Upbeat w. basketball awaits Arizona State
Despite 1-3 Pac-10 conference record, Bruins hope to improve
against ASU
By Hye Kwon
The UCLA women’s basketball team takes on Arizona State tonight
at Pauley Pavilion and will try to get a much needed win to lift
themselves out of the Pacific-10 conference cellar.
The Bruins (6-7 overall, 1-3 in Pac-10 conference) beat the Sun
Devils twice last year, including a convincing 84-59 win at Tempe,
Ariz. However, the Bruins have lost four out of their last five
games. As a result, they are tied with California and USC for last
place in the conference standings.
Last weekend, UCLA traveled up to the state of Washington and
suffered two disappointing losses. Despite the setbacks, head coach
Kathy Olivier is still optimistic about the team.
"I think we’re about one step away from doing some good things,"
Olivier said. "As far as effort goes, we’re playing our hearts
out."
Kisa Hughes is still the center of attention for UCLA as she
leads the team in four statistical categories (scoring, rebounding,
field goal percentage and blocked shots). Hughes’ 59.2 percent
field goal percentage and 11 rebounds per game are both good enough
for first place in the Pac-10.
Lacking a strong force in the paint Arizona State (7-5, 1-2)
will have a hard time containing Hughes. Instead, they rely on a
relatively inexperienced starting line up which includes three
sophomores and a junior. Their only starting senior, Tiffany
Krahenbuhl, leads the team in scoring (12.8 points per game) and
field goal percentage (52.9 percent).
"They don’t really have a true center so they’ll probably try to
spread us out a little more," Olivier remarked. "That will be a
different look for us."
The Sun Devils are the leaders in three-point shooting in the
Pac-10 shooting 35.8 percent (49 of 137). ASU also plays an
aggressive defense that forces turnovers. As a result, they are
second in conference in steals (13.1 per game).
The combination of Molly Tuter, Krahenbuhl and Emma Witkowski is
responsible for 35.6 points per game and will have the possession
of the ball most of the time. Tuter leads the team with 5.5
rebounds per game and 44 percent three-point shooting.
Witkowski, the Sun Devil point guard, is coming off a tremendous
performance against California last week. She tallied 12 assists
and nine rebounds which were season-highs. Witkowski is also the
only player to start all 12 games for ASU.
* * *
There have been some changes the UCLA coaching staff has made
since the beginning of the season. Some of them are drastic while
others are subtle.
For example, center Zrinka Kristich led the Bruins with a
career-high 20 points in last year’s win against ASU. At the
beginning of this season, Kristich was one of UCLA’s intimidating
twin towers. But lately Kristich has been reduced to a
substitute.
While Kristich has been continuing to receive playing time, one
player who has gone from being the Bruins’ most dangerous
three-point threat to a non-factor is Allison Arredondo.
Arredondo began the season as the starting power forward, but
she has been riding the pine in recent games. In fact, the junior
forward has not seen any action since the Oregon game two weeks
ago.
In place of Arredondo, Olivier has been calling upon Kellie
Bennett. As a starter, she is averaging 12.7 points and 6.3
rebounds per game. Bennett, who will likely get the start tonight,
has also picked up the three-point shooting slack, making 64
percent of her attempts.