Team set to play up to potential

Friday, December 4, 1998

Team set to play up to potential

PREVIEW: Galvanized by win streak, Bruins prepare for
challenge

By A. CinQue Carter

Daily Bruin Staff

The No. 10 UCLA women’s basketball team has shown that it can
compete with the best of them.

Conversely, the Bruins have shown that the worst of them can
compete with UCLA.

An encouraging sign for coach Kathy Olivier’s squad, however, is
the four-game win streak the Bruins are toting. The run of wins has
included two straight victories over ranked opponents.

"We should have been playing like this all along," junior center
Janae Hubbard said. "We can’t play down to the level of teams. We
have to challenge ourselves every night and produce."

It seems that UCLA has finally realized what it needs to do to
be successful. And if things go as planned, the team will be
sharing that understanding with former Bruin great Denise Curry
tomorrow at 4 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion.

Curry will be returning to her old stomping grounds as the head
coach of the invading Cal State Fullerton Titans.

The Titans are powered by center Erin Whiteside, who averages
15.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, Andrea Thieme (17.5 ppg)
and Nieshia Cleveland (14.3 ppg).

Curry, in her second year coaching at Fullerton (1-2), was a
three-time All-American at UCLA from 1979-81 who set a collegiate
record by scoring in double figures in each of the 130 games she
played for the Bruins.

Additionally, she still ranks No. 1 in career scoring and
rebounding.

Her achievements will matter little against this Bruin squad
determined to turn the tide on early-season misfortunes.

Junior Takiyah Jackson and freshman Natalie Nakase have been
lost for the season due to knee injuries. Season-opening losses to
then-No. 17 and then-No.4 UConn also toyed with UCLA’s
confidence.

Switch reels.

The Bruins are functioning as a cohesive unit despite their
perimeter defense, which still leaves something to be desired.

Point guard Erica Gomez, averaging 8.7 assists per game and has
recorded at least seven assists in each contest and has dished out
10 assists in three of her last four games and is UCLA’s top free
throw shooter at 88.2 percent (15-17).

Joining Gomez in the backcourt is junior shooting guard Melanie
Pearson.

Pearson has started all six games for the Bruins and is the
Bruins’ leading three-point threat with at least three attempts per
game. Pearson is also the leading-returning three-point shooter in
the Pac-10.

Marie Philman, junior small forward, has set or tied career
highs in points in three of UCLA’s six games. Philman is averaging
11.8 points and 6.2 rebounds, both good for third on the team.

The Bruins’ all-everything frontcourt tandem of junior Maylana
Martin (19.0 ppg and 13.2 rpg) and Hubbard (15.7 ppg and 6.8 rpg)
hope to continue their outstanding performances.

"They (Martin and Hubbard) are just playing so awesome right
now," Olivier said.

As Olivier states constantly, every night someone else can step
up for the Bruins. And it does not have to be the same person or
people over and over again.

"We’re really on track right now," Olivier said. "We just have
to maintain consistency."

And if the Bruins do maintain, they should no doubt become "the
best of them."

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