UCLA advances to the Sweet 16 after a career-high 36 points from Charisma Osborne to beat Oklahoma 82-73

UCLA Bruins #20 Charisma Osborne pulling up for a jump shot on the right side of the basket at Pauley Pavilion. Photo by Rashad Griffin/TGSportstv1.

WESTWOOD, CA - Charisma Osborne scored a career-high 36 points to help the UCLA Bruins (27-9) hold off and advance to the Sweet 16 after beating the Oklahoma Sooners (26-7) 82-73 at Pauley Pavilion.

The Bruins gave up an 18-point lead in the third quarter and had the grind it out in the fourth quarter trailing by four points as Osborne made some big shots and free throws.

"Honestly, I was just thinking attack, attack, attack because I was getting to my pull-up (jumper), and they weren't really going in a little bit in the third quarter, so I was just thinking, how can I get to the basket," Osborne said.

Some of the matchups UCLA had in the first half got them off to a good start.

"We were trying to create different mismatches," UCLA coach Cori Close said. "There were certain players on their team we wanted to attack off the bounce and certain players we wanted to attack off the post."

Madi Williams would give Oklahoma a 3-2 lead with a three-point shot. Kiki Rice would make a three-pointer to give the Bruins a 10-5 lead. Oklahoma would trail 12-9 with a layup by Skylar Vann.

Oklahoma Sooners #25 Madi Williams (G) going up for a layup at Pauley Pavilion. Photo by Rashad Griffin/TGSportstv1.

Lina Sontag would nail a three-pointer to give the Bruins an eight-point lead, 19-11. The Sooners were trailing 19-14 with a three-pointer by Aubrey Joens.

UCLA led at the end of the first quarter 21-14 with a jump shot by Gabriela Jaquez.

UCLA led 28-14 in the second quarter with a three-pointer by Osborne. The Sooners trailed 34-16 with a layup by Rice. Kennedy Tucker would knock down a three-pointer to have Oklahoma trailing 34-22, and Cori Close, the head coach for UCLA, called a timeout.

Osborne continued to be aggressive and drove to the basket for a layup after making the 39-23. Oklahoma was down 41-28 at halftime after Christeen Iwuala knocked down a three-pointer.

Osborne led the Bruins with 16 points, Rice with 9 points, and Madi Williams for Oklahoma with 8 points.

UCLA Bruins #1 Kiki Rice (G) is going strong to the basket against some Oklahoma Sooners’ defenders. Photo by Rashad Griffin/TGSportstv1.

UCLA led 43-28 in the third quarter with a jump shot by Bessior. Oklahoma trailed by ten points, 47-39, after a layup by Skylar Vann. The Sooners were down 47-46 with two free throws by Beatrice Culliton.

Oklahoma took their first lead of the game, 50-49, with a jump shot by Ana Llanusa at the top of the free throw line, and UCLA called a timeout. Jaquez would tie the game 50-50 with a free throw.

The Sooners would take the lead back 52-50 with two free throws by Williams. Osborne driving to the basket was fouled on her layup and made her free throw to have UCLA trailing at the end of the third quarter 54-53.

Lyndon Jones would make a layup to give the Bruins a 55-54 lead in the fourth quarter. Jaquez would make a jump shot to make the score 57-54. Williams would make a free throw to have Oklahoma trailing 57-55.

Oklahoma would trail 61-59 with two free throws by Vann. Rice made a free throw making the score 62-59.

Rice would drive to the basket for a layup and fouled going up, made both free throws, and now the Bruins led 65-60

 Osborne would make a jump shot to give UCLA a 71-61 lead. Williams would drive to the basket for a layup, and Oklahoma was trailing 73 -65.

Oklahoma trailed 80-73 after Williams drove to the basket for a layup. Osborne would make two more free throws to end the game 82-73, making 12 of 12 free throws on the night.

Williams led Oklahoma in scoring with 24 points, Llanusa with 15 points, and Vann had 14 points. Rice was the second-leading scorer for UCLA with 14 points, and Jaquez and Conti each had 7 points.

With the win, UCLA will face the No.1 team in the country, the South Carolina Gamecocks, for the second time this season, after losing the first game back in November 74-63.