When UCLA women’s basketball coach Kathy Olivier first
gazed at this season’s schedule, she thought her team’s
biggest challenges would come from opponents such as Texas, Purdue
and Texas Christian.
A matchup with Fresno State was not one of the games
mentioned.
But when No. 18 UCLA travels to Fresno this Saturday, the Bruins
will not be overlooking the Bulldogs, a team that has thus far
exceeded expectations and is currently undefeated (5-0).
UCLA (5-1), off to one of its best starts in recent years, comes
into its match with Fresno State riding a five-game winning streak
and without ever having lost to the Bulldogs. The Bruins vow there
will not be a letdown coming off a big win against Purdue, even
though they refuse to give credence to Fresno State’s
unblemished record.
“The way I feel about that is that we can go undefeated
too if we wanted to play a crappy schedule,” junior guard
Lisa Willis said. “If we show up to play, then it
doesn’t matter.”
A favorable schedule aside, Fresno State hasn’t only been
beating its opponents, the Bulldogs have been stifling them.
So far this season, Fresno State has limited four of the five
teams it’s played against to under 60 points ““ limiting
Pepperdine and San Diego to 38 and 43 points respectively.
But the Bulldogs haven’t had to defend an offense as
dynamic as UCLA’s, which so far this season is clicking on
all cylinders.
And it’s been sophomore Noelle Quinn, who claimed Pac-10
Player of the Week for the second consecutive week, who has been
leading the Bruins’ attack. Quinn currently averages 21
points a game, second in the conference, and has been asked to
carry much of the offensive load with junior guard Nikki Blue still
struggling to recover from an ankle injury.
The Bruins’ matchup with Fresno State will be the first of
three straight road games for UCLA. After having a week off for
finals, the Bruins will travel to Big Ten country to take on
Illinois and an Ohio State team that made the NCAA Tournament last
year. But even with victories over Texas and Purdue notched under
their belts, the Bruins still feel more respect should be thrown
their way. And they know any slip-ups, even against an undefeated
Fresno State team, will undoubtedly be held against them.
“People are still doubting us right now,” Willis
said. “Losing will give people reasons or excuses to doubt
us.”