Bruins to Battle Beavers Sunday Afternoon

GAME INFORMATION
UCLA Bruins (9-5, 4-3) at Oregon State (10-5, 3-2)
Date: Sunday, Jan. 30
Location: Corvallis, Ore. (Gill Coliseum)
Time: 2:00 p.m. PT
Watch: Pac-12 Network (Ann Schatz, Mary Murphy)
Radio: ucla.leanplayer.com (Dave Marcus)

SERIES HISTORY / SCOUTING REPORT: Oregon State Beavers
Sunday's matchup between the Bruins and Beavers is the 78th all-time matchup between the programs. UCLA holds a 48-29 lead in the series, with UCLA most recently defeating Oregon State at home on Feb. 17, 2020, 83-74 (OT). The Beavers won the last meeting on Feb. 21, 2021, 71-64, in Pauley Pavilion and have won the last six matchups in Gill Coliseum.

Oregon State enters Sunday's matchup at 10-5 overall and 3-2 in Pac-12 play. The Beavers have won three of their last four games, including Friday night's 63-61 overtime win over USC. Freshman Talia von Oelhoffen scored a career-high 31 points in the game, and Kennedy Brown scored the game-winning basket as time expired in overtime. von Oelhoffen is the team's leading scorer at 14.3 points per game and also leads the team in assists (45) and steals (16). Beaver assistant coach Jenny Huth was an assistant coach at UCLA from 2011-18.

UCLA FORFEITS GAME AT OREGON
Due to injuries unrelated to active COVID-19 cases, the UCLA women's basketball game at No. 19/25 Oregon, scheduled for Jan. 28, is considered a forfeit for UCLA in the Conference standings and a league win for Oregon, according to the Conference Handbook's Administrative Policies. Per NCAA policy, there will be no adjustment to overall records. The updated game cancellation policy allows for a game to be rescheduled or declared a no-contest if a team has fewer than the minimum roster available for a scheduled contest (at least seven scholarship players and one countable coach) and is reserved for the unavailability of participants due to COVID-19.

RECAP -- UCLA vs. Arizona (Jan. 26)
The Bruins saw their four-game win streak snapped against No. 8 Arizona, 74-63, UCLA's first home loss of the season. UCLA started the game with a 10-0 opening run and took a 19-8 first quarter advantage before the Wildcats came back in the second quarter and outscored the Bruins by a 28-14 margin. Arizona erased the four-point halftime deficit with an 11-0 run in the third quarter and eventually led after the third quarter, 50-47. The Bruins reclaimed the lead, 63-62, with 4:12 to play on a Chantel Horvat layup, but the Wildcats outscored UCLA 11-0 to close the game. IImar'I Thomas (14 pts) led four Bruins in double figures. Shaina Pellington contributed a game-high 20 points for Arizona.

LOOKING BACK -- UCLA vs. Oregon State in 2020-21
The Bruins and Beavers played once in 2020-21, as the road matchup in Corvallis was declared a no contest due to COVID-19 protocols. Oregon State took the victory in Los Angeles on Feb. 21, 2021, 71-64. UCLA made all 17 of its free throws to set a school record, but shot just 21 of 76 (27.6%) from the field. The Beavers outscored the Bruins by a 20-12 margin in the fourth quarter. Michaela Onyenwere led the Bruins with 19 points, and Camryn Brown led the team with seven rebounds. Oregon State's Aleah Goodman tallied seven of her team-high 20 points in the final frame.

NOTES ON THE BRUINS
• A win would give UCLA its first in Gill Coliseum since Jan. 6, 2013 (68-64).
• UCLA has three players ranked in the Top 10 in scoring in the Pac-12 (No. 2 Charisma Osborne - 17.9, No. 3 IImar'I Thomas - 17.0, No. 10 Jaelynn Penn - 13.1). No other school has more than one player in the Top 10.
• The Bruins lead the Pac-12 in free throw percentage at 78.6 percent and fewest turnovers per game at 13.3.
• Osborne scored a season-high 27 points in UCLA's win at USC, her fourth game with at least 25 points this season.
• Osborne has scored in double figures in each of her last 16 games dating back to last season.
• Osborne and Thomas have each scored in double figures in UCLA's last 10 games.
• Dominique Onu grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds and was one point away from her first double-double against Arizona (Jan. 26).

