UCLA Women Survive Scare, Rally to Defeat North Carolina

The fourth-ranked UCLA women’s basketball team blew a 16-point halftime lead and had to come from behind in the final 81 seconds for a 69-65 victory Saturday night over eighth-ranked North Carolina in the opening game of the Four in the Fall Classic at Lubbock, Texas.

North Carolina trailed, 45-29, at the half and never led until back-to-back three-point baskets by Juana Brown and Leah Sharp capped a 30-12 run and put the Tar Heels ahead, 65-63, with 2:29 to play.

But North Carolina never scored again. UCLA’s Carly Funicello missed a jumper at 2:10, and Nikki Teasley grabbed the rebound for the Tar Heels. But she turned it over 30 seconds later, and LaCresha Flannigan’s three-point basket at the 1:21 mark gave UCLA the lead again, 66-65. Brown missed two three-point shots in the final minute, and North Carolina had to foul.

Nicole Kaczmarski’s two free throws with 19 seconds left made the score 68-65, and Maylana Martin grabbed the rebound after Brown’s attempt to tie the score on a three-pointer with five seconds left missed. Martin made one of two free throws with one second left to ice the victory.

UCLA jumped out to a 20-6 lead in the first seven minutes en route to its 16-point halftime lead, buoyed by a 32-20 rebounding average and 48.7% shooting.

Flannigan led UCLA with 14 points. Marie Philman added 12 points and 12 rebounds and Martin added 10 points and 11 rebounds.

No. 23 Texas Tech defeated No. 14 LSU, 56-49, in the second game of the doubleheader, played in the new United Spirit Arena on the Tech campus.