Freshman paces on-again, off-again w. hoops
Gomez leads Bruins to victory over Trojans with rare
triple-double
By Emmanuelle Ejercito
Daily Bruin Staff
Erica Gomez’s triple-double on Saturday against USC was only the
sixth time that feat has occurred in Pacific 10 women’s basketball
history.
The freshman’s 18-point, 11- rebound and 10-assist effort is
UCLA’s first triple-double since the conception of women’s sports
in the Pac-10.
Ann Meyers was the last Bruin to have at least a triple-double.
On Feb. 18, 1978 Meyers recorded a quadruple-double with 20 points,
14 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals.
Gomez’s accomplishment on Saturday earned her consideration for
Player of the Week honors. But the honors this week went to
California’s Eliza Sokolowska and Stanford’s Jamila Wideman.
* * *
The 80-64 blowout of USC on Saturday was the sixth conference
victory for UCLA.
The win puts the Bruins one game ahead of last year’s conference
victory total of five, with four games remaining in the season.
The 6-8 conference record places UCLA in a three-way tie for
sixth. Other teams sharing the spot are Washington State and USC.
Meanwhile, Stanford remains on top with a perfect 15-0 showing.
Of its four remaining games, two are at home and two are on the
road. UCLA has compiled a 5-2 record at home, but only a 1-6 effort
on the road.
"They have a lot of pride in playing at Pauley Pavilion," UCLA
head coach Kathy Olivier said after the USC game. "They focus
before each game and the say, ‘Hey, we’re going to let them know
what UCLA women’s basketball is all about, and if we win, great,
but if we go down, we go down fighting.’ That’s how we played at
home this year. I wish all our games were at home."
* * *
Until last weekend, the last time the Bruins beat the Trojans
was nearly five years ago. During the final game of the 1990-91
season, UCLA visited the Lyon Center and beat Southern Cal, 83-79.
After that, the Bruins went into a nine-game skid.
* * *
UCLA’s post players, Zrinka Kristich and Kisa Hughes, are 1-2 in
the conference in field goal percentage.
Kristich is making 58.5 percent of her shots this season, while
Hughes is not far behind at 56 percent.
As a team, the Bruins are ranked fifth with a 44 percent field
goal clip. Beyond the three-point arc, UCLA ranks ninth, shooting
only 27.7 percent. From the charity stripe, the Bruins are
struggling. UCLA is in the conference cellar, having made only 58.6
percent of its free throws.
ANDREW SCHOLER/Daily Bruin
UCLA’s Zrinka Kristich hits 58.5 percent of her field shots.
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