UCLA Women Stop Kentucky

The UCLA women’s basketball team, ranked No. 12 in the nation, used strong rebounding and 19 points from Marie Philman for a 64-54 victory Sunday over Kentucky in the championship game of the Rainbow Wahine Classic at Honolulu.

Kentucky (5-1), on a basket by LaToya McDole, pulled within 51-47 with 4:08 left, but the Bruins (4-2) scored the next five points on a put-back basket by Janae Hubbard and three free throws by Maylana Martin to subdue the Wildcats’ threat.

Martin finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Hubbard added nine points and 14 rebounds. Shantia Owens paced Kentucky with 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Laura Meadows had 12 points.

UCLA capped a 12-4 first-half run with a three-pointer by Melanie Pearson to take a 34-16 lead with 1:51 left before the break.

Kentucky closed the half with two baskets, then went on a 10-2 run to open the second half, closing within 36-30 on a basket by McDole with 15:34 remaining.

UCLA then began asserting itself on the glass and used second-chance baskets to push its lead to 42-30.

Both teams had poor shooting nights, UCLA making 34.4% of its field-goal attempts and Kentucky 32.8%.

In other games at the tournament:

No. 5 North Carolina 75, Hawaii 72--Nikki Teasley made a pair of key three-pointers, then made two free throws with seven seconds left to clinch North Carolina’s victory over Hawaii (4-2).

Teasley led the Tar Heels with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists. The win have North Carolina (7-1) third place in the Rainbow Wahine Classic.

No. 24 Nebraska 62, Louisville 61--Brooke Schwartz made two free throws with four seconds remaining to give Nebraska (5-1) fifth place in the Rainbow Wahine Classic. Louisville (3-3) inbounded to guard Jill Morton who missed a last-second layup as the game ended.