Nov. 30, 2003

Box Score

Los Angeles, Calif. - UCLA jumped to a 35-22 halftime lead and held on to defeat Illinois, 68-56, in women's basketball action on Sunday. UCLA improves to 2-1 on the season. Illinois falls to 1-3.

Tiffanie Guthrie paced Illinois with 18 points to go along with a team-leading seven rebounds. Aminata Yanni added 17 points. Nikki Blue scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds for UCLA, while teammate Noelle Quinn had 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Illinois shot 35.5 percent from the field and were out-rebounded, 42-34. The Illini defense forced 20 turnovers.

UCLA shot 51.7 percent in the first half, but were limited to just 37.5 percent in the second half. Illinois led briefly, 7-4, but the Bruins went on a 22-9 run to take a 26-16 cushion with 4:40 to play. UCLA scored the final five points of the half to lead 35-22.

The Illini scored one basket in the first 4:30 of the second half as UCLA extended the lead to 41-24. The lead reached 50-30 with 10:34 to play. Illinois, though, got a pair of steals from Brittney Daugherty and three-pointers from Jere Issenmann and Yanni to get within 11 at 52-41 after an 11-2 run.

UCLA senior Gennifer Arranaga' three-point basket made it 63-48 with under four minutes to play and the Illini could not mount a rally from there.

Guthrie has put together three solid games in succession, combing for 61 points and 27 rebounds in the last three contests.

The Illini take to the road for a Thursday game at DePaul. Tip-off is 7 p.m. in Chicago.