University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Arizona
Women's Basketball to Face No. 12 Arizona Thursday
February 22, 2022 | Women's Basketball
GAME INFORMATION
UCLA Bruins (11-11, 6-8) at No. 12 Arizona (19-5, 9-5)
Date: Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m. MT / 6:00 p.m. PT
Location: Tucson, Ariz. (McKale Center)
Watch: Pac-12 Los Angeles (Brian Webber, Joan Bonvicini)
Radio: ucla.leanplayer.com (Dave Marcus)
SERIES HISTORY / SCOUTING REPORT: Arizona Wildcats
The Thursday matchup between the Bruins and Wildcats is the 87th all-time game in the series. UCLA holds an 62-24 advantage, but Arizona has won the last two, including last month's matchup in Pauley Pavilion, 74-63. The Bruins' last victory came on Mar. 5, 2021 in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals, 58-49, and their last win at the McKale Center came on Jan. 27, 2019, a 98-93 triple-overtime victory.
Arizona enters Thursday's game with a 19-5 overall and 9-5 record in conference play and is coming off a 72-67 loss at Washington State. Senior forward Cate Reese leads the Wildcats in both scoring (14.6 ppg) and rebounding (6.2 rpg). Senior guard Shaina Pellington also averages double figures in scoring, with 10.7 ppg.
LAST GAME -- UCLA vs. Utah (Feb. 20)
In the final home game for eight Bruin seniors, UCLA's last-minute rally attempt came up short in a 75-70 loss to Utah. IImar'I Thomas led a trio of UCLA seniors in double-digits with 20 points and also added nine rebounds. Natalie Chou chipped in with 15 points, and Jaelynn Penn totaled 11. The Bruins reduced a 12-point fourth quarter deficit to three but could not pull closer. Utah converted 57% of its second half shots and used the hot shooting to move out to a 61-49 lead with 6:20 remaining in the contest. A three-point play by Angela Dugalic narrowed the gap to 73-70 with 12 seconds remaining. UCLA fouled on the inbounds play, but the Utes knocked down both free throws for the final margin.
LOOKING BACK -- UCLA vs. Arizona (Jan. 26)
UCLA saw a four-game win streak snapped on Jan. 26, as No. 8 Arizona came away with a 74-63 victory. The Bruins started the game on fire, moving out to a quick 10-0 lead in the first five minutes of action and taking a 19-8 first quarter advantage. The Wildcats found their form in the second quarter, outscoring UCLA 28-14, and they used a 11-0 third quarter run to gain the lead. UCLA had a 63-62 lead with 4:12 remaining after a Chantel Horvat layup, but the Wildcats held the Bruins scoreless for the final 4:01 of the game, going on a 12-0 run to close out the game. IImar'I Thomas led four Bruins in double figures with 14 points. Arizona's Shaina Pellington led all players with 20 points, and Sam Thomas added 19.
OSBORNE IN MIX FOR MULTIPLE YEAR-END AWARDS
Junior guard Charisma Osborne remains in the mix for several year-end awards, being selected to the Late Season Top 20 Watch List for the John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy's, the Midseason Watch List for the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy, and the Top 10 Watch List for the Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award. Osborne is currently second in the Pac-12 in scoring at 17.1 points per game. She has scored in double figures in 18 of the 19 games she has played this season and has seven 20-point games to her credit, including two in her last four games (22 at Washington Feb. 13 and 23 at Washington State Feb. 11). She also has a 27-point effort at USC on Jan. 23 and a 26-point output against UConn on Dec. 11. Earlier this season, Osborne joined UCLA's 1,000-point club and now has 1,092 career points.
NOTES ON THE BRUINS
โข UCLA has two players ranked in the Top 5 in scoring in the Pac-12 (No. 2 Charisma Osborne - 17.1 and No. 6 IImar'I Thomas - 15.5). No other school has more than one player in the Top 10.
โข UCLA has the lowest average number of turnovers in the Pac-12 with just 13.3 turnovers per game.
โข UCLA ranks No. 4 in the Pac-12 in free throw percentage (.761), assist/turnover ratio (1.05) and turnover margin (+2.18).
โข Thomas has led the Bruins in rebounding in five of the last six games and in three consecutive. She led the team in both scoring and rebounding against Colorado (17 points, 8 rebounds) and Utah (20 points, 9 rebounds).
โข UCLA has held its opponent under 70 points in five of the last six games and is 11-3 this season when doing so.
UCLA MILESTONE WATCH
โข Charisma Osborne became the 38th player to join the 1,000 point club at UCLA after scoring 13 against Arizona (Jan. 26). She now has 1,092 career points. Osborne has dished out 197 assists across her career, just three away from 200.
โข Natalie Chou scored her 1,000th career point with a three-pointer against Colorado on Friday.
โข IImar'I Thomas has dished out 296 career assists, just four away from 300.
โข Thomas has 995 career rebounds, just five shy of 1,000.
โข Jaelynn Penn has scored 1,480 career points, just 20 away from 1,500.
โข Penn has dished out 238 career assists, 12 away from 250.
