UCLA Basketball: The women’s team 2017-18 season preview

1. Introduction to the 2017-18 Women’s UCLA Basketball Season Preview

There is a lot to be excited about the season. UCLA Basketball Women’s team comes in to the season with several players on notable award watchlists. They bring in the #6 recruiting class which includes three 5-star players. The Bruins also return nine players from last season where UCLA made it to the Sweet 16. For the second year in a row.

RELATED: UCLA Basketball Men’s 2017-18 Season Preview

That will lead to a lot of expectations.

The Bruins are expected to finish first in the Pac-12 Conference this season. If that is not a lot of pressure, they are also ranked 8th in the preseason AP Top 25. This is the second year in a row UCLA has been ranked in the top 10 of the initial poll.

It is not a stretch to say that this team could be the best in head coach Cori Close’s tenure in Westwood. Leading that charge will PG Jordin Canada, C/F Monique Billings and G/F Kennedy Burke who bring in a plethora of experience. But there is so much more to this UCLA Basketball team that telling you about them will not cut it. You have to see them for yourself and if there was ever a time to jump on the UCLA Women’s Basketball bandwagon, it would be now.

Related Story: 5 takeaways from the UCLA Women's Basketball exhibition

1. UCLA Women’s Basketball Preview
2. Coaches, Roster & Projected Line-Up
3. Schedule
4. “The Keys” Returners, Losses and Recruits
5. 2016-17 Result
6. Ticket, Social Media Information and GJB Required Reading

2. Coaches, Roster and Projected Lineups

UCLA Women’s Basketball 2017-18 Coaching Staff

Head Coach – Cori Close

Assistant Coaches – Shannon Perry, Jenny Huth, Tony Newman

Director of Scouting/Player Development – Kory Barnett

Director of Operations – Pam Walker

Staff Associate – Debbie Haliday

Athletic Performance Coach – David Wood

Video Coordinator – Christian Blanks

UCLA Women’s Basketball 2017-18 Roster

Related Story: Kennedy Burke named to two Award watch lists

Projected Starting Lineup

• G Jordin Canada
• G Kelli Hayes
• G Kennedy Burke
• G Lindsey Corsaro
• F Monique Billings

We are going to see a team that pushes the ball up and down the floor. With Canada at the helm, the Bruins will go, go, go.

Last season, UCLA put up 74.1 points per game which was 28th best in the nation. That number should stay the same, but I imagine it could increase with the core that the Bruins are returning this season. Canada and Billings are going to continue to be the primary scorers and until a team figures out a way to slow them down, they should once again be two of the top scorers in the Pac-12.

Getting points is not going to be a problem for the Bruins. Last year they were second in the Pac-12 behind Washington (85.0 ppg) who were led by Kelsey Plum who averaged a nation-leading 31.7 ppg. With Plum and Washington out of the way, UCLA will most likely be the new #1 in scoring offense.

But let us not forget scoring defense. The Bruins only allowed allowed 63.8 ppg (4th in the Pac-12). Under Close, the Bruins have run a very tight defensive ship. They have the ability to shut team down, but the Bruins strength is in their own scoring. This should (continue to) make for some fun basketball.

3. 2017-18 Schedule

Sun, Nov 5 vs Vanguard, 2 p.m. (exhibition), UCLA won 87-40

Fri, Nov 10 vs San Jose State, 7 p.m.

Sun, Nov 12 vs Presbyterian College, 2 p.m.

Sat, Nov 18 vs Baylor, TBD (Pac-12)

Tue, Nov 21 vs Connecticut, TBD

Fri, Nov 24, vs Kansas State, 1:15 p.m. (South Point Thanksgiving Shootout)

Sat, Nov 25 vs Creighton, 3:30 p.m. (South Point Thanksgiving Shootout)

Tue, Nov 28 vs UC Riverside, 7 p.m.

Sun, Dec 3 vs UC Santa Barbara, 1:30 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Fri, Dec 8 at Oklahoma State, 5 p.m. (Fox Sports)

Sun, Dec 17 at Seton Hall, 10 a.m.

Wed, Dec 20 at Fordham, 4 p.m.

Related Story: UCLA Women's Basketball announces their full schedule

Pac-12 Conference Schedule

Fri, Dec 29 at Stanford, 5:30 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Sun, Dec 31 at California, 11 a.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Fri, Jan 5 vs Oregon State, 6 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Sun, Jan 7 vs Oregon, 5 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Fri, Jan 12 at Utah, 7 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Sun, Jan 14 at Colorado, 3 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Fri, Jan 19 vs California, 6 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Sun, Jan 21 vs Stanford, 3 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Fri, Jan 26 at Washington, 7 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Sun, Jan 28 at Washington State, 3 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Fri, Feb 2 vs USC, 8 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Mon, Feb 5 at USC, 6 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Fri, Feb 9 vs Arizona, 8 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Sun, Feb 11 vs Arizona State, 1 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Fri, Feb 11 at Oregon State, 8 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Mon, Feb 19 at Oregon, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Thu, Feb 22 vs Colorado, 8 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Sat, Feb 24 vs Utah, 2 p.m.

