
Michaela Onyenwere scored a career-high 29 points on Friday night.
UCLA Powers Past Fresno State, 89-80
December 07, 2018 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – It was a total-team effort for the UCLA women's basketball team in its 89-80 triumph over Fresno State on Friday night, as four players had career performances to put the Bruins back in the win column.
UCLA (4-5) used an 18-9 run to open the second half to turn a nine-point lead into an 18-point cushion, and the Bruins held off a late Bulldog comeback attempt to earn the win.
Sophomore Michaela Onyenwere recorded a career-high 29 points on 9-for-13 shooting, including an 11-for-12 effort at the free throw line. She also had four steals.
Senior Japreece Dean flirted with a triple-double, posting a career-high 23 points to go along with a career-high 10 rebounds and seven dimes for her first career double-double. She shot a perfect 12-for-12 from the charity stripe.
The Bruins had two other players in double figures, as redshirt freshman Lindsey Corsaro (15 points, seven assists) and freshman Kiara Jefferson (11 points, 4-for-4 FG) scored consistently against Fresno State.
The Storyline
Onyenwere scored eight of the Bruins' 15 first-quarter points to shoulder the load offensively for UCLA in the early going. However, eight first-quarter turnovers plagued the Bruins and allowed the Bulldogs (4-3) to take a 17-15 advantage into the second stanza.
While the second frame was back-and-forth early on, UCLA ultimately used a 14-3 run to cap the first half and take a 38-29 lead into the locker room. Onyenwere was unstoppable, scoring 14 of the Bruins' final 18 points of the first half, as UCLA held Fresno State with a point in the final 2:42.
Dean drilled a three on UCLA's first possession of the third quarter, and then Onyenwere converted an old-fashioned three-point play to stretch UCLA's lead to 13 (44-31). The Bruins got hotter as the quarter went on, as Dean later buried back-to-back treys to extend the advantage to 54-38 with 5:57 remaining.
Fresno State quietly crept back into the contest, using an 18-6 run to cut UCLA's lead to just four (72-68). That's when the freshman, Jefferson, came in clutch, knocking down two-straight three's to stretch the gap back to eight (78-70).
In crunch time, Corsaro came up with the dagger, drilling a three on the left wing to make it a six-point (81-75) game at the one-minute mark, and the Bruins went 8-for-8 at the line down the stretch to seal it.
Key Stats of the Game
89 – UCLA scored a season-high 89 points in the win, nailing a season-high nine three's and shooting 50 percent (26-for-52) from the field.
93.3 – The Bruins, who entered the game shooting 62.7 percent from the charity stripe, connected on a season-best 28 free throws on 30 attempts (93.3 percent).
Up Next
The Bruins will have over a week off before hosting Oklahoma State on Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. (PT).
UCLA (4-5) used an 18-9 run to open the second half to turn a nine-point lead into an 18-point cushion, and the Bruins held off a late Bulldog comeback attempt to earn the win.
Sophomore Michaela Onyenwere recorded a career-high 29 points on 9-for-13 shooting, including an 11-for-12 effort at the free throw line. She also had four steals.
Senior Japreece Dean flirted with a triple-double, posting a career-high 23 points to go along with a career-high 10 rebounds and seven dimes for her first career double-double. She shot a perfect 12-for-12 from the charity stripe.
The Bruins had two other players in double figures, as redshirt freshman Lindsey Corsaro (15 points, seven assists) and freshman Kiara Jefferson (11 points, 4-for-4 FG) scored consistently against Fresno State.
The Storyline
Onyenwere scored eight of the Bruins' 15 first-quarter points to shoulder the load offensively for UCLA in the early going. However, eight first-quarter turnovers plagued the Bruins and allowed the Bulldogs (4-3) to take a 17-15 advantage into the second stanza.
While the second frame was back-and-forth early on, UCLA ultimately used a 14-3 run to cap the first half and take a 38-29 lead into the locker room. Onyenwere was unstoppable, scoring 14 of the Bruins' final 18 points of the first half, as UCLA held Fresno State with a point in the final 2:42.
Dean drilled a three on UCLA's first possession of the third quarter, and then Onyenwere converted an old-fashioned three-point play to stretch UCLA's lead to 13 (44-31). The Bruins got hotter as the quarter went on, as Dean later buried back-to-back treys to extend the advantage to 54-38 with 5:57 remaining.
Fresno State quietly crept back into the contest, using an 18-6 run to cut UCLA's lead to just four (72-68). That's when the freshman, Jefferson, came in clutch, knocking down two-straight three's to stretch the gap back to eight (78-70).
In crunch time, Corsaro came up with the dagger, drilling a three on the left wing to make it a six-point (81-75) game at the one-minute mark, and the Bruins went 8-for-8 at the line down the stretch to seal it.
Key Stats of the Game
89 – UCLA scored a season-high 89 points in the win, nailing a season-high nine three's and shooting 50 percent (26-for-52) from the field.
93.3 – The Bruins, who entered the game shooting 62.7 percent from the charity stripe, connected on a season-best 28 free throws on 30 attempts (93.3 percent).
Up Next
The Bruins will have over a week off before hosting Oklahoma State on Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. (PT).
Team Stats
F-96
F-110
FG%
.477
.500
3FG%
.357
.529
FT%
.800
.933
RB
28
32
TO
15
18
STL
8
6
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
UCLA W. Basketball Media Availability - Coach Close (Nov. 21, 2025)
Friday, November 21
UCLA W. Basketball Media Availability - Players (Nov. 21, 2025)
Friday, November 21
UCLA W. Basketball Postgame - vs. USF (Nov. 15, 2025)
Saturday, November 15
UCLA W. Basketball Postgame - vs. No. 11 UNC (Nov. 13, 2025)
Thursday, November 13













