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UCLA Basketball: The women get another road sweep, stay in hunt for Pac-12

By Mike Regalado

LOUISVILLE, KY - MARCH 21: A detailed view of a basketball ahead of the game between the UCLA Bruins and UAB Blazers during the third round of the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KFC YUM! Center on March 21, 2015 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY - MARCH 21: A detailed view of a basketball ahead of the game between the UCLA Bruins and UAB Blazers during the third round of the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KFC YUM! Center on March 21, 2015 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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The women’s UCLA basketball team just completed their second road sweep of the season as they take down the Washington schools, keeping them in the hunt for the Pac-12.

If you want to win your conference, you have to win on the road. So far, the UCLA basketball women’s team is doing a bang up job of that. This past weekend the Bruins went up to the state of Washington and promptly handed out beat downs.

RELATED: The UCLA Women’s basketball team’s path to a Pac-12 title

On Friday night, Washington was annihilated by the Bruins in Seattle, 86-69. The Huskies, who have taken a step back without Kelsey Plum (last season’s player of the year), are struggling mightily. UCLA did not have an ounce of sympathy as five Bruins score in double-digits with senior Jordan Canada leading the way with 22 points.

Two days later, the Bruins found tougher competition against Washington State in a 79-71 win. The Cougars defended home court better than their in-state rivals, but the Bruins were once again too much for a team that is hovering around the bottom of the conference standings.

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This was the second time UCLA was able to get a sweep in conference, previously taking out Utah and Colorado on their trip to the mountains. Not only that, but it is the sixth win in a row for the Bruins.

The result, remaining one game back of Pac-12 leader Oregon for second place and staying in the hunt for the Pac-12 title.

Oregon also had a road sweep as they took out the mountain schools, but their road to a championship is slightly harder than UCLA’s. Five of the Duck’s eight remaining conference games are against teams in the top half of the standings. UCLA only has three games (out of eight) against teams in the top half of the conference.

But let us not forget Stanford who is tied with the Bruins at 8-2 in conference play and will make a push for a title run. But like Oregon, they have a tough road to a title as they have four games against teams in the upper half of the standings. UCLA has to stay ahead of the Cardinal who they have split the season series.

And then there is Oregon State who is a game behind UCLA, but like their in-state rival, they too have five games against the upper half of the conference.

https://twitter.com/UCLAWBB/status/958106052607623168

Next: The men bring showtime to Westwood

UCLA has some of the best chances of capturing the conference title among all conference teams, but they have to stay on the winning track. Not only will their battle at Oregon on February 19 by vital to their title hopes, but they also need a little help from the rest of the Pac-12 teams and hope they can beat up on each other. The bottom line, they need to continue to Fight, Fight, Fight.