Dec. 28, 2009

Angie Kiel's postgame interview with Coach Wilhoit from Podcast Center.

Box Score | Photo Gallery

Los Angeles - In the first meeting between LMU and UCLA in 12 years, two vastly different halves told the story. LMU led by as many as five in the first half but went cold in the second, falling 73-52 at UCLA on Monday night at Pauley Pavilion. For the first time this year, the Lions (6-7) find themselves on a losing streak and fall below .500 for the first time since November 20 while the Bruins (7-4) win their second straight.

In their first trip to Pauley Pavilion in 16 years, LMU suffered a horrible cold spell in the second half. After knocking down 47% (10-for-21) of their shots in the first half, the Lions shot just 20.6% (7-for-34) in the second to finish at a season-low 30.9% (17-for-55) overall. The Lions were 6-for-21 (28.6%) from three-point range and 12-of-14 (85.7%) at the line.

Sophomore Alex Cowling was the only LMU player to reach double figures, leading the Lions with 11 points, with 10 coming in the first half. Junior Renahy Young had seven and senior Jenna Sybesma added six and five rebounds.

Markel Walker had 20 points and eight rebounds for UCLA to lead all scorers. Doreena Campbell and Darxia Morris split the load, with Campbell scoring all 14 of her points in the second half and Morris contributing all of her 11 in the first. UCLA shot 38.8% (26-for-67) overall but the real damage was done on the boards, where the Bruins held a 48-34 advantage, including 22-12 on the offensive end.

UCLA led early, 17-8, behind nine points from Morris, but LMU mounted an 18-4 run to take its largest lead of the first half, 26-21, on a three-pointer by sophomore Candice Nichols with 6:18 left in the first half. It started with an 8-0 run that tied it up with three-pointers from Cowling and senior Kavita Goss on either side of a pretty spin move inside by Sybesma. After trailing for the first 11 minutes, the Lions took their first lead, 21-19, at the 8:13 mark of the first half on a pair of foul shots from Nichols.

The rest of the half featured four ties and three lead changes as the Bruins went into the break holding a 37-35 lead. Cowling had 10 points to pace the Lions but Walker had 14 and Morris 11 for UCLA.

Six straight points from Walker to open the second half kick-started an 18-5 UCLA spurt that allowed the hosts to open up a double-digit lead, 55-40, with 10:09 remaining. LMU, which had shot nearly 50% in the opening period, started the second just 2-for-16. Keeping the Bruins off of the offensive boards was also difficult for the Lions, who were out-rebounded 10-1 at the offensive end in the first half. The Bruins grabbed another eight in the first eight minutes of the second to keep the ball at their end.

A jumper in the lane from Sybesma at 8:17 broke a nearly eight minute scoring drought for the Lions but Campbell continued her hot half, scoring nine of the next 11 to give UCLA a 65-44 advantage.

LMU hosts Seattle University on Wednesday in the final non-conference game on the schedule and the last game of 2009. The contest will be part of a doubleheader with the LMU and Seattle men's teams, with the women tipping off at 5 p.m., followed by the men at 7:30 p.m.