Last season, the Bruins traveled to the Oregon schools and returned home with a forfeit and a loss.
But this year, the Bruins are almost unrecognizable, riding a five-game win streak with a healthy roster.
No. 10 UCLA women’s basketball (12-1, 1-0 Pac-12) is headed to Oregon to face No. 17 Oregon (10-2, 1-0) and Oregon State (8-4, 0-1), continuing the conference season after defeating USC and two nonconference opponents last week.
When asked about preparing for Pac-12 competition, coach Cori Close said the group is focused on scouting the variety of playing styles they will face and on playing to their own advantage.
“Every weekend is going to give you an opportunity to have different styles of play,” Close said. “Oregon State’s going to be different than Oregon. For us, it’s about trying to just get better. It’s really about helping us prepare, having great attention to detail, and trying to take away what Oregon does well to play a little bit more to our strengths.”
Last year, the blue and gold fell to the Ducks in all three matchups, with the first one being a forfeit due to injuries unrelated to COVID-19. UCLA lost to Oregon by a score of 53-67 in February 2022 and again by three points in March 2022 at the Pac-12 tournament.
This year’s contest will look differently for the Bruins as both programs will have a chance to continue their winning streaks. Both teams have won their first games in Pac-12 play.
The Ducks have put up 83.8 points per game and an average of 19.3 assists per game, only falling to two teams in the top 10.
“Oregon may arguably have two of the most efficient guards in the conference right now: Endyia Rogers and Te-Hina Paopao,” Close said. “Catch and shoot threes and transitions are going to be really important for us to stop when we play Oregon.”
Oregon’s guards will have to go up against UCLA’s set of versatile guards as well. Senior guard Charisma Osborne is leading the Bruins in points scored and rebounds and continues to be a leader to the new freshman squad. Freshman guard Kiki Rice is trailing Osborne in points scored and ranks second on the team in assists.
Close also emphasized that Oregon State will present a challenge for the blue and gold as the Beavers also boast talented pieces.
“Oregon State has a lot more size, like Raegan Beers and Jelena (Mitrovic),” Close said. “It’s going to be all about protecting the paint and pressuring the guards when we go and play Oregon State. Oregon State’s got really prolific bigs.”
Oregon State lost its first conference game against Oregon and will enter the game against the Bruins with just a winning streak of one. The last matchup was in March 2022, in which the Bruins defeated Oregon State 74-66. The Bruins have a 27-20 lead in all-time matchups and will look to defeat the Beavers at their own home in Corvallis.
Dominique Onu’s Transfer to USC
In the Bruins’ first conference game against USC at the Galen Center on Dec. 15, former UCLA sophomore guard Dominique Onu was seen sitting courtside and was missing from the UCLA roster.
Just under two weeks later, Onu announced her transfer from UCLA women’s basketball to crosstown rival USC.
Ain’t this what they been waitin’ for? #FightOn #Committed ✌🏽❤️💛 pic.twitter.com/M0JpAGsgtw
— Dominique x Onu 🔥 (@DominiqueOnu) December 27, 2022
After graduating high school early, Onu joined the Bruins in the middle of the pandemic in 2020. She began her first collegiate season playing in 27 games, averaging 19.9 minutes and 5.4 points per contest. During the first six games of this season, Onu put up an average of 3.0 points.
Onu will join USC guards Destiny Littleton and Rayah Marshall, who have begun to make their mark on the USC program this season. Littleton is third in field goals made, averaging 12.3 points per game. Marshall just recorded her third straight double-double after the Trojans’ last contest against St. Mary’s.
Close said that she looks forward to continuing to watch Onu grow and wishes her well.
“She gave us two great years, and it was a joy to watch her grow both as a young woman but also as a basketball player,” Close said. “I only want what’s best for Dominique. I hope she has a great career. I hope she gets everything out of her experience at USC both as a basketball player and as a young woman.”
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