Preview:
This will be our second meeting of the year. To remind you, the thread to the first game is here:
https://thecardboard.org/board/showthrea...hlight=WBB
Since that first meeting, in which we prevailed 61-49, UCLA has conveniently played one game per week, winning all three, since the other game each week was postponed. The wins against Oregon and WSU were by 2 points each--so UCLA is certainly battle tested. They also beat Utah by 25.
Onyenwere and Osborne continue to lead UCLA. After our last game, Osborne has been on a tear, scoring in the 20s every game--she scored just 7 against us (credit Anna Wilson?) Onyenwere has been steady-state, scoring in the same ballpark each game as she did against us the first time (19) except against Oregon, which she single-handedly won with 33 points. Chou and Osborne continue to hover around 40% three point shooting. Emily Bessoir, the 6'4" freshman from Germany, was a surprise against us last game with 15 points, including 3/8 from three point range, although she has not done as well since playing us.
I sense that tomorrow's game is a critical turning point in the season for us. As the first game after the loss and the first game of the weekend, we should be thoroughly prepared. How will we respond after the disappointment in Colorado? If we come out on fire and decisively beat the next best team in the Pac 12, then we will establish the character of the team and can look forward to the rest of the season. If we play with less than full intensity, make turnovers and sloppy passes, take poor shots, and suffer from a shooting malaise, then perhaps we are looking at a team that is less than fully mature.
This will be our second meeting of the year. To remind you, the thread to the first game is here:
https://thecardboard.org/board/showthrea...hlight=WBB
Since that first meeting, in which we prevailed 61-49, UCLA has conveniently played one game per week, winning all three, since the other game each week was postponed. The wins against Oregon and WSU were by 2 points each--so UCLA is certainly battle tested. They also beat Utah by 25.
Onyenwere and Osborne continue to lead UCLA. After our last game, Osborne has been on a tear, scoring in the 20s every game--she scored just 7 against us (credit Anna Wilson?) Onyenwere has been steady-state, scoring in the same ballpark each game as she did against us the first time (19) except against Oregon, which she single-handedly won with 33 points. Chou and Osborne continue to hover around 40% three point shooting. Emily Bessoir, the 6'4" freshman from Germany, was a surprise against us last game with 15 points, including 3/8 from three point range, although she has not done as well since playing us.
I sense that tomorrow's game is a critical turning point in the season for us. As the first game after the loss and the first game of the weekend, we should be thoroughly prepared. How will we respond after the disappointment in Colorado? If we come out on fire and decisively beat the next best team in the Pac 12, then we will establish the character of the team and can look forward to the rest of the season. If we play with less than full intensity, make turnovers and sloppy passes, take poor shots, and suffer from a shooting malaise, then perhaps we are looking at a team that is less than fully mature.