UCLA Returns Home for Clash with Cal
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GAME INFORMATION
No. 11 UCLA (4-1, 2-1) vs. California (0-5, 0-2)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 19
Time: 12:00 p.m. PT
Location: Los Angeles, Calif. (Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom)
Watch: Pac-12 Network (Anne Marie Anderson, Tammy Blackburn)
Listen: ucla.leanplayer.com (Play-By-Play: Dave Marcus)
UCLA RETURNS HOME FOR CLASH WITH CAL
UCLA returns home to Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom for the team's first Pac-12 home contest, taking on Cal on Saturday, Dec. 19. Tip-off is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. PT with Pac-12 Networks broadcasting the live action. Dave Marcus' radio call can be heard at ucla.leanplayer.com. The Bruins won their lone matchup with the Golden Bears last season, securing a 74-70 overtime victory in Berkeley.
UCLA 73, USC 52
he No. 11 UCLA women's basketball team never trailed en route to a 73-52 victory over crosstown rival USC Sunday (Dec. 13) at the Galen Center. Senior forward Michaela Onyenwere (19) and sophomore guard Charisma Osborne (18) combined for 37 points and redshirt-senior guard Natalie Chou rounded out a trio of double-digit scorers with 10. The Bruins (4-1, 2-1) outscored the Trojans (1-3, 0-3) by a 20-5 margin in the third quarter, holding their hosts without a field goal while increasing their lead to as many as 27 points. Onyenwere moved into 18th place on UCLA's all-time scoring list, passing 2019 alumna Kennedy Burke (1,513 points) on the program ranks.
MILESTONES ACHIEVED
Michaela Onyenwere recorded 17 points in the Bruins' blowout victory over UCSB (Dec. 9), a performance that took her over the 1,500-career-point milestone at UCLA. She is currently 18th on UCLA's all-time scoring list. With UCLA's win at Arizona State (Dec. 6), Cori Close won her 200th-career game with the Bruins. She is only the third coach in program history to achieve the milestone (Billie Moore - 296; Kathy Olivier - 232).
NOTES ON THE BRUINS
• Michaela Onyenwere has scored 1,530 points in her UCLA career and is currently 18th on the program's all-time scoring list. Necie Thompson ('83) is 17th with 1,536 points. Lindsey Pluimer ('08) is 16th with 1,555 points.
• Head Coach Cori Close earned her 200th-career victory with the Bruins' victory over ASU (Dec. 6).
• UCLA leads the Pac-12 in offensive rebounds per game (19.0) and rebound margin (+15.2).
• UCLA is the only team with multiple players (Osborne, Onyenwere) among the Pac-12's top 5 scorers.
• Charisma Osborne has made her first 18 free throws to start the season. Japreece Dean ('20) holds the program record with 40-consecutive free throws made across the 2018-19 season.
• Charisma Osborne leads the Pac-12 in total points (96) and is fourth in points per game (19.2)
• The Bruins recorded assists on 22 of the team's 28 made baskets against USC (Dec. 13).
• The Bruins held USC (Dec. 13) without a field goal in the third quarter of the team's 73-52 victory.
• Six different Bruins (Onyenwere, Corsaro, Osborne, Miller, Brown, Horvat) recorded at least five rebounds in the team's win over USC (Dec. 13).
• The Bruins scored 102 points against UCSB (Dec. 9), the most since the team scored 129 against San Jose State on Nov. 10, 2017.
• The Bruins have three players scoring in double figures: Charisma Osborne (19.2 ppg), Michaela Onyenwere (16.2), and Lauryn Miller (10.2).
• Charisma Osborne and Michaela Onyenwere have both scored in double figures in each of UCLA's first five games.
2019-20 IN REVIEW
UCLA is coming off a 26-5 season in 2019-20, the fifth-straight 20-win season under Coach Close. The Bruins finished 14-4 in Pac-12 play, good for second place in the regular season standings. UCLA advanced to the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament and was on track to host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, but subsequent postseason play was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the conclusion of the season, Michaela Onyenwere earned AP Third-Team All-America accolades. Onyenwere and then-senior Japreece Dean earned All-Pac-12 honors.
2020-21 ROSTER AT A GLANCE
The Bruins return four players who started at least 20 games last year: Michaela Onyenwere, Charisma Osborne, Lauryn Miller, and Lindsey Corsaro. Onyenwere was the team's leading scorer with 18.9 points per game last year, while Osborne returns after a freshman campaign that saw her put up 12.2 points per game, the third-most on the team. Miller started 30 games as a true junior and put up a career-high 6.6 points per game. Corsaro logged 23.5 minutes per contest in 2019-20 and can serve as a primary ball-handler for the Bruins in the upcoming season. UCLA also returns redshirt senior Natalie Chou, who put up 7.4 points per contest in her first active season with the team last season. The Bruins' key departure from last year is point guard Japreece Dean, who earned All-Pac-12 honors last season. Dean was drafted by the Chicago Sky and is now playing overseas.
FRESHMAN PHENOM
UCLA freshman Emily Bessoir has already made a huge impact in her brief time with the program thus far. At 6'4", she is the tallest player on the Bruins' active roster and has a commanding presence in the post. That said, she has strong ball-handling skills and can lead a fastbreak for the Bruins off a rebound. Bessoir was named to ESPN's Newcomer Impact Rankings for the upcoming season. The Munich, Germany, native scored a career-high 15 points against UCSB (Dec. 9) and has scored at least five points in each of her first five collegiate games.
PRESEASON RECOGNITION
Senior forward Michaela Onyenwere and sophomore guard Charisma Osborne have been named to several preseason watch lists for various national awards. Both players were also named to the Preseason All-Pac-12 team.
• Onyenwere: Preseason AP All-American, Preseason All-Pac-12, Naismith Trophy Watch List (collegiate player of the year), Wooden Award Watch List (most outstanding player), Cheryl Miller Award Watch List (nation's best small forward)
• Osborne: Preseason All-Pac-12, Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List (nation's best shooting guard)