Wasn't it just a few weeks ago that University of California guard Alexis Gray-Lawson scored more than 39 points in consecutive games (47 points @ Oregon State University, 39 v. University of Arizona)? So how on earth did the team only manage 32 against UCLA?
Just following the game thread on California Golden Blogs is painful: "Isn’t this why they invented the shot clock?"
Perhaps the press release is even more depressing:
UCLA Downs California, 44-32 - UCLA OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Cal scored the game's first eight points, keeping UCLA off the scoreboard until Christina Nzekwe made a free throw at the 10:01 mark. The Bruins missed their first 12 field goals of the game before Dixon finally hit a jumper at 9:20. The tables turned for Cal, however, as the Golden Bears did not score for the final 11 minutes of the half, allowing UCLA to not only get back into the game, but take the lead. The Bruins used a 14-0 run to end the half with a 14-8 lead. Nina Earl had seven of the Bruins' 14 points in the scoring run. The Golden Bears shot a paltry 8.7% (2-for-23) from the field in the half. UCLA did not fare much better, shooting 20% on 5-for-25 shooting.
That does not necessarily constitute a "defensive battle" -- it's just bad basketball any way you cut it.
Games like this -- along with Arizona State University's 66-62 loss to previously winless Washington State University and the University of Washington's 30 point loss to the University of Arizona -- does not bode well for Pac-10 RPI come tournament time...
Update: The game is a UCLA record for fewest total points, fewest opponent points, and fewest points in a win. Working on determining the Pac-10 record.