Talk about getting off to a good start.
The UCLA Bruins traveled to San Diego to face the University of Utah and immediately made their presence felt. UCLA opened the game with a 14-0 run and never trailed on its way to a 69-33 dismantling of the Utes late Saturday night.
It was the Bruins’ second consecutive solid defensive performance, and this time it came against a team that had finished 23-10 last season and had made the NCAA tournament.
“I think the one thing that we did that was great was having Markel Walker on the ball when we defended 94 feet,” coach Nikki Caldwell said. “We were committed to what our defensive system was, and I wanted to make sure we were all committed to playing this defense together as a unit.”
A pleased Caldwell noted the exceptional effort that her team made on both ends of the floor, including a diverse offensive attack. Several players contributed to the scoring, with Markel Walker and junior guard Darxia Morris contributing 10 points each. It was the fourth time in four games that Walker has reached double digits, an impressive start for the freshman forward. It was the play of Morris, however, that caught the attention of the coach.
“I think that Morris really got us off to a good start. She did a phenomenal job guarding their best player, and I really was pleased with her effort,” Caldwell said.
This victory came not from the hands of a single player, but from the contributions of the entire team. Senior guard Erica Tukiainen continued her excellent play from the perimeter by contributing three 3-point shots. Senior center Monique Alexander fought through foul trouble to provide valuable presence near the basket. Most importantly, UCLA played a clean basketball game, surrendering only 11 turnovers while causing Utah to commit 26.
“We had such a balanced attack, so many people did good things,” Caldwell said. “I think it’s going to help us have that balanced attack and get what we’re trying to accomplish. If we can become that team that on every possession we’re trying to do our best, it will become second nature to us. I’m very pleased with where we’re at right now.”
The 33 points scored by Utah were the lowest allowed by a UCLA team since 1984. Despite the comfortable victory, Caldwell continues to see room for improvement, most importantly, on the defensive glass.
“We have to do a much better job boxing out and pursuing the ball on the board,” Caldwell said. “They had 12 offensive rebounds, after we played good defense. Really, we just have to make a commitment to finish off our defense.”
A convincing win away from Pauley Pavilion should be an encouraging sign for a team that struggled away from home a season ago. The fact that the win came over a solid Utah squad increased the coach’s confidence in her team’s ability to close out opponents on the road.
“Our ability to win on the road is going to make all the difference in the world when you look at playing in the Pac-10 and in the postseason,” Caldwell said. “I hope that this will help prepare us for the future. That is why you play these games and take that attitude of winning on the road.”