Preview:
This is the first serious test of our team this year. UCLA is 5-1 after losing narrowly to Arizona. Against common opponents, UCLA beat USC by 21 points--we just beat them by 20. UCLA is ranked 11.
UCLA's greatest weakness is that they have had only 8 players play this year--so if the game is fast paced and physical, and if a lot of fouls are called on both sides--we would have the advantage.
Last year in our first game they beat us at home behind the play of Onyenwere who had 29 points. Osborne, Chou, and Dean (since graduated) went 0-12 from three point range and they still beat us 79-69. When we played them again in the tournament Tara had us ready, and we held Onyenwere to 14. Lexie, who had been quiet in our first game, had 28 in our win.
UCLA has some very skilled players. Since last year Dean has graduated but UCLA does not seem to be phased by that so far--Charisma Osborne has 26 assists to 9 turnovers, and is leading the team with 17 ppg. She hits treys at 34% and is 18/18 of her free throws. As with our own sophomores, she is a vastly improved player over a year ago.
Michaela Onyenwere tore us up in our first game last year, and focusing the defense on her as we did in our tournament game may leave others free to roam. Onyenwere is a great all-around player who has added the three point shot to her arsenal--making 6/14 this year to go with her 16.5 ppg overall. She is only 5'11" which is unusual for a forward but her agility and versatility makes her difficult to guard.
Natalie Chou, the transfer from Baylor, is playing well in her redshirt senior year. She is scoring 37% of her treys and 11 ppg overall.
Lauryn Miller and Lyndsey Corsaro round out the starters--both very experienced players, as is Chantel Horvat who was made a starter against and started two games but did not play against Cal last night. Is she out? Is UCLA down to 7 players?
UCLA is a more experienced team than we are with more seniors and juniors in key rolls, but appears to lack very much depth. Close has been playing every player she has on the roster for 20 minutes or more each. This must make it difficult for Close to get her team to maintain its defensive intensity for the whole game--we might see something like we did at USC--that each quarter gets a little easier for our offense to operate.
All in all, this will be a very tough challenge.
This is the first serious test of our team this year. UCLA is 5-1 after losing narrowly to Arizona. Against common opponents, UCLA beat USC by 21 points--we just beat them by 20. UCLA is ranked 11.
UCLA's greatest weakness is that they have had only 8 players play this year--so if the game is fast paced and physical, and if a lot of fouls are called on both sides--we would have the advantage.
Last year in our first game they beat us at home behind the play of Onyenwere who had 29 points. Osborne, Chou, and Dean (since graduated) went 0-12 from three point range and they still beat us 79-69. When we played them again in the tournament Tara had us ready, and we held Onyenwere to 14. Lexie, who had been quiet in our first game, had 28 in our win.
UCLA has some very skilled players. Since last year Dean has graduated but UCLA does not seem to be phased by that so far--Charisma Osborne has 26 assists to 9 turnovers, and is leading the team with 17 ppg. She hits treys at 34% and is 18/18 of her free throws. As with our own sophomores, she is a vastly improved player over a year ago.
Michaela Onyenwere tore us up in our first game last year, and focusing the defense on her as we did in our tournament game may leave others free to roam. Onyenwere is a great all-around player who has added the three point shot to her arsenal--making 6/14 this year to go with her 16.5 ppg overall. She is only 5'11" which is unusual for a forward but her agility and versatility makes her difficult to guard.
Natalie Chou, the transfer from Baylor, is playing well in her redshirt senior year. She is scoring 37% of her treys and 11 ppg overall.
Lauryn Miller and Lyndsey Corsaro round out the starters--both very experienced players, as is Chantel Horvat who was made a starter against and started two games but did not play against Cal last night. Is she out? Is UCLA down to 7 players?
UCLA is a more experienced team than we are with more seniors and juniors in key rolls, but appears to lack very much depth. Close has been playing every player she has on the roster for 20 minutes or more each. This must make it difficult for Close to get her team to maintain its defensive intensity for the whole game--we might see something like we did at USC--that each quarter gets a little easier for our offense to operate.
All in all, this will be a very tough challenge.
