Kennedy Burke Leads Massive UCLA Rally, Brings Bruins From 22-Down to Stun No. 2 Oregon

Kennedy Burke dropped a career-high 29 points to help UCLA continue its hot streak of form and earn a stunning win over No. 2 Oregon.
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EUGENE, Ore. — Kennedy Burke had a career-high 29 points and UCLA came back from a 22-point deficit to knock off No. 2 Oregon 74-69 on Friday night.

Burke was 12 of 17 from the field and had seven rebounds for the Bruins (17-10, 10-5 Pac-12), who won for the eighth time in the last nine games. Japreece Dean added 14 points and Michaela Onyenwere had 12.

UCLA outscored the Ducks 36-14 over a large portion of the second half to lead 68-60. Oregon pulled to within 70-69 on Sabrina Ionescu's 3-pointer with 34 seconds left, but the Bruins scored the last four points at the foul line.

Erin Boley led the Ducks (24-3, 13-2) with 20 points, Ionescu had 18 and Maite Cazorla 13. Oregon was playing without junior forward Ruthy Hebard, who injured her right knee in Monday night's 67-62 loss at No. 12 Oregon State.

It was the first back-to-back losses for the Ducks since they dropped three in a row to end the 2016-17 season, a span of 71 games.

Oregon made 10 of its first 15 shots to lead 23-12 after one quarter. The lead grew to 22 points behind 13 by Boley before the Bruins scored the last seven points of the first half to trail 42-27.

BIG PICTURE:

UCLA gets its first win of the season over a Top 10 team with an impressive comeback from a sluggish first half. The Bruins also broke a five-game losing streak against the Ducks.

Oregon struggled to cope without the inside presence of star forward Hebard and her 69% shooting, second in the nation, against a projected NCAA Tournament team. The Ducks need one win to clinch at least a share of their second straight Pac-12 regular-season title.


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