Needing to boost her team’s strength of schedule for the
NCAA selection committee in March, UCLA coach Kathy Olivier
didn’t hesitate to sign the Bruins up for No. 2 Texas.
Little did she know that her Bruins ““ who were at a huge
disadvantage on paper ““ would be more than up to the task, at
least for a half.
However, the effort ultimately wasn’t enough, as UCLA fell
in a game that was much closer than the 89-58 score would
indicate.
“I was so impressed with our resiliency in the first
half,” Olivier said. “We got after it defensively and
got easy baskets. It was nice to hang in there with a team as good
as Texas. But we didn’t play 40 minutes of
basketball.”
UCLA (1-1) began the game at a disadvantage, as starting guard
Nikki Blue was taken out of the lineup for being late to a team
function.
However, the Bruins showed that they would not give in. Not
particularly known for their outside shooting, the Bruins started
the game hot from beyond the arc, connecting on five of their first
seven three-point attempts and taking a 23-21 lead.
From there, however, Texas (3-0) reeled off 10 straight points.
The Longhorns would eventually push the lead to their largest
margin of the first half, 35-24.
Not to be outdone, UCLA responded with a double-digit run of its
own, scoring 11 straight points to tie the game at 35, en route to
a 37-35 halftime deficit.
“We were feisty and kept them off the boards,”
Olivier said. “We didn’t give up second chances. But
the second half was entirely different.”
Indeed, Texas began showing how it garnered its No. 2 ranking,
as its advantage in talent level and height finally overwhelmed the
Bruins. After tying the game at 37 on Blue’s quick layup to
open the half, UCLA went ice-cold from the field while the
Longhorns got hot from outside and started to pound the ball
inside.
Texas went on a 19-5 run to take a 56-42 lead, and would not
look back. The Texas run was aided by a left shoulder injury
sustained by UCLA forward Jamila Veasley. With Veasley out, and the
Longhorns leading just 43-39, Texas did not hesitate to go
inside.
The preliminary diagnosis is that Veasley has a sprained left
shoulder, but she will undergo X-rays.
“It really hurt us in the second half,” Olivier
said. “She’s a senior and would have helped us with
rebounding and inside presence. She is a big loss.”
Freshman sensation Tiffany Jackson finished with a game-high 19
points and 12 rebounds off the bench for the Longhorns, while
UCLA’s Lisa Willis hit five three-pointers to finish with 17
points.
UCLA will continue its brutal non-conference schedule, as they
return home to face Illinois. However, Olivier feels the Bruins
will enter that game a little wiser.
“We learned a lot from this game,” Olivier said.
“We played a physical team (Tuesday), and Texas showed us
what happens. Illinois will do the same, too, so we just have to
get more physical inside.”