Whether it be an unblemished conference record or their
unorthodox style of play, the UCLA women’s basketball team
has grabbed the attention of the Pac-10.
The Bruins’ guard-oriented attack has given opponents fits
thus far this season as the squad (10-4, 5-0 Pac-10) has reeled off
six-straight victories to climb atop the conference standings.
“UCLA is a radically different type of team,” USC
head coach Chris Gobrechdt said after the Bruins defeated her squad
at Pauley Pavilion on Sunday, 72-64. “They have five guards
running around on the basketball court. I don’t know anyone
else who does that.”
The Bruins have used a small lineup effectively all season,
particularly after 6-foot-2 freshman Julia Pitts sustained a
season-ending knee injury against Baylor on Dec. 19.
With starting center Jamila Veasley saddled with foul trouble
against USC, UCLA head coach Kathy Olivier again used a diminutive
lineup, one that included four guards and 5-foot-10 forward Whitney
Jones.
The strategy was effective to say the least.
Despite not having a single 6-footer on the court for more than
half the game, the Bruins compelled USC to play at a break-neck
pace, and made it very difficult for the Trojans to establish any
offensive rhythm. UCLA utilized swarming full-court pressure to
force 21 turnovers, and limit their crosstown rivals to 40.3
percent shooting from the field.
“They do a great job of playing to their strengths, and I
think it takes a while to adapt,” Gobrechdt said. “They
are playing at their peak level, and I think the challenge is for
them to sustain it.”
Gobrechdt believes UCLA has caught opponents unprepared for its
unorthodox scheme, but she expects the rest of the conference to
adapt in time for the second half of the Pac-10 season.
“Eventually people are going to adjust,” the USC
head coach said. “You have to play them once to understand
that they are not like any other team.”
While the Bruins undoubtedly play a unique style of basketball,
Olivier believes that her squad is still improving and has not yet
achieved its full potential. On the other hand, she does admit that
the Bruins’ guard-heavy roster could be detrimental under
certain circumstances.
“I think that some teams are going to take advantage of
our small lineup and post people up,” Olivier said. “It
could be a plus playing against us or it could be difficult to keep
up with us.”
Arizona State head coach Charli Turner Thorne will be
responsible for making sure her team is prepared for whatever
lineup UCLA puts on the court when the Sun Devils (11-4, 3-3
Pac-10) host the Bruins on Thursday night in Tempe.
While Turner Thorne is wary of UCLA’s quickness, she
believes her squad can also create a few match-up issues for the
Bruins.
“It seems like most teams UCLA has played this year have
adjusted to them as opposed to the other way around,” Turner
Thorne said. “We’ll try a few different things to try
to counter their lineup, and also make them adjust to
ours.”