Onyenwere Propels UCLA to 64-60 Win Over Colorado

Friday, February 8

Boulder, CO

6:00 PM

UCLA

Colorado

UCLA

Colorado

Michaela Onyenwere collected her ninth double-double of the season with 22 points and 11 rebounds

Onyenwere Propels UCLA to 64-60 Win Over Colorado

February 08, 2019 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes (PDF)Postgame Interview (Michaela Onyenwere)

BOULDER, Colo. – Sophomore Michaela Onyenwere grew up just 35 miles southeast of Boulder and didn't disappoint in her homecoming. The Aurora native finished with her ninth double-double of the season (22 points, 11 rebounds), as UCLA came away with a 64-60 win over Colorado on Friday night.

Onyenwere came up big down the stretch, hitting a critical jumper with 1:17 remaining that put UCLA up five.

THE COMPOSURE! ????? pic.twitter.com/iFZlwRabhv
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 9, 2019

Senior Japreece Dean recorded 17 points and four assists. She saw her consecutive free throw streak end at 40 in a row, just four shy of tying the Pac-12 record.

Senior Kennedy Burke chipped in 10 points, while senior Lajahna Drummer finished with nine points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

The Storyline
UCLA (14-9, 7-4) started the game 3-for-4 to take a 7-3 lead before the Bruins went scoreless for over four minutes, missing seven straight until Onyenwere ended the drought with a turn-around jumper.

How do you guard that?!? pic.twitter.com/TtFra8MpQo
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 9, 2019

Colorado (10-12, 0-11) continued to take it right at the Bruins, nailing eight free throws in the opening frame to take a 20-11 lead.

Onyenwere connected from beyond the arc to start the scoring for UCLA in the second frame, as the Bruins played with a greater sense of urgency and gave Colorado a taste of its own medicine, outscoring the Buffs 20-11 in the stanza to knot the affair at 31 apiece.

A step-through layup on the run by Onyenwere sparked an 8-2 run by UCLA out of the locker room, giving the Bruins a 39-33 advantage.

The body control ?
The finish ?
The lead ?#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/7kPT6E0c06
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 9, 2019

The Bruins kept that advantage throughout the quarter, getting a mid-range jumper by Drummer to make it 41-37 UCLA midway through the frame.

.@Lajahnaa gets her first field goal of the ball game! pic.twitter.com/5rNsJuXmuT
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 9, 2019

Dean found a seam on the baseline and scored a layup to put UCLA up 49-44, and the Bruins entered the final quarter with a two-point (49-47) edge.

A tight fourth quarter saw Dean nail a floater on the run to put UCLA up 53-50 at the 7:35 mark.

.@japreece24 with the INCREDIBLE finish on the run! ?? pic.twitter.com/2BGCf0xrfe
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 9, 2019

Back-to-back and-one's from Onyenwere and Dean stretched the lead six (60-54).

THE FINISH BY @japreece24! She caps the 3-point play with her 4?0?th consecutive free throw make! ?? pic.twitter.com/taq5vzpyFi
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 9, 2019

The Buffs pulled to within three (61-58) after a tough shot by Alexis Robinson, who finished with a game-high 33 points, but Onyenwere calmly fired back with the answer to keep the home team out of reach, as UCLA escaped with its sixth road win of the season.

Key Stats of the Game
20 – UCLA eclipsed the 20-offensive-rebound mark for the eighth time this season and third time in the last four games. This resulted in a 53-41 advantage on the glass.
9 – Michaela Onyenwere collected her ninth double-double of the season with 22 points and 11 rebounds, her 10th 20-plus point game of the season.

Up Next
UCLA takes on No. 17 Utah on Sunday at noon (MT).