BACK IN ACTION
Two players who started the calendar year on the injured list have returned in the past month to play solid minutes for the Bruins. Redshirt freshman forward Angela Dugalic, a transfer from Oregon, made her first Bruin appearance on Feb. 11 at Washington State, playing 16 minutes and grabbing 4 rebounds. Dugalic scored her first points as a Bruin the following game at Washington, netting two baskets and snagging three rebounds in 14 minutes of action. She has now played in five games, averaging 14.5 minutes, 3.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Junior guard Camryn Brown returned on Jan. 30 at Oregon State after her ACL injury suffered at the end of 2020-21 and has played in eight games, with three starts. Brown is shooting 52.4% from the field, second-best on the team. Junior forward Brynn Masikewich made her first appearance since 2019-20 during the Bruins' Jan. 26 game against Arizona and also saw action at Oregon State on Jan. 30. Additionally, Jaelynn Penn returned on Feb. 13 from a hand injury that kept her out of seven games and has started the last three games. She had started the season's first 11 games prior to her injury.
UCLA's 1-2 PUNCH -- Charisma Osborne and IImar'I Thomas
UCLA is the only Pac-12 team with a pair of players among the league's Top 5 scorers, with junior guard Charisma Osborne currently second with 17.1 points per game and graduate transfer forward IImar'I Thomas fifth at 15.5 points per game. Osborne has two 20-point games in her last four games, scoring game-highs of 23 points at Washington State and 22 points at Washington) and also had a 27-point outing in the team's road victory over USC on Jan. 23, securing six rebounds and dishing out three assists in the win. Thomas has impressed in her first season with the Bruins after transferring from Cincinnati, compiling 19 double-digit scoring efforts, including a 32-point performance in UCLA's dominant victory over San Jose State (Dec. 5) and her first double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds) of the season against California (Feb. 6). Osborne has scored 10+ points in 18 of 19 games she has played this season, and Thomas has reached double figures in 16 of UCLA's last 18 contests and in 19 games total. She has led UCLA in scoring in the last two games and in rebounding in five of the last six contests.
ELITE RECRUITING CLASS -- Class of 2022
The Bruins have signed ESPN's No. 1 recruiting class in the nation for the high school class of 2022. It's the second No. 1-ranked class for the Bruins, as the 2014 recruiting haul included Lajahna Dummer and Kelli Hayes, as well as future WNBA pros Jordin Canada and Monique Billings. UCLA is now the only Pac-12 school since 2010 to sign multiple No. 1 classes and one of just four schools in the country to accomplish the feat since 2010. Kiki Rice is the highest-ranked recruit in UCLA WBB history, and Gabriela Jaquez is the sister of UCLA MBB star Jaime Jaquez Jr. Both players were recently named McDonald's All-Americans, and Rice is a finalist for the Naismith Girls Player of the Year award.The current class features:
SIGNEEES: #2-ranked Kiki Rice (5-11 point guard), #19-ranked Gabriela Jaquez (6-0 forward), #22-ranked Londynn Jones (5-5 point guard), #49-ranked Christeen Iwuala (6-3 forward), and German standout Lina Sontag.
WELCOME (BACK) TO WESTWOOD -- Transfers and Returners
The Bruins notably have eight players who did not suit up for the program a season ago. Coach Close reloaded with four transfers to fill out the roster: Gina Conti (point guard, Wake Forest), Angela Dugalic (forward, Oregon), Jaelynn Penn (guard, Indiana), and IImar'I Thomas (forward, Cincinnati). UCLA fans can enjoy the returns of Brynn Masikewich, Kayla Owens, and Kiara Jefferson, none of whom were with the program last season for various reasons. Redshirt freshman Izzy Anstey is also with the team for the first time, as the Australia native was unable to travel to the U.S. last year due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
PROLIFIC CAREER -- IImar'I Thomas at Cincinnati
Graduate forward IImar'I Thomas currently ranks fifth in the Pac-12 with 15.5 points per game and had a 20-point outing in the Bruins' last game against Utah (Feb. 20) and a double-double (16 points/12 rebounds) against Cal (Feb. 6). Thomas transferred to UCLA this past offseason following a sensational four-year career with Cincinnati. She ranked third all-time in scoring there with 1,925 points and is the only player in program history to record 1,900+ points and 800+ rebounds. She currently has 2,266 points and 995 rebounds. Thomas was the 2021 AAC Player of the Year after averaging 23.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest. The three-time first-team All-AAC selection and 2018 AAC Freshman of the Year scored in double figures 89 times as a Bearcat and recorded 37 games with at least 20 points.
WATCH LIST RECOGNITION
The Bruins have been represented on the following national award watch lists and preseason teams: โข Charisma Osborne: Preseason All-Pac-12 team, Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award Top 20 Watch List, Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List, Wade Watch, Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 Watch List, Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award Top 10 Watch List, Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy for Women's Player of the Year Midseason Watch List
โข Gina Conti: Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award Top 20 Watch List, All-Pac-12 team honorable mention
โข Natalie Chou: Preseason All-Pac-12 team honorable mention
UP NEXT: UCLA at Arizona State (Feb. 26)
The Bruins will wrap up the regular season in Tempe with a Saturday, Feb. 26 game at Arizona State.
