Canada leads No. 13 UCLA women over No. 16 Arizona State (Jan 28, 2017)
LOS ANGELES (AP) UCLA point guard Jordin Canada did what she does best in being aggressive on offense and taking the ball to the basket. Arizona State never had an answer for her.
Canada scored 26 points to lead No. 13 UCLA to a 69-60 win over No. 16 Arizona State on Friday night.
UCLA's Monique Billings had 16 points and 10 rebounds.
UCLA (16-4, 7-2 Pac-12) won its fifth consecutive game following consecutive losses to Washington State and Washington on the road.
Arizona State (14-6, 5-4) was led in scoring by Sophie Brunner with 16 points. Robbi Ryan added 13 points and Quinn Dornstauder 10.
Canada got two big rebounds in the final two minutes in addition to making all four of her free throws with 31 seconds left.
''It was just being aggressive,'' Canada said. ''Arizona (State) was making its run and that meant we had to make our run back. It was about staying aggressive and getting the ball in the paint, whether that be to Mo (Billings) or me driving the lane.''
It was a physical game and Arizona State coach Charli Turner Thorne said something down the scorer's table at UCLA coach Cori Close. Thorne made a motion of Brunner getting hit in the head. A foul was called on the play. Close didn't say anything back.
''I just thought it was inappropriate that she screamed (at an official) when our player got knocked down,'' Turner Thorne said. ''She got fouled, obviously. She was on the court yelling. I got emotional about it. I apologized after the game. I work the officials. She works the officials. I don't think I've ever done that in my entire coaching career. I don't think I've ever talked to another coach during the game.
''... She laughed, which was a good response. I shouldn't have said anything.''
The two coaches talked in the handshake line and all was fine after the game, according to both coaches who expressed their like for one another.
''Charli is passionate about her players, just like I'm passionate about mine,'' Close said. ''The thing about Chari is I've known her 20-something years. (After the game), she said I'm sorry. She's a classy person. We're both big competitors, and we'd both have our players' backs at a moment's notice. I didn't give it a second thought because I know her, I trust her and I think she's a classy coach.''
UCLA won its 24th consecutive game at Pauley Pavilion, dating back to last season, and 16th in a row against Pac-12 teams.
BIG PICTURE
Arizona State was playing its second consecutive game on the road against a top-15 team. The Sun Devils lost both games but played much better in the second half Friday.
UCLA is rolling along and seems destined for a big matchup with Washington and Washington State at Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins' only two conference losses were on the road in the Pacific Northwest.
STAT OF THE NIGHT
UCLA led by as many as 18 points in the first half, and the Sun Devils cut the deficit to five points in the fourth quarter but couldn't get any closer.
HALFTIME SPARK
UCLA honored the WNBA champion Sparks and MVP Candace Parker in a halftime ceremony, complete with the WNBA championship trophy. Parker took pictures with fans afterward, too.
UP NEXT
Arizona State stays in Los Angeles, where it will play on Sunday at USC. The Trojans - last in the Pac-12 - have won just one conference game, and the Sun Devils hope to push USC's losing streak to nine consecutive games.
UCLA will stay home, hosting Arizona on Sunday at Pauley Pavilion. The Wildcats have won just two conference games.
