At the beginning of the season, UCLA coach Kathy Olivier talked
about how imperative it was for her team to get off to a good
start.
By beating two top-15 ranked teams in the last week, even her
expectations have been exceeded.
No. 25 UCLA defeated No. 14 Purdue 70-64 Sunday at Pauley
Pavilion and now stands at 5-1, its best start in 22 years.
“I’d have to say we’re off to a pretty good
start,” Olivier said. “Our team has been fabulous,
especially at home.”
UCLA was led by sophomore guard Noelle Quinn, who scored the
crucial basket of the contest after the Boilermakers cut the
Bruins’ lead to 63-62 with 40 seconds left. Quinn finished
with a game-high 23 points, scoring a multitude of her baskets in
the open court.
“I’m in attack mode now,” Quinn said.
“Having that extra year of experience for me has really
helped.”
More than anything, the Bruins’ defense made the
difference of the game. UCLA employed a full-court trap midway
through the first half after Purdue (4-2) came back to tie the
score at 21-21, and as a result, the defense caused 16 first-half
turnovers, and 29 in the game.
The Bruins finished with an incredible 22 steals, seven by guard
Nikki Blue.
“We are very comfortable with our (trapping)
defense,” Olivier said. “Our team wants to
run.”
With their trap in full effect, the Bruins extended their
largest lead of the game, 50-38, in the second half, but the tempo
changed as Purdue slowed the game down.
The Boilermakers would catch a complacent Bruin team in the
second half at 57-57 on Tye Jackson’s 3-pointer with 3:28
left. But if there’s one thing that UCLA has shown this
season, it has been its ability to come back. The Bruins went on an
11-5 run capped off by a pair of free throws by guard Lisa Willis
to once again separate themselves.
“I think it’s a sign of maturation,” Willis
said. “We’ve been trying to come out strong and just
trying to sustain a lead.”
Willis, who scored 14 points, was part of a supporting cast of
four Bruin players to score in double digits. Freshman Lindsey
Pluimer continued her strong play with 12 points while Blue tacked
on 11.
The Bruins now will endure three straight road games in which
they will face two more teams from the Big Ten, Illinois and Ohio
State.
“Our teams feel very confident,” Olivier said.
“Although we enjoy playing at home, we are comfortable
playing on the road.”
“It is a big chance for our trio (Blue, Willis and Quinn)
to get known nationally. They can compete with anyone in the
country.”