Bruins hope to maintain streak against Sun Devils

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Tonight 7 p.m. Pauley
Pavilion

By Scott Schultz
Daily Bruin Contributor

After the Bruins’ emotional 65-53 victory over crosstown
rival Trojans Sunday, they’re beginning to look like the team
that head coach Kathy Olivier envisioned at the beginning of the
year.

Tonight’s game against the Arizona State Sun Devils will
be a litmus test to see if the women’s basketball team has
gelled into a squad ready to compete in the Pac-10 this season or
if Sunday’s triumph was a rivalry-inspired anomaly.

“We were so excited when we beat USC,” UCLA junior
point guard Michelle Greco said. “It was our first win in the
Pac-10 and we’re hoping this is the start of a winning streak
for us.”

The Bruins (2-12, 1-2 Pac-10) have a six-game winning streak
against the Sun Devils (10-6, 2-2) who defeated Washington State
83-70 Saturday in Tempe and will be looking to gain revenge on
UCLA. The Bruins have dominated the series between the two schools
35-9.

“Any team wants to beat UCLA, ” Greco said.
“In the past we’ve beaten up on them so they think
maybe they can do to us what we’ve done to them the last few
years.”

Against USC, the Bruins received a shot in the arm by the
improved performance of junior center Malika Leatham, a junior
college transfer from Texas.

Leatham, who seems to have overcome her early season foul
difficulties, had 13 points and a career-high nine rebounds against
the Trojans. Her improved statistics during the Pac-10 schedule
reflects the importance for the team that the athletic center
remains on the floor.

“I’m really concentrating on being smarter about my
ability to stop my opponent without drawing fouls,” Leatham
said.

Leatham’s minutes have increased from 20.0 minutes per
non-conference game to 29.7 in conference games.

Since the Pac-10 season began, her rebounds have increased from
5.0 per game to 6.7, and her points have improved from 7.1 ppg to
9.0. The most important result of Leatham’s improved play,
however, is the fact that she hasn’t fouled out of any
conference games after fouling out of five of her first 11
games.

“It makes a difference when a player stays out of foul
trouble so then we have more options,” head coach Kathy
Olivier said. “Malika’s very aggressive defensively.
She does a lot for us on the boards and so it’s vital that
she stays out of foul trouble so we can play her more.”

The Bruins will be depending on Leatham’s increased post
production tonight as the Sun Devils are led by junior center
Melody Johnson, who is averaging 14.2 ppg and 18.0 ppg in
conference play.

The Bruins, whose offense will be led by Michelle Greco, the
Pac-10 leader in scoring (averaging 19.1ppg) and free throw
percentage (.884 ppg), will need to take advantage of every scoring
opportunity as the stingy Sun Devil defense leads the Pac-10 in
scoring defense, allowing a mere 58.8 ppg.

“What ASU does well is that they mix it up. They’ll
play some zone and some man,” Olivier said. “When that
happens we just have to make sure that we’re all on the same
page as a team and take care of the basketball like we did against
‘SC.”

One interesting matchup during this game will be the tenacious
Bruin defense, which leads the Pac-10 in forcing turnovers at 23.1
per game versus a conservative ASU offense that gives away a
conference last 16.0 turnovers per game.

“They’re going to take care of the basketball and
they’re going to do things defensively that’s not going
to mess them up, so we just have to make sure that we do the
same,” Olivier said. “When we take care of the
basketball and when we play some defense … hopefully we can
win.”

If the Bruins can stop Johnson and stick to their defensive
strategy they should be able to win their seventh straight against
the Sun Devils, which would give UCLA momentum heading into its
matchup Saturday against Arizona.

“We feel good about the way we’re playing,
practicing and improving,” Greco said. “If we play
against Arizona State the way we played against USC we have a good
chance to win.”