TUCSON, Ariz. – For the first time since Jan. 7, 2001, a game featuring two Pac-12 teams went to triple overtime. On Sunday afternoon at McKale Center, the UCLA Bruins (11-9, 4-4 Pac-12) were able to outlast the Arizona Wildcats (14-6, 4-5 Pac-12) by a score of 98-93 in a game that required three extra periods.
 
Aari McDonald was huge for the Cats as she scored 35 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, dished out seven assists and had four steals. She shot 14-25 from the field and played 50 minutes.
 
Cate Reese recorded her first-career Pac-12 double-double as she scored 14 points and brought down 10 rebounds. Sam Thomas scored a season-high 17 points and Lucia Alonso pitched in 14 off the bench.
 
UCLA were relentless on the offensive glass, bringing down a total of 27 offensive rebounds, including a combined 15 between Lajahna Drummer and Michaela Onyenwere. They were able to convert for the most part, scoring 29 second-chance points as opposed to Arizona's nine.
 
Although the Wildcats shot well from the field (49%), they struggled to convert from the charity stripe, shooting 11-27 (41%) from the line.
 
It was a tightly-contested first half as neither team was able to build any sort of lead. UCLA was up two at the end of the first quarter, but Arizona responded and took a 33-30 lead into the locker room for halftime.
 
Both Arizona and UCLA scored 17 points in the third quarter and the Wildcats took a 50-47 lead into the fourth quarter thanks to Reese's bucket with about three seconds remaining.
 
That's where things got crazy. Late in the fourth quarter, Alonso hit a bank three-pointer to give Arizona a 61-59 lead, but the Bruins would tie it up after an offensive rebound and sent the game to overtime.
 
McDonald and Thomas each converted an and-one in the first overtime period, but UCLA had a chance to tie the game with 20 seconds left and they did. McDonald came down and hoisted a three-pointer for the win, but it hit the back iron and we went to a second overtime.
 
UCLA led for most of the second overtime and were up three with six seconds left. McDonald got a good look from three after the out of time out play call and knocked it down to send the game into triple overtime.
 
The Bruins controlled the third overtime though and left the state of Arizona with a pair of wins.

Arizona will head north to Tempe on Friday to take on the Arizona State Sun Devils for the second time this season. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. MST.
 
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