Friday, January 10, 1997
W. HOOPS:
Freshman lineup also hopes to extend streak vs. CalBy A. CinQue
Carter
Daily Bruin Contributor
Once again something will be missing from this matchup of
Pacific 10 rivals.
Tara VanDerveer took last season off as the Stanford Cardinal’s
head coach to coach the USA women’s Olympic team. Also last year,
Takiyah Jackson was redshirting for the squad from Westwood. This
year Erica Gomez is redshirting due to surgery for torn
ligaments.
Though the two coaches, VanDerveer and UCLA’s Kathy Olivier,
will be able to match wits this time around, there won’t be a
rematch of the backcourt battles that took place last year.
Last year, UCLA (7-4, 1-1 Pacific 10) faced Stanford (14-1, 2-0)
twice and fell by a total of six points in the two contests
combined. In the first game at Stanford, the Bruins were leading
44-35 at halftime but couldn’t hold on as the Cardinal prevailed
81-77.
The battle of the shooting guards proved to be the difference,
with Stanford’s Kate Starbird outscoring UCLA’s Nickey Hilbert
33-29.
In the contest at Pauley, Starbird and point guard Jamila
Wideman combined for 27 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, out-
dueling Hilbert and Gomez who combined for 25, three and eight.
While there will be no Gomez and no Hilbert to counter
VanDerveer’s weapons this time around, the Bruins will bring a
whole different look to the table.
When freshman Melanie Pearson went out of the starting lineup
due to mononucleosis, junior Tawana Grimes took over at the point.
Since then, Olivier has become at least pleased, if not totally
comfortable, with Grimes’ decision-making and 10 points and five
assists per game.
"Tawana is so great for us," Olivier said. "She’s really handled
the transition well (at point guard). She’s posting good
numbers."
Junior Aisha Veasley will not start at shooting guard, as
Olivier will look to put a big team on the floor. Jackson has been
moved to shooting guard and Janae Hubbard inserted into the
starting lineup at center.
Freshman standouts Maylana Martin and Carly Funicello will also
change positions, with Martin moving from power forward to small
forward and Funicello from center to power forward.
"We’re going big because we’ll either get the easy buckets or
we’ll get to the line," Olivier said.
While Olivier’s game plan will be based on the production of a
mainly freshman lineup, VanDerveer will be relying on a team of
veterans.
Not only does she return five starters, but six players started
consistently last year. However, VanDerveer does recognize that
UCLA’s freshmen are producing.
"Kathy Olivier has to be really pleased with the play (of the
freshmen)," VanDerveer said in a phone interview yesterday.
"Maylana Martin, in particular, seems to be off to a great start. I
think it’s great for the Pac-10 and it’s exciting to think about
the next couple of years (with all the young talent out
there)."
But VanDerveer didn’t pass up the opportunity to pub her own
freshmen. "I think our three freshmen are doing really well too,"
she said.
After playing Stanford tonight in Pauley Pavilion, UCLA will
face Cal on Sunday in the Wooden Center. The Golden Bears’ coach,
Marianne Stanley, is a 17-year veteran of college coaching but a
newcomer to the Cal program. Like VanDerveer, Stanley recognizes
the Bruins’ talent.
"Clearly Erica Gomez was a big loss but they have a lot of
talent on that UCLA team," Stanley said. "The freshmen are really
adjusting well."
As the Bruins will look to be revved up to face Stanford, the
No. 2 team in the nation, they have to avoid a letdown when facing
Cal.
UCLA would like nothing more than to extend its three-game win
streak over the Golden Bears, and stopping Stanford’s record streak
of 29 consecutive Pac-10 victories.
"We really want these two," Olivier said.
Scott Quintard/ASUCLA Photography
Last year’s game against Stanford.