UCLA-bound Rice nets 17, East beats West in McDonald’s game

CHICAGO (AP) — UCLA-bound Kiki Rice scored 17 points, and the East beat the West 95-75 in the McDonald’s All-American Game at Wintrust Arena on Tuesday.

Rice made 7 of 10 shots. She and the West’s Gabriela Jaquez were co-MVPs.

Talaysia Cooper and Ta’Niya Latson added 15 points apiece. Chance Gray scored 14. Janiah Barker added 12 points — all in the first half — to help the East roll to an easy win in the first McDonald’s game since 2019. The event featuring the nation’s best players was canceled the past two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jaquez had 17 points and nine rebounds for the West.

Playing at the home of the WNBA champion Chicago Sky, the East grabbed a 51-36 halftime advantage with Barker leading the way.

The 6-foot-2 forward from Florida, who decommitted from Georgia following a coaching change, hit two 3-pointers in the half. She nailed one from the top of the key to cap a 15-0 run at the start of the second quarter that made it 37-18.

Latson, a 5-9 guard bound for Florida State, had a three-point play and 3-pointer on consecutive possessions for the East late in the quarter. Paris Clark of Long Island Lutheran blocked a fast-break layup by future Arizona teammate Maya Nnaji of Hopkins, Minnesota. The East remained in control the rest of the way.