UCLA Women's Basketball Overcomes Wyoming in WNIT Triple Overtime Thriller

The Bruins are headed to the quarterfinals of the WNIT after picking up a victory on the road Thursday night.

(Photo Courtesy of UCLA Athletics)

It may have taken three whole overtime periods, but the Bruins persevered the intense battle and came out victorious.

When UCLA women's basketball (17-13, 8-8 Pac-12) and Wyoming (17-13, 11-6 Mountain West) met on Thursday night, neither team had been a part of a seemingly never-ending back-and-forth clash like the one that ended up taking place in Laramie. But after playing 50 of the 55 minutes through triple overtime, guard Charisma Osborne overcame her own shooting struggles to ice the game and lift the veteran Bruins to an 82-81 victory, securing a slot in the WNIT quarterfinals as a result.

Osborne scored 20 points on 7-of-24 shooting from the field, as well as earning nine rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block.

The Bruins' trip to the mountains began with a slow start. Despite launching nine more shots in the opening quarter — hoisting 17 compared to the Cowgirls' eight — the Bruins had ample opportunities to take the lead to start the contest and just couldn't.

Wyoming held UCLA to six points with under a minute left in the period, slipping very close to having their lowest-scoring first quarter of the season. Guard Jaelynn Penn lifted the Bruins out of that potential season-low, sinking back-to-back 3-pointers to take the lead 12-10.

The veteran scored 14 points in the game, as well as adding three assists and three rebounds.

UCLA and Wyoming matched scores in the second quarter with both squads tallying 20 points. Six Bruins put points on the scoreboard, but forward IImar'I Thomas carried the load and added seven points on her own.

Osborne largely left the shooting opportunities to her teammates in the first half, putting up a goose egg in her personal scoring column through almost two full quarters. But with 44 seconds left in the half, the All Pac-12 starter rolled a layup into the basket and gave UCLA a four-point lead, even if Wyoming responded to make it 32-30going into the halftime break.

UCLA began the third quarter with a scoring run, but as the period dwindled, four straight free throws from Wyoming made the lead 44-43. To start the fourth, Cowgirls' guard Alba Sanchez Ramos converted a jumper and allowed the hosts to take a 45-43 lead.

Sanchez Ramos kept Wyoming in front and the Cowgirls led 53-50 as crunch time began.

UCLA needed a score, and with 1:28 left, it was guard Natalie Chou who delivered.

A pass was shoveled out to the corner with the season in the balance, and the ball swished through the net to tie the game at 53, sending the game to overtime.

Overtime began with eight points courtesy of Thomas and Penn, but those shots were matched from Wyoming. Eventually, the Cowgirls took a 61-58 lead amid a three-minute dry spell from the Bruins.

Penn scored a layup to end the run, and after Cowgirls center Allyson Fertig only made 1-of-2 free throws, Thomas things up at 62 on another layup with three seconds left. Thomas stole the ball on the following possession to send the fight to double overtime.

Wyoming led 73-70 — holding the lead with 16 seconds left in the contest. But Osborne launched a three and missed, seemingly ending UCLA's season, but the Bruins' go-to guard was fouled. 

Three free throws later, Osborne sent the game to triple overtime.

Early in the third extra period, Thomas fouled out of the game, but the Bruins kept on battling. Down 76-75, Chou drove to the basket, got fouled and made the shot. She made the and-1 free throw and the Bruins led by two.

Osborne added onto the lead, sinking a jumper with 55 seconds left and giving UCLA a four-point advantage. Wyoming responded with a layup to cut their deficit in half, but Osborne iced the game with two free throws.

Foul shots defined Osborne's performance on Thursday, making five free throws out of the five attempts she shot.

The Cowgirls converted a 3-pointer, shrinking the Bruins lead to one, but coach Cori Close called a timeout and was able to arrange an inbound play that led to the Bruins running out the four seconds left on the clock.

Finally able to relax, the UCLA bench erupted and a smile across Close's face expressed what the result meant for the season as a whole.

The Bruins shot 35% from the field compared to the Cowgirls' 45%, as well as attempting 30 more shots than their opponents. Wyoming turned the ball over 25 times, a high clip compared to UCLA's 10 giveaways.

UCLA will play Oregon State in the quarterfinals of the WNIT, with the game set to take place Saturday.

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