One of the defining traits of this Oregon women’s basketball team is its ability to keep games close — and often win them — with relentless defense.

But where the Ducks have repeatedly come up short is on the offensive end, where their leading scorer averages just over 10 points per game and they rarely find a consistent scoring threat.

Offense was Oregon’s undoing on Sunday in a rock fight against No. 1 UCLA, a 62-52 loss for coach Kelly Graves’ squad at Matthew Knight Arena. It was the Ducks’ third defeat in a row after an upset win on the road at Michigan State.

The Bruins (23-0, 11-0 Big Ten) shot just 41% from the field, but that is a hot afternoon compared to a paltry 27% from the field for the Ducks (16-8, 7-6 Big Ten). Had Oregon shot even marginally better, a major upset could have been in the cards.

UCLA was led in scoring by Londynn Jones with 21, and Lauren Betts with nine.

The Ducks got 19 points from Nani Falatea, whose husband — Kingsley Suamataia — is playing for Kansas City in the Super Bowl on Sunday. Deja Kelly also put in 14 points on 5-17 shooting.

Oregon trailed 10-4 early, but the game quickly became a rock fight. The Ducks locked down the Bruins defensively and, despite shooting just 2-18 (11%) from the field, trailed 12-7 after one quarter.

Kelly had six of those seven points for Oregon, the lone player to hit a shot in the opening frame. The Ducks had good looks at times, but simply could not hit them, including 0-9 shooting from three in the first half.

The ugliness continued in the second quarter, as Oregon kept one of the best scoring teams in the country in check on nearly every possession. At one point down 19-9, the Ducks got it back within five as the Bruins turned the ball over nine times in the first half.

At the break, Oregon trailed just 25-19 despite shooting 6-35 (17%) from the field. UCLA was shooting 28% at half, and the Ducks’ stifling defense was the primary reason why.

Oregon came out in the second half flying, as Kelly and Phillipina Kyei scored back-to-back buckets to get within two of the top-ranked Bruins. Both teams’ offenses would open up in a flurry of possessions, with UCLA using its size and three-point shooting to teeter the game back in its favor, 32-26.

Kyei picked up her third foul for Oregon midway through the third, and UCLA would pound the ball inside to Betts in her absence. She struggled to finish, though, allowing the Ducks to hang around and keep it within single digits. At the midpoint of the quarter, after a nearly three-minute scoreless stretch for both teams, it was 33-27.

The Ducks’ incompetence on offense finally started to catch up with them late in the third, as a six-minute stretch without a field goal led to a 39-29 lead for UCLA.

Kelly heated up for the Ducks to break the stretch with a pair of baskets, but Betts responded each time on the other end as the Bruins took a 43-33 lead into the fourth quarter.

Oregon would not go away. A three-pointer for Falatea made it 45-38 with 7:35 to go, forcing a timeout for the Bruins as they tried to stave off a potential comeback.

A pair of three-pointers from UCLA put a big wall in front of the Ducks, who suddenly trailed 51-38 with 6:38 left. They simply did not have the offensive firepower to climb back, even as the Bruins left the door wide open with turnovers and allowed the Ducks to get within eight with just over a minute to go.

Next game: Oregon (16-8, 7-6 Big Ten) vs. Washington (14-9, 5-6)

• When: Wednesday, Feb. 12
• Time: 6 p.m. PT
• Where: Matthew Knight Arena
• TV: B1G+
• Radio: Oregon Sports Network

— Ryan Clarke covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten Conference. Listen to the Ducks Confidential podcast or subscribe to the Ducks Roundup newsletter.