Brown sets the tone as UCLA prevails

Her all-around effort sparks Bruins to a big win over Arizona in Pac-12 tournament.

NO. 19 UCLA 73 NO. 21 ARIZONA 59

LAS VEGAS — Camryn Brown had a wide-open lane to set a career high in scoring, but as the senior watched Kiki Rice’s onearmed baseball pass float through the air, Brown’s own stats were the furthest thing from her mind.

“I can’t let her get the turnover,” Brown said she thought to herself.

With a quiet but critical career-high nine points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks, Brown’s selflessness helped propel the No. 5seeded Bruins into the Pac-12 tournament semifinals after a 73-59 win over No. 4 Arizona on Thursday at Michelob Ultra Arena.

UCLA will face topseeded Stanford, a 76-65 winner over No. 9-seeded Oregon, on Friday at 6 p.m.

Forward Emily Bessoir led the Bruins (24-8) with 18 points and 11 rebounds, her first career double-double.

The redshirt sophomore made two key three-pointers in the fourth quarter to ensure that the Bruins, who blew a 19-point lead against No. 12 seed Arizona State on Wednesday and lost in overtime to Arizona (21-9) during the regular season after giving up an 11-point fourthquarter advantage at Pauley Pavilion, wouldn’t let another win slip away.

After missing all of last season because of a torn ACL, Bessoir has scored in double figures in both of UCLA’s Pac-12 tournament wins with 20 combined rebounds and seven threepointers. She also hit two big shots in overtime for the Bruins against Arizona State.

“I think throughout the whole year, I was still trying to find myself,” Bessoir said. “I’m still trying to find my game and the team has been just a huge support and I think now, I’m really glad that things are coming together.”

Brown, Bessoir added, could sympathize with the recovery climb.

Brown suffered torn

Schedule for the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas:

First round (Wednesday)

UCLA 81, Arizona State 70

Oregon 52, Washington 50

Washington State 61, California 49

Oregon State 56, USC 48

Quarterfinals (Thursday)

UCLA 73, Arizona 59

Stanford 76, Oregon 65

Washington State 66, Utah 58

Colorado 62, Oregon State 54

Semifinals (Tonight)

Stanford vs. UCLA ............................................................................... 6 Washington State vs. Colorado ................................................. 8:30

Finals (Sunday)

TBD vs. TBD ................................................................ 2 p.m., ESPN2