Wednesday, November 18, 1998
Huskies’ bite too much for UCLA
RECAP: Three-point attack by Huskies proves deadly as Bruins
fall to No. 2 team in country
By A. CinQue Carter
Daily Bruin Staff
Intimidation was supposed to be the key factor in the game.
After a 17-point drubbing at the hands of the Notre Dame
Fighting Irish, the UCLA women’s basketball team was supposed to
roll over and play dead for the visiting Connecticut Huskies
(3-0).
In spite of a 113-102 defeat Tuesday night at the hands of
UConn, the No. 14 Bruins shocked a Pauley Pavilion crowd of 5,521
with their never-say-die attitude. The Bruins did not come close
against the No. 17 team in the nation, and facing the No. 2 team
posed a greater problem.
The main reason that the Bruins did not roll over and play dead
was simple  too much pride.
"It’s something they talked about in pre-game," coach Kathy
Olivier said of her Bruins. "They said ‘Let’s win over the fans and
just try to win the ball game.’"
Coming into the game with a loss, Olivier’s troops wanted this
season to begin differently than last season when they needed three
wake-up calls before they decided to play up to their potential,
winning 20 of their last 26 games.
The Bruins began the game on fire, dropping the ball into junior
Janae Hubbard early and often. Hubbard scored 13 of her career-high
and team-high 29 points in the first half off of six-of-seven
shooting.
Nearly halfway through the quarter, Hubbard took a LaCresha
Flannigan pass, spun around her defender, and laid the ball in for
her seventh and eighth points and a 16-6 Bruin advantage.
The Huskies would immediately answer when Svetlana Abrosimova,
the game’s leading scorer with 39 points on 14-of-17 shooting
(four-of-four from behind the arc) would follow another Hubbard
layup with a jumper and a three-pointer of her own to Bring UConn
within 18-12.
Nearly four minutes later, Abrosimova would give the Huskies
their first lead at 27-25 by hitting another three-pointer, another
jumper and another layup. She would finish the first half with 20
points.
The Huskies would shoot nine of 16 from three-point range,
outscoring the Bruins 27-3 from behind the arc.
"The thing that hurt us the most was the (UConn) threes," Bruin
junior Maylana Martin said.
UConn would lead by as much as 11 in the first quarter at 46-35
with 5:55 remaining but could not put the Bruins away.
Despite losing Hubbard to foul trouble with just over four
minutes remaining, UCLA was able to keep the contest close, due
largely to the bench play of guards Flannigan and freshman Michelle
Greco. The two combined for 19 points, three rebounds and three
assists before intermission to keep the Bruins within six at
halftime.
"You look at the first half," Olivier said, "and you’ve got a
basketball game right there."
The second half began much like the first, with Abrosimova
scoring another layup and hitting another three for the Huskies and
Hubbard, Greco and Flannigan combining for four buckets to bring
UCLA within 62-65. Nevertheless, a quick 6-0 run by the Huskies
would push the lead back to nine, a lead they would maintain for
most of the game.
"UCLA played really good on offense," Husky coach Geno Auriemma
said of his opponent, "but both teams played really bad on
defense."
The Huskies shot 58 percent from the field, and the Bruins shot
55.8 percent, with Hubbard shooting a Bruin-best 11-of-15. Both
teams, however, left something to be desired from the free throw
line. UCLA made 15 of 24 and the Huskies were 24 of 39.
"They (UCLA) only had one thing on their minds and that was
going to the hole," Auriemma added. "Luckily we just kept making
good play after good play after good play."
And take it to the hole, the Bruins did.
Flannigan, Greco and junior Marie Philman scored 17 points
apiece on layups but could not seem to stop the penetration and
perimeter impact that Abrisimova presented.
UCLA also finished with a season low 17 turnovers and a
season-high 43 field goals.
"This score shows," Hubbard said, "that we can play with any
team in the country."
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