W. hoops anticipates Trojan war
By Daily Bruin Staff
Feb. 22, 1996 9:00 p.m.
W. hoops anticipates Trojan war
Bruins prepare defense against Troy’s Thompson
By Emmanuelle Ejercito
Daily Bruin Staff
When the UCLA women’s basketball team last met the University of
Southern California, it was riding high. Oh, how things have
changed.
The 96-77 loss to USC (11-11 overall, 6-7 Pacific 10) was the
beginning of a downward spiral for the Bruins. Since its January
defeat, UCLA (10-12, 5-8) has won only one game and dropped six.
After succumbing to both Arizona schools on the road last weekend,
their tournament hopes for this season have been crushed and the
Bruins are playing for redemption.
Beating the Women of Troy in their 2 p.m. matchup Saturday at
Pauley Pavilion could be a big part of this redemption.
"I don’t think that anything is going to put back time for us to
say that the season turned out okay because to be honest we
expected to win more games," UCLA head coach Kathy Olivier said.
"If we beat ‘SC we will just feel better and it will give us some
momentum going into the spring and helping us to improve for next
year."
Prior to their first meeting with USC, the Bruins had compiled a
4-2 record in the Pac-10 and they had just beaten Arizona in a
dramatic 17-point come-from-behind victory at Pauley. Meanwhile,
across the street, the Women of Troy posted a meager 2-4 conference
record.
Then something happened, or rather, Tina Thompson happened.
On Jan. 27 at the Lyon Center, Thompson was unstoppable. She
scored 49 points, the best single game performance in the
conference so far this season. Thompson shot from the inside, the
outside, was perfect from the free-throw line and collected 15
rebounds.
"Tina Thompson was on an unbelievable roll," Olivier said. "I
think that she is so consistent that you can’t hold her back. The
bottom line is that we have to keep her off the boards and not let
her get the basketball."
In its attempt to stop Thompson, UCLA’s Zrinka Kristich, Tawana
Grimes, Nickey Hilbert, Aisha Veasley and Kisa Hughes will share
the defensive duties.
"We will have five people and five different looks for her,"
Olivier said, "and try to frustrate her so she doesn’t get the ball
so easily."
Although UCLA’s Kristich and Hughes lead the conference in field
goal percentage, most of their baskets come from underneath. The
Bruins are in need of an outside shooter, especially against the
2-3 zone. UCLA’s offense was rendered ineffective during the second
half of its loss to the Trojans as the Bruins shot only 35 percent
against the zone.
FRED HE/Daily Bruin
Tawana Grimes will share defensive duties against USC.
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