Friday, March 6, 1998
Bruins look prepared for NCAAs
WRAP: Victory in Arizona helps ensure invitation to
tournament
By Chris Umpierre
Daily Bruin Contributor
If the tournament committee needed any more evidence to select
the UCLA women’s basketball team into the field of 64, the Bruins
gave them more than some on Thursday night.
Playing without much of the services of their All-American
candidate Maylana Martin, the No. 23 Bruins (19-7 overall, 14-3 in
the Pac-10) whipped up on the Arizona State Devils, 80-62, before
883 at the University Activity Center in Tempe, Arizona.
UCLA, who hasn’t been to the tournament in six years, has won 14
of their last 16 games and appears to now be a shoe-in for the
tournament when selections are announced on Sunday.
A victory over No. 9 Arizona, who they play on Saturday in
Tucson, would not only put the cap on the best season in recent
years for UCLA women’s basketball but possibly give the Bruins a
chance to host a first-round tournament game.
The Bruins sure looked like a tournament team on Thursday night
despite playing without their floor leader Martin.
Martin, who has been bothered by a sore back all year long, was
able to play just 11 minutes in Thursday’s game.
Martin, who averages 19.2 points and 7.8 rebounds a game, made
those 11 minutes productive as she scored 12 points on 5 of 7
shooting before she asked to be taken out of the game because of
the pain from her lower back.
Playing without much of their leading scorer and rebounder, the
Bruins showed their great depth throughout the game as seven
players came off the bench to score 28 points.
UCLA’s bench once again beat the opposition as the Bruins’ bench
outscored the Sun Devils, 28-18. This made it the 22nd time in 26
games that the Bruins’ bench has beaten the opposition’s bench.
Leading the Bruin charge off the bench in the Sun Devil game was
freshman LaCresha Flannigan.
The 5-foot-8-inch shooting guard from San Bernardino sparkled
for the Bruins as she poured in 10 points and pulled down four
rebounds.
UCLA came out of the locker room on fire in the first half.
Hitting on a remarkable 20 of 34 from the floor for 59 percent in
the game’s first 20 minutes. Flannigan’s superb play and another
great game from sophomore Marie Philman, who finished with a
team-high 14 points, helped contribute to the offensive effort.
Their hot shooting in the first half built a sizable 46-21 Bruin
lead at halftime and the team never had to look back again.
UCLA will now travel to Tucson to take on the No. 9 Arizona
Wildcats (20-6 overall, 13-4 in the Pac-10) on Saturday.
Since UCLA has only beaten two ranked teams in the year
(Washington and Duke), a win against highly-ranked Arizona would
greatly help the team’s chances of garnering a high seed in the
tournament.
The game also takes on great importance because of momentum,
which is key for a successful run in the tournament. The team has
won four in a row and a loss on Saturday could help make Mr.
Momentum put on a different jersey.
But in order for UCLA to beat the Wildcats, they will have to
stop Arizona’s All-American candidate Adia Barnes.
The senior forward is averaging a Pac-10 leading 21.7 points and
6.8 boards a game.
Barnes was a key force when the two teams met in Pauley Pavilion
for the Pac-10 opener on January 2nd, which was a 82-71 victory for
the Wildcats.
As the second-leading scorer in Arizona women’s basketball
history, Barnes scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds in that
game.
But when Barnes and the rest of the Wildcats take on UCLA on
Saturday, they will be facing a completely different Bruin team
than they did in January.
The UCLA team that will walk into the McKale Center is a much
more confident squad.
Since the two teams met in January, UCLA has won 13 of their
last 15 games.
DERRICK KUDO
Freshman LaCresha Flannigan during a game against Stanford.