A trip to Reno, Nev., for the Nugget Classic presented the UCLA women’s basketball team a weekend full of promise.
Losing to Idaho State in the opening game was not what the Bruins had in mind, though.
After falling 76-64 to the Bengals on Friday night, the Bruins (4-3) came roaring back to demolish Southern University 79″“52 Sunday afternoon at the Lawlor Events Center at the University of Nevada-Reno.
“We had a heart-to-heart last night,” coach Kathy Olivier said. “It was nice to get everybody involved today.”
Beating Southern (0-4) was key to salvaging the weekend for the Bruins, which had dropped the first two games of a five-game road swing, and three in a row. UCLA trailed the Jaguars 9-4 early in the first half, with sluggish and sloppy play contributing to the early deficit.
It was then that the Bruins began to tickle the twine.
With the help of 4-for-5 shooting from 3-point range, the Bruins tore off a 40-10 run to end the first half, including one stretch in which the Bruins had outscored their opponents 21-2.
This blitz of scoring pleased Olivier, who demanded more focus from her team following the upset loss the previous evening.
“We have a team that has high expectations,” Olivier said. “We talked about maintaining that focus for 40 minutes.”
The Bruins shot 47 percent in the first half, and were a force down low, pulling down 28 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass, in the first 20 minutes.
The second half progressed similarly, with the Bruins opening on a 9-2 spurt before settling in and cruising to a much-needed victory.
The Bruins emptied their bench in the latter stages, providing valuable experience for players who rarely see game action.
Sophomore guard Allison Taka contributed an efficient effort, and even sophomore Alexis Olivier, coach Olivier’s daughter, got in on the action.
“It was fun to see my daughter play out there,” Olivier said.
Ever the coach, the elder Olivier was quick to note her daughter’s effort on the court. “She got three quick assists.”
Freshman Candice Brown, who hadn’t seen much action thus far this season, made her presence known with productive minutes in the first half, helping to ignite the game-clinching run.
“Candice is a good basketball player,” Olivier said. “Her work ethic has changed. With her basketball knowledge, she makes the game look easy.”
Junior Tierra Henderson once again led the defensive charge for the Bruins, who frustrated Southern throughout the afternoon, forcing turnovers and disrupting the flow of the Jaguar offense.
“Tierra is doing a great job for us this year,” Olivier said, praising her guard for her defensive prowess. “If we can get everyone to cling on to her, we can become a good basketball team.”
With tough road games against San Diego and Brigham Young ahead, a victory on the road was a positive development for the Bruins. Even with the win, the Bruins finished a disappointing third in the four-team tournament. Sunday though, UCLA was happy to fly home with a victory.
“We’re going to take it,” Olivier said.