Mar 1-4 Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament

These women are not messing around. Not only will they be expected to do more than last season, but will have to do it with a tough schedule. Baylor, UCONN, Oklahoma State… not to mention the battlefield they will enter when Pac-12 play rolls around.

In recent years, UCLA has come very close to up-ending several ranked teams, but have not gotten over that hump. Although the Bruins seem to turn things up in the post-season, they unfortunately hit a brick wall in the form of one of the greatest basketball teams ever assembled in UCONN in the Sweet 16.

Though what the rest of the college basketball world does has an affect on the Bruins. UCONN was defeated by Mississippi St. who was then defeated by South Carolina to win the National Championship last season. The last two years, UCLA has played South Carolina, and although they lost, made both games very competitive.

This season, expect the Bruins to finally get over the hump of taking down a few of the women’s basketball elite and go further in the post-season.

4. The “Keys”: Returners, Losses, Recruits

Key Returners

Jordin Canada – 17.8 ppg, 7.1 apg, 5.2 rpg, .434 FG%

Monique Billings – 16.7 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.9 bpg, .472 FG%

Kennedy Burke -12.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, .457 FG%

Key Losses

Kari Korver – 8.6 ppg, 2.0 apg, 3.0 rpg, .348 3FG%

Nicole Kornet – 7.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg

2018 Recruiting Class

Michaela Onyenwere – Grand View HS, Colorado, 5* Forward

Chantel Horvat – Centre of Excellence, Australia, 5* Guard

Kayla Owens – Langham Creek HS, Texas 5* Guard/Forward

Lauryn Miller – Kirkwood HS, Missouri, 3* Forward

2019 Commitments (as of November 10, 2017)

Ahlana Smith – Mallard Creek HS, North Carolina, 5* Guard, ranked #30 nationally

Shayley Harris – Folsom HS, California, 3* Forward

Kiara Jefferson – West Campus HS, California, 3* Guard

5. 2016-17 Results

Overall: 25-9

Pac-12: 13-5

Home: 16-0

Away: 6-7

Neutral: 3-2

The UCLA Women’s Basketball team got off to a strong start last season by going 10-2 in the non-conference portion of the schedule. The only losses came in road games at traditional powers Baylor and South Carolina, who were ranked second and sixth respectively.

UCLA finished the season with a respectable 13-5 conference record, which was good for a fourth place finish behind Oregon State, Stanford, and Washington. After beating Arizona State in their opening game of the Pac-12 Tournament, the team was bounced in the second round by Oregon State.

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With an overall record of 25-9 and a Sweet Sixteen finish, it was a positive season for the Bruins, though expectations should be ramped up for next season with the return of potential All-Americans Jordin Canada and Monique Billings.

The Bruins were unbeatable at Pauley (literally) as they finished the season with a 16-0 record in Westwood including wins against Washington and Arizona State. There is room to improve on the road, where UCLA finished with a 6-7 record, though they did pick up a big win against Stanford at Maples Pavilion.

In the NCAA Tournament, UCLA earned a 3 seed but had the misfortune of being placed in the same bracket as UCONN. UCLA put up a good fight on the almighty huskies but ultimately fell to the Huskies who went all the way to the National Championship game and have won four of the last five championships.

It should be noted that the Bruins played three of the final four teams last season, (Stanford, UCONN, South Carolina) including the eventual national champion Gamecocks. UCLA went 1-2 in those games, which isn’t bad, and is good experience for the team as they try to take the next step this season.

6. Ticket Info, Social Media and GJB Required Reading

Visit UCLABruins.com for ticket information for single-game tickets, mini-plans and season tickets.

UCLA Women’s Basketball on Social Media

Twitter – @UCLAWBB

Facebook – UCLA Women’s Basketball

Instagram – UCLAWBB

Go Joe Bruin Social Media

Follow Go Joe Bruin all season long as we bring you all the latest news and opinions on the UCLA Football team. Also join us on Twitter as we will be live tweeting several key games this season!

Facebook: Go Joe Bruin

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Site Experts: Mike Regalado @TheBigDisco, Michael Chavez @mchavez6789

Go Joe Bruin Reading and Resources

Podcasts

• What’s Bruin Show (on Twitter @WhatsBruinShow)
• UCLA B Team (on Twitter @UCLABTeam)

Go Joe Bruin Off-season Features

• Under Armour the new reveals UCLA Basketball uniforms
• UCLA Women’s Basketball announces their full schedule
• UCLA voted #1 in preseason Pac-12 Poll
• Women voted 7th in coaches Poll
• Canada, Billings named to All-Pac-12 Women’s team
• UCLA ranked 8th in preseason poll
• 5 takeaways form the exhibition
• Canada named to the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list
• Kennedy Burke named to two award watch lists

GO BRUINS!