LOS ANGELES - UC Riverside women's basketball faced its first of several tasks throughout the 2022-23 season on Thursday morning in Westwood, falling 64-43 to UCLA at Pauley Pavilion. 

Mele Finau paced the Highlanders with 10 points in LA on 4-of-7 shooting with a pair of threes. The Northern Colorado transfer added four rebounds, an assist and two blocks in 30 minutes of work. Jordyn Marshall enjoyed a second impressive outing in as many in a Highlander uniform, going for eight points - all of which came in the second half, including eight of Finau's 10. 

UCR held the Bruins to just 36 percent shooting on its home court with just three made triples, matching UCLA with 18 points off the bench overall and 10 points in the paint in the first half. Both defenses stood out from the opening tip as UCR and UCLA combined to go 2 of 18 from the floor to start the game. 

UC Riverside shrank the deficit to just four at the end of the first half on a 4-of-8 clip ahead of intermission before the Bruins pulled ahead in the second half. Despite the result not being in doubt through the final 10 minutes, the Highlanders still fought to the final whistle with a 50 percent shooting clip in the fourth quarter,

UCR is back on the court on Tuesday, November 15 for a 6:00 p.m. tipoff against Fresno State on the Mountain West Network.