UCLA MILESTONE WATCH
• Charisma Osborne became the 38th player to join the 1,000 point club at UCLA after scoring 13 against Arizona (Jan. 26). She now has 1,001 career points.
• Osborne has knocked down 147 three-pointers across her career, just three away from 150.
• Osborne has dished out 176 assists across her career, just 24 away from 200.
• Natalie Chou has scored 950 points across her career, just 50 away from 1,000.
• Jaelynn Penn has scored 1,467 points across her career, just 33 away from 1,500.
• Jaelynn Penn has dished out 235 assists across her career, just 15 away from 250.
• Chantel Horvat has scored 469 points across her career, just 31 away from 500.
• Chantel Horvat has dished out 97 assists across her career, just three away from 100.
• IImar'I Thomas has dished out 276 assists across her career, just 24 away from 300.

UCLA's 1-2 PUNCH -- Charisma Osborne and IImar'I Thomas
UCLA is the only team in the Pac-12 with a pair of players among the league's top five scorers, with junior guard Charisma Osborne currently second with 17.9 points per game and graduate transfer forward IImar'I Thomas third at 17.0 points per game. Osborne had a 27-point outing in the team's road victory over USC on Jan. 23, securing six rebounds and dishing out three assists in the win. Thomas has impressed in her first season with the Bruins after transferring from Cincinnati, compiling 13 double-digit scoring efforts, including a 32-point performance in UCLA's dominant victory over San Jose State (Dec. 5). Osborne and Thomas have both scored in double figures in each of the Bruins' last 10 games.

ELITE RECRUITING CLASS -- Class of 2022
The Bruins have signed ESPN's No. 1 recruiting class in the nation for the high school class of 2022. It's the second No. 1-ranked class for the Bruins, as the 2014 recruiting haul included Lajahna Dummer and Kelli Hayes, as well as future WNBA pros Jordin Canada and Monique Billings. UCLA is now the only Pac-12 school since 2010 to sign multiple No. 1 classes and one of just four schools in the country to accomplish the feat since 2010. Kiki Rice is the highest-ranked recruit in UCLA WBB history, and Gabriela Jaquez is the sister of UCLA MBB star Jaime Jaquez Jr. Both players were recently named McDonald's All-Americans.The current class features:
    SIGNEEES: #2-ranked Kiki Rice (5-11 point guard), #19-ranked Gabriela Jaquez (6-0 forward), #22-ranked Londynn Jones (5-5 point guard), #49-ranked Christeen Iwuala (6-3 forward), and German standout Lina Sontag.

PROLIFIC CAREER -- IImar'I Thomas at Cincinnati
Graduate forward IImar'I Thomas currently ranks third in the Pac-12 with 17.0 points per game and recently had a 20-point outing in the team's win over USC (Jan. 20). Thomas transferred to UCLA this past offseason following a sensational four-year career with Cincinnati. She ranks third all-time in scoring with 1,925 points and is the only player in program history to record 1,900+ points and 800+ rebounds. She was the 2021 AAC Player of the Year after averaging 23.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest. Thomas scored in double figures 89 times as a Bearcat and recorded 37 games with at least 20 points. She was a three-time First Team All-AAC selection and the 2018 AAC Freshman of the Year.

WELCOME (BACK) TO WESTWOOD -- Transfers and Returners
The Bruins notably have eight players who did not suit up for the program a season ago. Coach Close reloaded with four transfers to fill out the roster: Gina Conti (point guard, Wake Forest), Angela Dugalic (forward, Oregon), Jaelynn Penn (guard, Indiana), and IImar'I Thomas (forward, Cincinnati). UCLA fans can enjoy the returns of Brynn Masikewich, Kayla Owens, and Kiara Jefferson, none of whom were with the program last season for various reasons. Redshirt freshman Izzy Anstey is also with the team for the first time, as the Australia native was unable to travel to the United States last year due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

WATCH LIST RECOGNITION
The Bruins have been represented on the following national award watch lists and preseason teams:
• Charisma Osborne: Preseason All-Pac-12 team, Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award Top 20 Watch List, Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 watch list, Wade Watch
• Gina Conti: Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award Top 20 Watch List, All-Pac-12 team honorable mention
• Natalie Chou: Preseason All-Pac-12 team honorable mention

UP NEXT: UCLA vs. Stanford (Feb. 3)
The Bruins return home for a matchup against No. 2 and defending NCAA champion Stanford on Thursday, Feb. 3 at 7pm PT. The game will be televised live on ESPN.