Season off to encouraging start for Bruin women
By Daily Bruin Staff
Jan. 5, 1997 9:00 p.m.
Monday, January 6, 1997
W. HOOPS:
With a victory over Washington State, UCLA opens conference play
with a bangBy A. CinQue Carter
Daily Bruin Contributor
The Winter Break brought more ups than downs for the Bruin women
for a change. At 7-4 UCLA is off to its best start since the
1991-92 season, when they advanced to the NCAA regionals.
Last week represented the opening of conference play, as an
exciting victory over Washington State was followed up by a
disappointing loss to the Huskies of Washington.
Trailing by only eight points at halftime Saturday, UCLA was
outscored 19-12 to open the second half and fell to Washington
98-75.
The Bruins turned the ball over 28 times, keeping pace with
their last two losses in which they turned it over 29 times each.
Maylana Martin scored in double figures for the 11th straight time
with 18 points before fouling out. Tawana Grimes scored 13 points
and had four assists while freshman Janae Hubbard had 14 points and
11 rebounds in 19 minutes. In what may have caused the Bruins’
downfall, UCLA was outscored at the line by the Huskies, 38-18.
However, two days prior to the loss in Seattle, UCLA opened
conference play with a big victory.
After playing Washington State to a 30-30 halftime tie, the
Bruins found themselves trailing by as many as 10 points late in
the second half. However, UCLA used a 12-0 run to get back into the
game and pull out the 77-73 victory in Pullman, Wash.
During Melanie Pearson’s return, the reserve hit a clutch
three-pointer with 3:02 on the clock to put the Bruins ahead for
good. With 25.1 seconds left, the Cougars pulled to within 73-71,
but Tawana Grimes made four free throws down the stretch to put the
game away.
Janae Hubbard came off the bench with 12 points and six rebounds
in 12 minutes of action, while Martin recorded her 10th straight
double-figure scoring game with 11 points.
In addition, Grimes pulled down six rebounds and dished out five
assists, and Aisha Veasley grabbed six boards. The duo’s 17 points
apiece put the Bruins over the top.
But, conference teams weren’t the only opponents for UCLA over
the break. The Bruins posted an impressive 5-2 record against
non-conference squads, including a victory over a top-10 team.
Dec. 29 Â UCLA 90,
New Orleans 59
There was no letdown after scoring a big upset over New Orleans.
The Bruins came out on a tear, scoring the game’s first 15 points,
and went on to lead by as much as 37.
The Bruins forced a season-high 39 turnovers, while shooting 50
percent from the field. Hubbard recorded a double-double with 14
points and 12 boards off the bench.
Dec. 28 Â UCLA 73, WKU 61
Ninth-ranked Western Kentucky was heavily favored going in to
the initial game of the Pacific 10 Challenge held at the L.A.
Sports Arena. However, UCLA came ready to play. The Bruins led
throughout the entire game and answered every WKU run with a run of
their own.
UCLA made 75 percent of their free throws (33 of 44). Martin led
all scorers with 23 points, and she added nine rebounds.
Dec. 21 Â Seton Hall 69, UCLA 53
Thirty-one turnovers and 15 more fouls than the opposition were
enough to sink any Bruin hopes of victory. After leading by as much
as seven with 9:59 to play, UCLA gave the ball up 12 times down the
stretch to wind up losing 69-53.
Dec. 19 Â George Washington 76,
UCLA 53
The Bruins were held to 28.3 percent field goal shooting and
committed 27 turnovers en route to a blowout defeat at the hands of
George Washington. After GW opened the game with a 16-2 spurt, the
Bruins never got any closer than nine points the remainder of the
contest.
Dec. 16 Â UCLA 76, St. Mary’s 67
With the Gaels setting an UCLA-opponent record with 10
three-pointers made, UCLA countered with Jackson scoring 15 of her
21 points during a second-half run. Martin scored 22 and both women
grabbed 12 boards. The Bruins pulled away in a key second-half run
sparked by two hoops and a steal from junior Aisha Veasley.
Dec. 7 Â UCLA 58, Baylor 55
The Bruins used a 24-0 run in the middle of the second half to
catch and pull away from Baylor, 58-55. UCLA’s play improved
dramatically in the second half, in which the Bruins forced 14
turnovers while committing only nine.
Dec. 5 Â UCLA 60, LMU 39
After leading only 28-22 at the half, UCLA found its rhythm down
the stretch, outscoring the Lions 32-17 en route to a 60-39
victory. Martin scored a game-high 20 points, at least twice more
than any other player on the floor. Grimes, in her first game at
point guard replacing Melanie Pearson (out sick), had a game-high
five assists.
