California and UCLA combined for just 22 points in the first half on Saturday, the fewest points in the opening 20 minutes in nearly six years.
UCLA missed its first 12 shots and didn't score until Christina Nzekwe's free throw with 10:06 left. The Bruins made almost as many free throws (four) as they did shots from the floor (five), scored just once on back-to-back possessions and committed nine turnovers.
``I was happy with the looks we were getting, I just thought that we were very choppy because we kept turning the ball over,'' UCLA coach Nikki Caldwell said. ``We just needed that one basket. Our defensive intensity was the key for us winning tonight.''
It was even worse for Cal.
After jumping out to an 8-0 lead, the Bears were held scoreless over the final 11:04, missed their final 12 shots and made just 8.7 percent of their attempts from the floor while trailing 14-8 at the break.
According to STATS LLC. it's the fewest points in one half since Liberty and Birmingham Southern combined for 22 on Feb. 21, 2004. Earlier this season Temple and Villanova combined for just 27 points on Dec. 12, 2009.
The eight points were Cal's fewest in school history, breaking the old mark of 10 set against USC on Jan. 23, 2004.
If we would have hit a couple shots in the first half from the outside maybe that would have helped,'' Bears coach Joanne Boyle said. ``We struggled tonight. Nobody wanted it.''
UCLA ended up winning the game 44-32.
