UCLA
Gonzaga
No. 21 Bruins Fall To Gonzaga In First Round Of Rainbow Wahine Classic
November 24, 2006 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 24, 2006
HONOLULU (AP) - Michelle Elliott scored 20 points to lead Gonzaga to a 62-57 victory over No. 21 UCLA in the first round of the Rainbow Wahine Classic on Friday.
Heather Bowman added 11 points for Gonzaga (5-1) and Jami Bjorklund had 10.
Chinyere Ibekwe led UCLA (2-3) with 21 points, while Lindsey Pluimer added 14 and Amanda Livingston had 10.
Trailing by as many as 14 points early in the second half, UCLA used a 12-0 run to pull to within one at 37-36 with 12:48 left. But Gonzaga responded with a 12-4 spurt of its own, keyed by five points from Elliot.
The Bruins again pulled to one, 51-50, with 4:19 remaining, but the Bulldogs responded with four free throws from Bowman and Bjorklund.
Gonzaga made nine of 14 free throws in the final four minutes to seal the victory.
Gonzaga held UCLA's leading scorer, Noelle Quinn, to one free throw and 0-for-8 shooting.
UCLA struggled offensively in the first half, shooting just 25 percent from the field and committing 14 turnovers. The Bulldogs led 29-17 at halftime.
Gonzaga will face No. 2 North Carolina in the semifinals on Saturday. UCLA will play Sacramento State in the consolation game.
