LAS VEGAS — One night after No. 22 Utah was the team holding off a spirited effort from a lower-seeded opponent in the Pac-12 tournament, the Utes found themselves in the opposite role late Thursday.
This time, though, No. 6 seed Utah couldn’t keep up with No. 3 seed (and seventh-ranked) UCLA in falling 67-57 during the Pac-12 quarterfinals at the MGM Grand Garden Arena despite keeping within range for three quarters.
3 takeaways
Top performers: Angela Dugalic scored 17 points and added four rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal for UCLA. She shot 6 of 10 from the field and made three 3-pointers. Teammates Charisma Osborne scored 16 and Kiki Rice added 13 points and nine rebounds.
Alissa Pili led four Utes in double-figures with 16 points on 6 of 15 shooting while adding five rebounds and two assists. Kennady McQueen put up 14 points, four steals, three rebounds and an assist.
Key stretch: Utah, which never led over the final two and a half quarters, went into the final period trailing by eight and had it down to a 5-point game after a Maty Wilke 3 on the first possession of the fourth quarter.
That’s when UCLA went on an 8-0 run to push the lead into double-digits for the first time on the night, as Dugalic hit a jumper, Rice nailed a 3-pointer and Dugalic hit a 3 of her own to make it 57-44 with 6:59 to play.
Key stats: The Utes were outrebounded 42-27. While it was 12-12 in offensive rebounds, the Bruins had a 15-12 edge in second-chance points.
Utah was undone by a 35% shooting night, including 9 of 30 from 3-point range. The Bruins, meanwhile, shot 48.1% and and made 8 of 17 3s.
What’s next?
The Utes (22-10) will now wait to find out their NCAA Tournament fate on Selection Sunday on March 17.
The Bruins, meanwhile, will face No. 2 seed USC in the Pac-12 semifinals Friday. The Trojans beat No. 7 seed Arizona 65-62 in one of the other quarterfinals Thursday.
Friday’s other semifinal will match up No. 4 seed Oregon State against top seed Stanford.