Canada helps No. 10 UCLA hand Utah its first loss of season (Dec 31, 2016)
LOS ANGELES (AP) Jordin Canada helped the UCLA women's basketball team do what it does best: win at home.
Canada had 18 points and seven assists to lead No. 10 UCLA to a 67-56 victory over previously unbeaten Utah In the Pac-12 opener for both teams Friday night.
Monique Billings had 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Bruins (10-2, 1-0), who have won 19 consecutive home games dating back to last season. Kennedy Burke also had 10 points.
''It gives us good focus and determination to keep that streak going,'' Billings said of the home win streak. ''We just want to keep playing hard on our home floor and keep our record undefeated on our home floor. It's a good feeling.''
Utah (11-1, 0-1) won its first 11 games, but it had difficulty working its offense against a top-10 team. Forward Emily Potter had a game-high 20 points for the Utes, and Erika Bean and Tanaeya Boclair added 10 points each.
''This was a good game to start us off and open our eyes,'' Potter said. ''We're here. We're playing. Opening with the team that's picked to win the Pac-12. I hate to learn from losing. I wish we could have that first quarter back, but we'll learn from it.''
Utah had 22 turnovers, as did UCLA. But the Bruins used their uptempo pace to fluster the Utes and force Utah coach Lynne Roberts to sub out the 6-foot-6 Potter for a breather every now and again.
''UCLA is No. 10 in the country for a reason,'' Roberts said. ''It's a tough way to start Pac-12 for us, on the road against the team that is picked to win it ... Their preseason schedule was a little tougher than ours in terms of they played at Baylor and at South Carolina. They were more Pac-12 ready, but that was by design for us with a new group. We wanted to build some momentum. This is a learning experience, and we'll be OK.''
BIG PICTURE:
Utah started the season with an 11-game winning streak but hadn't played a team close to UCLA's caliber, and it showed. Its first loss can serve as a learning tool for defensive adjustments if Utah wants to finish in the top echelon of the Pac-12.
UCLA made a good impression in its quest to win the Pac-12 Championship by winning its initial conference game in convincing. Last year, the Bruins tied for third in the Pac-12, but this team is better, more experienced and is taking care of business at home.
UNDEFEATED NO MORE
UCLA started its conference season by dethroning an undefeated opponent in Utah, and it did the same thing at Pauley Pavilion last year, too. One year ago today, UCLA opened the Pac-12 against USC, which was 12-0, and beat the Trojans, 78-73.
''They know what's in front of them,'' UCLA coach Cori Close said. ''I don't care if you're undefeated in Pac-12 or 0-fer, you're glad to get the `W.' They did have our attention. We did talk about it, that they were undefeated. They had our attention. We were definitely aware they hadn't lost and that they would be a formidable foe.''
STAT OF THE GAME:
UCLA had 14 offensive rebounds, besting Utah by two in that category. The Bruins, who had 40 rebounds, were motivated to try to keep Utah off the offensive glass since the Utes led the Pac-12 in that statistical category last year.
UP NEXT:
Utah continues its Southern California conference roadtrip with a game at USC on Sunday. The Utes face a strong USC team which cruised to a win in its conference opener.
UCLA will look to improve its consecutive home game win streak Sunday against No. 20 Colorado. The Buffaloes lost to USC, 79-54, in the Pac-12 opener Friday.
