For four months, the UCLA women’s basketball team has had
the comfort of knowing that no matter how it played, there was
always another game left on the schedule.
The Bruins can no longer fall back on that luxury.
When sixth-seeded UCLA takes to the court Saturday morning in
its opening game of the Pac-10 Tournament, the Bruins will be in an
unfamiliar and perilous situation.
Win or go home.
“It’s a must-must win,” junior Nikki Blue
said.
UCLA (16-11, 10-8 Pac-10) limps into the Pac-10 Tournament in
San Jose having lost four of its last five conference games,
leaving its once-promising postseason future in considerable
doubt.
Now, to have any chance at making the NCAA Tournament, the
Bruins all agree it will probably take two wins in the conference
tournament to hear their names called on Selection Sunday.
“We have to win a couple of games for us to continue our
season,” coach Kathy Olivier said. “We have 16 wins, I
would love to have 18 going into Selection Sunday. I don’t
think 17 would do it.”
If the Bruins are to grab two victories, the first win must come
against third-seeded Arizona State, an all-too familiar conference
opponent that UCLA is not exactly thrilled to face.
That’s because in the teams’ two previous meetings
this season, the Sun Devils (20-8, 12-6) have completely thrown
UCLA off of its game.
On Jan. 14, Arizona State held the Bruins to a measly 42 points
on 23 percent shooting at Pauley Pavilion, UCLA’s most anemic
offensive performance of the season. One month later, the Sun
Devils ran the Bruins off the court with an 80-59 thrashing in
Tempe, Ariz.
While Olivier hopes the third time will be the charm, she
acknowledges that the Bruins do not fare well when faced with
Arizona State’s extremely physical brand of basketball.
“They play the type of game that is the most difficult for
us,” Olivier said “They’re aggressive, they like
to slap, bang, they hit you every time you go in the lane.
That’s not what we play our best against.
“I understand we’re playing a team that has our
number, but our team will be ready to battle.”
Still, not all the Bruins are convinced of the Sun Devils’
dominance.
“No way Arizona State should have gotten two on us this
season,” Blue said.
Though the Bruins do not need convincing that their backs are
against the wall, there may be an added incentive for UCLA to
scratch out two wins however possible.
After practice on Wednesday, injured sophomore standout Noelle
Quinn addressed her teammates. Quinn, who is off crutches and able
to participate in jumpshooting drills, promised that if the Bruins
were to win the Pac-10 Championship, she’d be healthy and
ready to compete in the NCAA Tournament.
“That’s motivation enough for me,” Blue
said.