UCLA squad looks to break Cardinal rule

Friday, January 15, 1999

UCLA squad looks to break Cardinal rule

WHOOPS: Bruins win against California; Stanford matchup on
Saturday next big challenge

By A. CinQue Carter

Daily Bruin Staff

And so it has come to this – UCLA versus Stanford.

But the tables have turned quite a bit since last they met.
Stanford is unranked and one game under .500 (7-8, 3-1 Pac-10) and
UCLA is ranked tenth in the nation, undefeated in the Pac-10 and in
the midst of their second extended winning streak of the season at
six games.

UCLA is expected to win the conference, and the road to such a
feat goes through Maples Pavilion, where Stanford will not go away
without a fight.

"To be considered the best team, you have to beat the best,"
junior center Janae Hubbard said. "The first step was Arizona, the
second was Oregon and now we have to take care of business on
Saturday against Stanford. And Washington is looming as well. There
are no two ways about it."

Last night the Bruins could have looked right past UC Berkeley
in anticipation of the Stanford match-up, and the Golden Bears
could have slipped away with the victory. But Kathy Olivier’s
troops would have none of that.

"We do not underestimate anyone," Hubbard added. "We needed to
play like we are capable tonight and we were successful in that
regard."

Success could be found in the picture of an 87-62 victory at
California.

Stanford, meanwhile, continued its Pac-10 domination at Maples
by handing a battered-and-bruised USC squad its third loss – this
time by a score of 69-49 – in five conference games. The Cardinal
has now won 66 straight Pac-10 games at home, with the last loss
dating back to Feb. 9, 1991 against Washington (69-68).

Stanford, four-time defending Pac-10 Champion, has four
first-year starters in the lineup – freshman forward Bethany
Donaphin, freshman guard Lindsey Yamasaki, sophomore center Carolyn
Moos and sophomore forward Sarah Dimson.

UCLA, on the other hand, starts four juniors and one sophomore.
And while Olivier’s clubs have had plenty of incentive to beat the
Cardinal over the years, the Bruins has never had such the edge in
talent over Stanford. Now they do.

Junior forward Maylana Martin scored 19 points last night and
spearheaded a huge effort from the foul line.

Martin hit 11 of 12 free throws as the Bruins converted 31 of 38
(82 percent) from the foul line, including a 25 for 30 effort in
the second half. Hubbard added 16 points and Marie Philman had 13
for UCLA (13-4, 5-0 Pac-10), which had 20 steals and scored 34
points off 33 Bear turnovers.

The Golden Bears (6-7, 0-4) managed just six points off 22 UCLA
turnovers.

Sophomore guard LaCresha Flannigan, the Pac-10 Player of the
Week, chipped in nine points and junior guard Erica Gomez had 11
points and eight assists for the Bruins.

"My game has come a long way but I am still improving,"
Flannigan said. "I expect more of myself. I am just that kind of
competitor."

Shavaki Jackson scored 12 points off the bench to pace
California, which made 13 of 14 free throws but shot just 36.5
percent from the field.

The Golden Bears have dropped five in a row since winning five
straight.

Last season the Bruins lost four games in conference play, two
each to Arizona and Stanford.

With the victory at Arizona last week, however, UCLA has already
counteracted a quarter of last season’s damage, and could be
halfway home tomorrow with a victory over Stanford – and the Bruins
could be well on their way to their first conference
championship.PATRICK LAM

Junior Melanie Pearson looks to pass

in a game against the University of Conneticut.

Comments, feedback, problems?

© 1998 ASUCLA Communications Board[Home]