UCLA, USC women get their weekend sweep

The UCLA women’s basketball team built a 22-point first-half lead and held on down the stretch to defeat Washington, 75-68, in a Pacific 10 Conference game Sunday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion.

With the victory, the Bruins, 13-11 overall, 8-5 in conference, remained tied for fourth with USC in the Pac-10 standings. The Southland teams, which each swept the Washington schools over the weekend, will meet Sunday at UCLA.

UCLA senior forward Lindsey Pluimer scored a team-high 19 points. The biggest shots, however, belonged to freshmen Doreena Campbell and Regina Rogers. After the Huskies (9-15, 4-8) cut the deficit to 66-62 on a three-point field goal by Sami Whitcomb with 4 minutes 18 seconds remaining, Campbell grabbed an offensive rebound off Pluimer’s miss and made a short jump shot.

Whitcomb made another three-pointer with 1:32 left to trim UCLA’s lead to three, but Rogers scored inside on the next possession for her only field goal. Pluimer then made three of four free throws in the final minute.

“I love these freshmen,” UCLA Coach Kathy Olivier said. “Every one of them brings something different.”

Campbell finished with 13 points, six assists and four steals; and sophomore guard Tierra Henderson scored 11 points.

Whitcomb, a sophomore guard from Ventura, finished with a career-high 27 points.

-- Dan Arritt

USC 64, Washington State 46 -- Nadia Parker scored a career-high 23 points, Heather Oliver had 21 and the Trojans recorded their fifth consecutive home victory. Parker and Allison Jaskowiak grabbed nine rebounds each for USC (15-9, 8-5 Pac-10), which is 11-1 at the Galen Center. The Cougars dropped to 3-20, 0-12.

From the Associated Press