University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
UCLA
No. 3 Huskies to Face UCLA in Never Forget Tribute Classic
12/10/2021 2:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NEWARK, N.J. – The third-ranked UConn women's basketball team (5-2) faces UCLA (5-2) in the Never Forget Tribute Classic Saturday at the Prudential Center at 1 p.m. The game will air on ABC and the UConn Sports Network.
In its fifth season, the Never Forget Tribute Classic raises money and awareness for a 9/11-related charity. The event is a double header with the UConn men's basketball team facing St. Bonaventure at 4 p.m.
UConn fell at Georgia Tech, 57-44, Thursday evening. Senior Christyn Williams led the Huskies with 13 points. Senior Olivia Nelson-Ododa had her second straight double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The teams were tied at halftime and the end of the third quarter, but the Huskies' shooting went cold in the fourth as Georgia Tech pulled away with an 18-5 advantage. The loss was UConn's first to an unranked opponent since Feb. 18, 2012, breaking a streak of 240 straight wins vs. unranked teams.
UCLA is coming off a 112-33 win over San Jose State last Sunday. Iimar'i Thomas (32) and Natalie Chou (32) led the Bruins in scoring. This season, Thomas leads UCLA with 19.1 points per game. Head coach Cori Close is in her 11th season at UCLA.
UConn is 6-0 all-time vs. UCLA. Â The teams' last meeting came in the 2019 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. UConn freshmen Amari DeBerry and Azzi Fudd won gold with the USA U19 team, which was coached by Close.
