Friday, November 13, 1998
UCLA shooting for sweet victory
PREVIEW: Notre Dame not just preparation for game against No. 3
Connecticut
By A. CinQue Carter
Daily Bruin Contributor
On March 15, the members of the UCLA women’s basketball team
walked off the court for the last time in the 1997-98 season with
empty feelings in their hearts. Despite working hard in the second
round of the NCAA Tournament, apparently defeating Alabama and
earning a trip to the Sweet 16, the game was taken away from them
by the officials.
"The team still thinks about the Alabama situation," head coach
Kathy Olivier said. "But it’s one of those rare situations when a
negative has become a positive because it has brought us closer
together as a team."
Eight long months later, the Bruins are ready to take the court
again and prove to the world that they really do belong.
Tomorrow afternoon, the No. 6 Bruins will open the season on the
road against the 17th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
The Irish came into Pauley Pavilion last season and earned their
first-ever victory at UCLA. In the 93-91 double-overtime victory,
the visitors tallied three players with over 15 points.
Senior guard Sheila McMillen had a breakout game versus the
Bruins, pouring in a career-high 29 points while canning all five
of her three-point attempts to lead the Irish. Sophomore Kelley
Siemon tied a school record as she was a perfect 12-for-12 from the
free throw line as she finished with a career-best 20 points. And
Danielle Green finished with 19 points.
That loss brought UCLA’s record to 0-3 and seemingly turned the
Bruins’ season around.
After picking up an easy home victory over the University of San
Diego, Bruins went on to win 19 of their next 25 games, in route to
head coach Kathy Olivier’s best-ever season finish (20-9),
best-ever conference finish (14-4, 2nd) and first-ever tournament
appearance.
This time around the Bruins cannot afford to begin the season
slowly.
Ranked sixth in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today
Coaches’ Poll, UCLA is finally a national contender. And Notre Dame
will be the only tuneup before Tuesday’s highly anticipated
showdown with No. 3 Connecticut.
The Bruins lead the Irish 8-3 in the all-time series, going 2-2
on the road. This, however, will be UCLA’s first visit to the Joyce
Center since December 22, 1989 when the Irish beat the Bruins 67-65
in overtime.
Notre Dame returns four starters from last season’s 22-10 squad,
which made its third straight NCAA tournament appearance while
advancing to the Sweet 16 for the second-consecutive year. Senior
captain McMillen is the lone returning senior starter.
The Bruins actually return four starters of their own, with
three complimentary players ready to contribute as well.
"We probably return more quality experience," Olivier said,
"than just about any team in the country."
Junior All-America candidates forward Maylana Martin and point
guard Erica Gomez return to lead the Bruins, along with junior
center Janae Hubbard. Juniors Melanie Pearson and Marie Philman
will crack the starting lineup also.
Gomez will be looking for her second-straight All-Conference
selection after ranking season in the Pac-10 last season with 5.86
assists per game. She will be key to the Bruins’ success or lack
thereof.
"Gomez is the leader we need her to be, " Olivier said. "She
will get the job done for us. Last season (after taking a year off
due to injury) she was getting used to playing with her new
teammates.
"Now she has a year under her belt and the consistency will
show."BAHMAN FARAHDEL/Daily Bruin
Coach Kathy Olivier thinks adversity has brought team closer
together.
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