Don’t tell Kathy Olivier that exhibition games don’t
count in the standings.
After struggling through a 20-loss season last year, the UCLA
women’s basketball coach wants her team to build some
confidence when the Bruins take on the exhibition team Love and
Basketball at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday in the season’s
first exhibition game.
“This team needs to learn how to win again,” Olivier
said. “As much as this game doesn’t mean anything to
the win-loss record, it means something to me and the players know
that.”
Perhaps the most important aspect of Saturday’s game is
the return of senior Michelle Greco. The former all-conference
guard sat out the last four months of the season last year due to a
history of mild concussions. Greco will play Saturday despite
sustaining an ankle injury in practice in mid-October.
“She’ll be adamant about getting back out
there,” Olivier said. “Her ankle is probably about 80
percent. She is so anxious to get back that we just have to be
careful.”
Having seniors like Greco on the court should be a boost for the
Bruins, who will have five talented freshmen making their
collegiate debuts this weekend.
Parade All-American Nikki Blue, Israeli guard Ortal Oren, and
local products Lisa Willis, Julia Pitts and Emma Tautolo will each
don the blue and gold for the first time.
“The freshmen are excited,” Olivier said.
“We’ve been scrimmaging with uniforms just to get them
relaxed. They don’t know what to expect.”
Love and Basketball has won a pair of games thus far in the
exhibition season, crushing Cal State Northridge 71-47 and eking
out a seven-point victory over Cal State Fullerton 73-66. The squad
features a host of ex-Pac-10 players, including former Bruin
forward Marie Philman.
“An exhibition game allows you to look at different
combinations of players,” Olivier said. “We don’t
have a set starting lineup yet. I’m excited to see how we
do.”
The love (and basketball) fest tips off at at 2 p.m.