15-4, 6-2 Pac-12) continues its four-game homestand on Friday, Feb. 1 when it hosts the 22nd-ranked Colorado Buffaloes (15-4, 4-4). Tip-off slated for 8:06 p.m. and the game will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.

• After sweeping the Arizona schools at home last week, the UCLA Bruins moved up one spot to No. 18 in the AP Top 25 Poll and one spot to No. 19 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. UCLA held steady at No. 15 in the NCAA Women's Basketball RPI (NCAA.com). The Bruins have been ranked at least one week in both polls in each of the past four seasons. • This is just the sixth meeting between UCLA and Colorado with the Bruins leading the series 3-2. Last year, UCLA won the only meeting in Boulder, Colo., 62-54 in overtime on Jan. 29, 2012. Markel Walker tied a career high with 24 points and added 10 rebounds, Rebekah Gardner (17) and Thea Lemberger (13) were also in double figures in scoring and Corinne Costa had a personal-best 10 boards with four blocks, as the Bruins outlasted the Buffaloes at the Coors Events Center. UCLA jumped out to an early 9-2 lead in the first six minutes, taking advantage of Colorado missing its first 13 shots. The Buffaloes led 24-23 at halftime after Chucky Jeffery hit a jumper as time expired. Gardner scored a layup with 14 seconds left to send the game into overtime. Lexy Kresl led Colorado with 15 points while Jeffery had 14. Jen Reese had a game-high 14 rebounds to go with six points for the Buffaloes.

UCLA IN STATISTICAL RANKINGS
UCLA is second in the Pac-12 in scoring (70.6 ppg) and is 4th in the Pac-12 and 28th in the country in rebounding margin (+7.6). The Bruins lead the Pac-12 and rank 23rd in the nation in assists (16.3) and also leads the league in steals (12.0), which ranks 27th nationally. UCLA is also second in the Pac-12 in rebounds per game (44.2) and in offensive rebounds (17.0). The Bruins are also third in the league in turnover margin (+1.7) and assist/turnover ratio (0.9).

CLOSE CALLS ... BRUINS IN OVERTIME
The UCLA Bruins improved to 3-0 under Head Coach Cori Close in overtime games in her two seasons with last week's 53-52 win in overtime at St. John's (Dec. 16). Last season, the Bruins posted back-to-back overtime wins at Colorado (62-54 on Jan. 29, 2012) and at home versus Washington (79-73 on Feb. 2, 2012).

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE
Alyssia Brewer has six double-doubles in her first 18 games, which ranks tied for sixth in the Pac-12. Markel Walker has four double-doubles this season, which ranks seventh in the Pac-12. Additionally, the two Bruins have had double-doubles in the same game three times this season. Walker had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the 86-66 win over Loyola Marymount (Dec. 2) while Brewer had 14 points and 11 rebounds against the Lions. Walker later had 15 points and 12 rebounds in the 76-62 win over Saint Mary's (Dec. 15) as Brewer chipped in 12 points and 10 boards against the Gaels. In the loss to Cal State Northridge (Dec. 20), Brewer had 14 points and 12 rebounds with Walker adding 12 points and 12 boards.

MISSING IN ACTION
Only three of the 13 Bruins have played in all 19 games of the 2012-13 season and nobody has started in all of those contests, forcing Head Coach Cori Close to go with nine different starting lineups in the first 19 games. Rhema Gardner had knee surgery before the season began and has decided to redshirt the season. Thea Lemberger has started all 17 games she has played, but missed the Notre Dame (Nov. 23) and Princeton (Nov. 25) games due to a knee sprain. Lauren Holiday (16 games) and Corinne Costa (13 games) have both missed contests with head injuries. Costa is questionable for this week's games and probable for next week. Holiday has been shut down for the season and will seek a medical hardship after sustaining multiple concussions this year. Kacy Swain missed both of the games in New York with a back injury. Nirra Fields missed the upset win at Oklahoma (Nov. 14) due to personal reasons. Jasmine Dixon missed two games (Princeton on Nov. 25 and Loyola Marymount on Dec. 2) with a left knee sprain. She has played in all other contests, but is only playing 18 minutes per game as she is still suffering from pain in her knee and has occasional swelling. Alyssia Brewer missed most (only played three minutes) of the Pepperdine game (Dec. 28) and missed the entire Saint Joseph's game (Dec. 31) with a right ankle sprain. Most recently, Markel Walker missed the Arizona game (Jan. 25) with back spasms, but returned on Sunday for the Arizona State game (Jan. 27), but managed only two points in 19 minutes. The Bruins have already used 179 different combinations of players on the court at the same time this season. In a total of 765 minutes of game action, the leading combination on the floor in terms of minutes played together is Thea Lemberger, Mariah Williams, Atonye Nyingifa, Markel Walker and Alyssia Brewer, but they have only been on the court at the same time for a total of 56:43.