The UCLA women’s basketball team wants to play forty minutes of high-intensity basketball this Sunday against USC.
After losing to No. 16 Cal and No. 8 Stanford last weekend, the Bruins (14-5, 5-3 Pac-10) want to put an end to road losses, even if they are just playing across town.
According to coach Nikki Caldwell, the way to beat the Trojans (11-9, 5-4 Pac-10) for the second time this season is to play two solid halves.
“We’ve had some great starts but we have not been able to put together two great halves,” Caldwell said.
“Our focal point is for us to play with high intensity for forty minutes.”
In the first match-up between the two teams in mid-January, the Bruins came away with the 87-75 victory. USC’s leading scorer, senior guard Camille LeNoir, had 20 points in that game.
The Bruins plan on doing a better job defending her on Sunday.
“(LeNoir) is very strong and very skilled with her handling, so our challenge this time is to try to contain her,” junior guard Erica Tukiainen said.
Not only will a win in the rivalry game be at stake, but the outcome will also significantly affect the Pac-10 standings. UCLA and USC are currently a close fourth and fifth in the conference, respectively.
“When you look at where we sit in the Pac-10, we are neck-and-neck with one another,” Caldwell said. “So, it’s going to be a great game, it’s going to be an up-and-down game.”
The game against the Trojans marks the beginning of the second half of conference play.
The Bruins now have a better sense of each of their opponent’s habits but are aware that their style of play is better understood by the Trojans as well.
“At this time in the season, teams usually know your tendencies,” Caldwell said.
“They know your plays and what you’re running. I wanted us to prepare on being a better team that executes.”
As with any UCLA-USC rivalry game, points for the Lexus Gauntlet are at stake. After the UCLA men’s basketball team’s win over USC on Wednesday, the two schools are currently tied in the year-long rivalry contest 25-25.
Beating the Trojans this weekend would add five points to UCLA’s score to give the Bruins the advantage.
“You are not just playing basketball out there but you’re representing the Bruins and the university and the students,” Tukiainen said. “It’s not just us fighting against the Trojans but it’s all of the other athletics and academics. I think that’s why it is exciting.”