PARIS — Lauren Betts had 18 points and four blocked shots as No. 5 UCLA beat No. 17 Louisville, 66-59, in the second game of a season-opening women’s basketball doubleheader in France on Monday.
Timea Gardiner had 15 points and Londynn Jones contributed 13 for UCLA.
Tajianna Roberts had a game-high 21 points for Louisville, which opened up an 18-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Louisville was 6 for 29 from 3-point range compared to 8 for 23 for UCLA. Gardiner made five 3-point shots and Jones was a perfect 4 for 4 from the free-throw line.
The 8,000-capacity Adidas Arena, home to the men’s Paris Basketball team, was just over half full for the second game.
Earlier Monday, No. 3 USC scored in the final seconds to beat Mississippi, 68-66.
The imposing physicality of Betts and Gardiner on defense did much to contain Louisville. The standout pair also combined at the other end for Gardiner’s neat 3-pointer from wide right late in the game.
Betts shot 9 for 12 from the field.
UCLA next hosts Colgate on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion.
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