Angela Dugalic scored 22 points, Kiki Rice had 17 and Lauren Betts added 16 as the UCLA women's basketball team recorded its eighth win against a ranked opponent with a dominant 88-65 victory over No. 8 Iowa on Sunday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion. The No. 2-ranked Bruins (21-1 overall, 11-0 Big Ten) won their 15th straight game and improved to 10-0 at home.
But as No. 8 Iowa climbed back in Thursday's third quarter, threatening to deal USC another disappointing result, Smith, the Trojans' sophomore leader, took matters into her own hands. She drove once, then again, then again. Four times in a matter of three minutes, Smith attacked the hoop, carrying the weight of USC's weeks-long slump on her shoulders as she did. When the Trojans' attack finally let up, they were well out in front again, rolling to an 81-69 victory.
Strong, the sensational sophomore, dominated the first half with 20 points and five steals as UConn led 42-31. UConn was up 22-12 after one quarter before Iowa was able to get within six in the second. Strong wouldn't let the Hawkeyes get closer as she scored seven points, including the first five, in a 10-2 run that gave the Huskies a 35-20 advantage midway through the quarter.
The past week has been up and down for Iowa State fans. The men's hoops team beat top-ranked Purdue on Saturday and replaced the Boilermakers as a 1-seed as a result. But longtime football coach Matt Campbell also left for Penn State, and the university faces a hefty fine from the Big 12 for the Cyclones declining to play in a bowl game.
