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UCLA Women’s Basketball: Four Bruins named to All-Pac-12 teams

By Mike Regalado

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: UCLA Bruins mascot Joe Bruin poses on the court before the team's first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 9, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 95-71. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: UCLA Bruins mascot Joe Bruin poses on the court before the team's first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 9, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 95-71. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Though the Bruins did not win the Pac-12, they won in different areas, especially on an individual basis as four UCLA Women’s basketball players were named to different All-Pac-12 teams.

It was a brutal season in the Pac-12 and the UCLA Women’s basketball team did all they could to fight, fight, fight through the schedule and get a first round Pac-12 Tournament bye. On an individual basis, several Bruins had an amazing season with four being awarded for their performances and been named to the 2017-18 All-Pac-12 teams.

RELATED: UCLA Women’s Basketball are a 4-seed int he Pac-12 Tournament

We have been talking about them all season long and seniors Jordin Canada and Monique Billings have not disappointed. For their efforts, both have been named to the All-Pac-12 and the All-Defensive team.

UCLA Women’s Basketball Players making All-Pac-12 Teams

  • All-Pac-12 Team: Jordin Canada, Monique Billings (honorable mention, Kennedy Burke)
  • All-Defensive Team: Canada, Billings (honorable mention, Burke)
  • All-Freshmen Team: Michaela Onyenwere

It is tough for a player to make either the All-Pac-12 or the All-Defensive teams and even tougher to make both, but UCLA had a rare accomplishment as two players accomplished that feat. The Bruins were second in conference in scoring (75.4 ppg) and fifth in scoring defense (61.9) and could not have done so without the production of Canada and Billings.

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Canada’s legacy has been cemented with both UCLA and the Pac-12 as she recently became the conference’s leader in assists. This season she has averaged 7.1 per game and 207 total so far this season. She is also first in steals with 3.1 and leads the Bruins in scoring with 16.3.

Billings has been a terror underneath the boards and leads the Pac-12 with 9.8 rebounds per game. She has a total of 283 that is made up of 107 offensive and 176 defensive rebounds. She has also contributed 15.0 points per game and has a field goal percentage of .483.

Burke has been an unsung hero but has rightfully been awarded with an honorable mention for both the All-Pac-12 and All-Defensive teams. As the Bruins’ third-option, she was very reliable for getting points and was the only other Bruin to average double-digit points with 10.4 ppg.

Though it will be tough to lose all three to graduation after the season, Bruins’ fans got a glimpse of the future with Michaela Onyenwere who made the All-Freshmen team. This season she captured the Pac-12 Freshmen of the Week twice and quickly grew into a solid option off the bench. This year she put up 7.1 points and 4.9 rebounds.

Next: The UCLA Men's Basketball All-Time Team

The Bruins continue their crusade for hardware in the Pac-12 Tournament which begins for them this Thursday and will play the winner of 12 Washington and 5 Cal. Go Bruins!