Temple Women's Basketball Falls Short in Upset Bid at #13/13 UCLA

LOS ANGELES – Despite a game and season-high 22 points from Kristen McCarthy, the Temple women's basketball team dropped a 71-61 decision at #13/13 UCLA (5-0) on Sunday afternoon. The Owls (2-4) led for nearly three-fourths of the game, but the Bruins pulled away over the final 10 minutes.

McCarthy shot 7-of-12 from the field including 5-of-8 from behind the arc, and nearly notched a double-double with a team-high nine rebounds. BJ Williams also scored in double figures for Temple with 12 points, and dished out a team-high five assists.

Markel Walker and Darxia Morris led UCLA with 15 points apiece while Rebekah Gardner scored 14.

Qwedia Wallace sank a three-pointer on Temple's first possession after winning the tip-off, and UCLA proceeded to start 1-for-8 from the field. Eight minutes into the game the Owls held a 13-8 lead after the second trey from McCarthy.

After Temple's fourth three-pointer, also the second for Wallace, the Owls led 18-11 at the midway point of the half.

The Bruins started hitting from the field, including a couple treys of their own to come within one point, 20-19 at 7:52, but the Owls continued to hit from behind the arc to take an eight-point, 27-19 lead at 5:47.

Temple nearly held UCLA off the rest of the way, but the Bruins hit six of their final eight field-goal attempts including a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Morris that tied the game, 35-35 at halftime.

McCarthy led all players with 15 points at the break, while Gardner led UCLA with 12 points including two treys.

The lead changed hands a few times early in the second half, but McCarthy's fifth three-pointer of the game gave the Owls a 45-40 lead at 15:50.

Temple stayed in the lead until past the midway point of the half when the front half of a one-and-one by UCLA's Markel Walker tied the game at 52-52, a free throw that was part of a 17-1 run by the Bruins over an eight-minute stretch.

The Owls hit just one field goal in the final 11 minutes as UCLA used its power on the boards to put the game out of reach.

Temple returns home for its next game, a 7:00 p.m. contest against Rutgers on Wednesday, Dec. 1 in McGonigle Hall.