No. 3 UCLA used a 10-0 run in the third quarter to blow open what had been a close game, and the Bruins cruised from there to beat UNC 78-60 in the first game of the WBCA Challenge in Las Vegas Thursday night.

The Tar Heels had hung tough with the Bruins during the first half, closing the first quarter on a 10-0 run of their own to take a 17-12 lead heading into the second. Carolina then used a 9-0 run to take its largest lead of the game at 28-22 with 5:49 remaining in the first half. But the Bruins erased the deficit quickly, taking a 35-34 lead into halftime on a basket with two seconds left.

A Nyla Harris jumper gave UNC a 39-38 lead early in the third quarter, but that was the last time Carolina would be in front for the rest of the night. The Bruins’ decisive 10-0 run extended a 48-46 UCLA lead to 58-46 by the end of the quarter, and that lead grew to as large as 19 points at 74-55 late in the fourth quarter.

Elina Aarnisalo, who transferred to UNC from UCLA during the offseason, led the Tar Heels with 13 points against her former team, though she needed 16 shots to do so. Shooting was a problem for the team as a whole on the night, as Carolina finished just 24-69 (34.8 percent) from the floor. Ciera Toomey and Indya Nivar, who both finished with 11 points, were the only other Tar Heels to reach double figures.

UCLA All-American Lauren Betts was a force for the Bruins all night, recording a double-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. The six-foot-seven Betts contributed to a 46-30 rebounding advantage for UCLA, and a 46-22 edge in points in the paint. Kiki Rice also posted a double-double for the Bruins with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

The loss drops UNC to 2-1 on the season. The Tar Heels will be back in action for the second and final game of the WBCA Challenge Friday when they face Fairfield at 6 p.m. Eastern time.

 

Featured image via AP Photo/Steve Marcus.

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