ANGIE LEVINE Junior guard Natalie Nakase
dribbles the ball around an Ohio State defender, Saturday.
By Adam Titcher
Daily Bruin Contributor
The UCLA women’s basketball team sought and received
vengeance against Ohio State for a 22 point loss handed to them by
the Buckeyes last year. Now the Bruins face another opponent worthy
of payback. The team, however, is just trying to win.
After going 6-23 last year, UCLA (2-1) is finally in a position
to have a winning streak at home.
“We’ve taken huge steps from last year,” head
coach Kathy Olivier said. “This is a different team, and I
feel we have come a long way.”
The resurgent squad overcame Ohio State in an emotional victory,
providing them with great momentum for tonight’s battle with
BYU (2-1) at Pauley Pavilion.
The Bruins are hungry for victory, and another win over a team
that beat them by double figures last year would be a nice
continuation of their season’s great start.
Avenging the loss is on their minds, but they will not have this
kind of agenda for the rest of the season. Instead, the team just
wants to win games, enjoy their moments and grow together as one
solid club.
Moreover, the team has been improving all aspects of its game.
Improvements are starting to show, as the team continues to win
while playing a stronger game.
“(Over the summer), we did a lot of strength and
conditioning, and we played everyday,” senior center Malika
Leatham said. “There was a lot of dedication and no
vacation.”
But while winning over the holiday weekend was nice for the
Bruins, they are looking for more. Last season the team could not
win away from Westwood, and this year the team is showing it can
win everywhere.
While UCLA struggled with Ohio State due to size, these height
disadvantages were not surprising to the Bruin players.
“We’re pretty much smaller than every other team in
every position, so we just need to work harder,” junior guard
Natalie Nakase said.
The Bruins are not going to fret about their matchup with the
Cougars. On paper, the teams are roughly the same, but Bruins have
a definite speed advantage.
Olivier knows regardless of matchups, if her team is down, she
will get on them to win.
“They’re making me earn my money this year, by
making me get on them” Olivier said.