Upset! Cougs stun UCLA as freshman Molina scores 33 pts
Washington State
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) -- Behind a freshmen record 33 points from Chanelle Molina, the Washington State women's basketball team pulled off the biggest upset in program history on Friday night, downing No. 7 UCLA, 82-73, at Beasley Coliseum.
The win for the Cougs (7-8, 2-2 Pac-12) was their second straight in conference while handing the Bruins (11-3, 2-1 Pac-12) just their third loss of the year. The Cougars win over the Bruins marked their best win over a top-10 opponent in program history, one-upping their 70-64, victory over No. 8 Maryland in Puerto Rico at the 2014 San Juan Shootout.
Washington State outscored the Bruins 31-21 in the fourth quarter to win their second game in a row after losing six straight.
Jordin Canada had 19 points and Monique Billings 18 for UCLA (11-3, 2-1). The Bruins had won three straight. The Bruins were undone by 34 percent shooting, while the Cougars shot 52 percent.
Washington State led 25-23 after the first quarter behind 10 points from Molina, who made all five of her shots.
Kennedy Burke's 3-pointer highlighted an 11-0 run for the Bruins to open the second quarter, as they built a 34-25 lead. Burke sank her first six field goal attempts.
Pinelopi Pavlopoulou, who finished with 14 points, hit a pair of baskets as Washington State cut UCLA's lead to 38-34 at halftime.
Molina sank a pair of baskets to put Washington State up 41-40 in the third. But Billings replied with three quick baskets as the Bruins took a 48-46 lead.
Billings' basket lifted UCLA to a 52-51 lead after three quarters.
Molina made consecutive 3-pointers during a 10-0 run as Washington State took a 61-53 lead with 7:38 left in the game. Molina had three more baskets as the Cougars ran to a 75-64 lead.
The Bruins had lost only at No. 2 Baylor and No. 5 South Carolina this season.
UCLA dominates the series with a 52-8 record and had won six in a row against the Cougars. Washington State's last win in the series was in 2012.
Washington State leading scorer Borislava Hristova and third-leading scorer Louise Brown both missed the game because of injuries.
BIG PICTURE: Washington State was coming off a stretch of six consecutive road games, with the only win against Oregon on New Year's Day
UP NEXT: Washington State hosts Southern California on Sunday at noon PT.
