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UCLA Basketball: The women’s team start out hot in Pac-12 play

By Mike Regalado

HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 08: UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close watches the play during the game with the Texas Longhorns during the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Showcase at Reliant Stadium on December 8, 2012 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 08: UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close watches the play during the game with the Texas Longhorns during the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Showcase at Reliant Stadium on December 8, 2012 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) /
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The women’s UCLA basketball team started conference play strong as they get two wins and a close loss to #6 Stanford. It has taken some time, but the Bruins have found their groove.

Losing two key players was going to be a concern for UCLA basketball women’s head coach Cori Close. Jordin Canada and Monique Billings were not just major contributors on last year’s team, they were the team.

But now that they have moved onto the pros, the Bruins are looking to a few younger players to keep this ship afloat.

Things did not start out as well as it possibly could have as the Bruins lost their season opener at LMU, but then they rattled off three straight wins which included a huge victory over #14 Georgia. Maybe UCLA was going to be fine after all. Well that was the thought process until their trip to Paradise, which was anything but.

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During their stint at the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands over Thanksgiving, the Bruins dropped three straight and it looked as if it was back to the drawing board. Would this be a season in which they would just look to build for the future, especially with a star-studded recruiting class coming in next season?

No and Close was making sure of that. After the Paradise Jam, the coach made a few minor tweaks with the lineup, adjusted minute distribution and let a few players run free. Since that forgettable trip, UCLA has gone 6-1, which includes a 2-1 record to start Pac-12 play.

Just over a week ago, the Bruins started their conference schedule with a game at USC. At one point, it looked as if the Trojans were going to run away with the Pac-12 opener until the Bruins stepped up on both sides of the court. One key element to UCLA’s recent success is the break out play of sophomore forward Michaela Onyenwere. In that game, she scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. In the next game at Cal, She scored 27.

On Sunday, she did not have as much of an impact but was still able to grab another double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Taking over the role of scorer was point guard Japreece Dean who stepped up and lead the Bruins with 22 points. Lindsay Corsaro and Kennedy Burke also logged double-digit points with 14 and 11, respectively.

In Sunday’s game against #6 Stanford, a game in which UCLA had a double-digit lead, the Bruins showed their true grit as they stood toe-to-toe against a giant. Though it did not end with a win for UCLA, it did show that the Bruins are finding their way, post-Canada/Billings.

Right now, the UCLA Bruins are 9-6, 2-1. With the Pac-12 schedule just starting, it is a chance for Close’s squad to make a statement this year. The Bruins started the conference season with three games on the road, and coming back home 2-1 is not bad. Now the Bruins have to show their mettle as they not only return home, but host #10 Oregon State and #5 Oregon.

If UCLA escapes this weekend with a split, that would be a huge turn, but one can expect that Close and her band of Bruins are not looking to go 1-1, but 2-0.

That story is still in development but if they come out on top, this could be the start of a story that could have a happy ending.