W. hoops falls into Sun Devils’ trap
By Daily Bruin Staff
Feb. 19, 1996 9:00 p.m.
February 20, 1996
W. hoops falls into Sun Devils’ trapTenacious ASU defense shuts
down Bruins, leads to down-to-wire 71-70 win
By Emmanuelle Ejercito
Daily Bruin Staff
The UCLA women’s basketball team got a taste of its own medicine
against Arizona State Saturday afternoon in Tempe.
Throughout the season, the Bruins have used their tenacious
trapping defense to get the team back into a game. This time it was
UCLA’s turn to be pressured.
With 2:52 left in the first half, the Bruins had a comfortable
36-26 lead. But things started to change as the Sun Devils went on
a 12-2 run to tie the game at the half, 38-38.
"They played a 2-3 trapping zone and a 1-3-1 trapping zone and
they did a really good job defensively to take us out of the game,"
UCLA head coach Kathy Olivier said. "(ASU’s defense) stopped us
from getting the ball inside and that was where our strength
was."
Center Kisa Hughes made 9-of-13 from the field and was the
leading scorer for the Bruins with 20 points. She also collected a
game-high 11 rebounds. Meanwhile, power forward Zrinka Kristich
scored 12 points and had six rebounds.
Although its defense forced 34 turnovers, UCLA’s offense
floundered. After shooting 48.6 percent in the first half, the
Bruins cooled off significantly, shooting 37.9 percent in the
second half.
During the second half, neither team could take a commanding
lead. The score see-sawed and was tied seven times. It all came
down to who had the ball last.
UCLA (10-12 overall, 5-8 Pac-10) trailed 71-68 with 45 seconds
left after ASU’s LaToya Johnson and Joan Ziuraitis made
back-to-back baskets. The Bruins could not convert on their next
possession and were forced to foul Christy Kellams with 21 seconds
on the clock.
Kellams missed the front end of the one-and-one and UCLA
rebounded the ball. Gomez was then fouled on the perimeter, sending
her to the line to shoot the bonus. Gomez connected on both and
brought the Bruins within one with 12 seconds remaining.
Hughes fouled Emma Witkowski to send her to the line in a bonus
situation. Witkowski missed the first attempt and UCLA again
rebounded the ball with 11 seconds to go.
The Bruins brought the ball up the floor and, with three seconds
left, Nickey Hilbert pulled up for a seven-foot jump shot that hit
the front of the rim. The rebound fell into Sun Devil hands, time
expired and ASU (6-15, 2-10) prevailed 71-70.
Witkowski scored a game-high 22 points and had a career-high
eight steals to lead ASU.
FRED HE/Daily Bruin
Center Kisa Hughes scored 20 points in the Bruins’ 71-70 loss to
Arizona State.
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