Bruins hope to win more road games

NICOLE MILLER/Daily Bruin

Senior center Shalada Allen shoots for two in a
game against the West Coast All-Stars earlier this season.

Women’s Basketball Saturday 4 p.m. Pauley
Pavilion

By Jackie Abellada

Daily Bruin Contributor

As Thanksgiving weekend approaches, the women’s basketball
team is counting its blessings.

The Bruins have one win ““ on the road.

Not too shabby for a team who went winless on 14 tries away from
Pauley Pavilion last year.

But before the Bruins (1-1) can even say their thanks, they will
try to post another win this Saturday when the squad plays its
home-opener against Ohio State (1-0) at Pauley Pavilion.

And it is not going to be easy.

The last time the two teams met, the Buckeyes dismantled the
Bruins in a 79-57 rout thanks to the performance of LaToya Turner,
the 6-foot-4 center for the Buckeyes. The former 2000 Big Ten
Freshman of the Year racked up 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds
in last season’s match-up.

“She’s a really great player,” UCLA head coach
Kathy Olivier said. “You just hope she doesn’t get a
career high against you.”

In defense of the Bruins, it was an away game against the
Buckeyes. To say that playing on the road has been a huge problem
for the Bruins in the past would be an understatement.

But this year is supposed to be different. And the way the team
performed last Friday in its win against the Liberty, it appears
that they are going in the right direction. Granted, the Flames are
not the Fighting Irish, the Boilermakers or the Huskies of the
women’s basketball elite, but it was a road victory that the
Bruins graciously accepted.

“It feels nice winning on the road, and it is going to
build up our confidence,” Bruin junior guard Jalina Bradley
said. “Personally, I feel confident away or home but at
Pauley, we have our fans, the band and we’re in our
colors.”

Nevertheless, the Bruins are still not satisfied with their
performances of late, especially after its heartbreaking four-point
loss to Michigan State following its season-opening victory.

Lately, the squad has been focusing on its ability to box out
and play defense.

“Getting rebounds is less about size than it is about
heart,” said Bruin senior guard Michelle Greco, who led UCLA
on the boards in Saturday’s loss to Michigan State.

Their practices have made them realize that before they can be
thankful for what they have so far, they should be thinking about
what they did not get ““ things they definitely need to bring
into Saturday’s game against the Buckeyes.