JORDAN ROSS Junior Michelle Greco drives
past the University of San Diego defense in a game earlier this
season in which UCLA lost 86-67.
By Scott Schultz
Daily Bruin Contributor Don’t let the UCLA women’s
basketball team’s record fool you into thinking this
transition season is going to be a washout. There is plenty of gas
in this team’s tank as they prepare to finish up their
non-conference schedule and begin their Pac-10 season.
“They’re a great group. The team chemistry is
great,” head coach Kathy Olivier said about the young roster
that she’s played in the early going of the season.
“They take care of each other and they’re working
toward a common goal of getting better.” The Bruins (0-6) are
practicing hard, filled with confidence as the fall quarter comes
to a close. They await the imminent return of two of this
year’s starters, senior LaCresha Flannigan, who is
academically ineligible for fall quarter, and sophomore Nicole
Kaczmarski, who declined to enroll while recovering in New York
from a foot injury she suffered during the summer. “With
LaCresha, we won’t know until the grades are posted in the
computers,” Olivier said. “She feels very optimistic,
she’s been coming to games, and she’s really anxious to
get back in the mix. “With Kaz, the reality is if she’s
not 100 percent we’re not going to put her in a position to
start playing, but we hope to have her on our trip to Old Dominion
and Ohio State,” Olivier added. “She’s someone
who can take over a game and she’s someone who wants everyone
to lean on her.” The Bruins are also excited about the
addition of two multi-sport athletes who will be joining the team
next quarter after their fall sport seasons end. Kristee Porter, a
redshirt sophomore who lettered in track and field and is an
All-American volleyball player, will add big-time athleticism to
the front court and should make an immediate impact. Joining her
will be freshman forward Whitney Jones, who was a starting
midfielder for the Bruin soccer team, which went to the NCAA
Championship game last week. “Kristee is an incredible
athlete with a winning attitude whose volleyball skills will help
us on the basketball court,” Olivier said. “She’s
going to create problems for opponents with her athleticism.
Besides her jumping ability, she has great timing, so she can block
shots.” The Bruins were expected to be a young team this
year, with the graduation of four of last year’s five
starters along with their backup center. But the additional roster
alterations left the team lacking any experience at all besides
junior guard Greco, who was an impact player off the bench last
season. The Bruins, for all the sacrifice they made in the record
books this season, will suddenly find themselves with a deep bench
who will have plenty of playing experience against the
nation’s elite programs. The Bruins are currently playing a
perimeter-based game behind the explosive offense of Greco, who has
carried the bulk of the offensive load this season, averaging 17.8
ppg. She is joined in the starting backcourt by redshirt sophomore
point guard Natalie Nakase and sophomore Jalina “A.J.”
Bradley. Freshman Gennifer Arranaga has been providing instant
impact off the bench with her high-energy style of play. “I
think Greco has done a great job and Natalie Nakase has played
(amazingly) considering she is someone who hardly played at all
last year,” Olivier said. “Gennifer Arranaga is also
playing excellent and she’s going to keep getting better
because she works her tail off and is a real perfectionist.”
The front court has thus far been led by a trio of athletic junior
college transfers from Texas. Juniors Malika Leatham and Shalada
“She-She” Allen split time in the post. They are both
small for the center position, but are quicker than most post
players, and their impact will be greater after the return of
Flannigan and Kaczmarski. Another Texan, Stacy Robertson, will
provide some height along the perimeter. The Texans are joined by
sophomore Natalie Jarrett, who is fully recovered from a fractured
foot that limited her playing time last season, and freshman Jamila
Veasly, who is able to play all front court positions. The Pac-10,
always one of the most competitive conferences in the country, is
once again filled with top-ranked teams. Currently, Pac-10
competitors Stanford and Oregon are both ranked in the AP’s
top 25 and Oregon State is still undefeated. “The Pac-10 is
always one of the most competitive conferences,” Greco said.
“There are never any easy games against teams from this
conference.” Before they begin their conference season, the
Bruins still have to finish their arduous non-conference schedule.
They have to face national powers Old Dominion and Ohio State on
the road and Georgia at Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins next play on
Sunday, Dec. 18 when they travel to Old Dominion to duel the
Monarchs at 7:30 p.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
Date Opponent
Outcome/Time Nov. 6 Slovakia (Exh) W, 69-68 Nov.
10 Duke @ New Mexico L, 80-52 Nov. 11 @ New Mexico L, 75-54 Nov. 17
Utah L, 65-42 Nov. 19 Love & Basketball (Exh) L, 82-78 (ot)
Nov. 25 @ BYU L, 68-53 Nov. 28 San Diego L, 86-67 Dec. 2 @ Colorado
L, 88-63 Dec. 10 Long Beach State 2 p.m. Dec. 18 @ Old Dominion
7:30 p.m. Dec. 21 @ Ohio State 7 p.m. Dec. 28 Pepperdine 7 p.m.
Dec. 30 Georgia 4 p.m. Jan. 4 @ Washington 7 p.m. Jan. 6 @
Washington State 7 p.m. Jan. 14 USC 1 p.m. Jan. 18 Arizona State 7
p.m. Jan. 20 Arizona 4 p.m. Jan. 25 @ Oregon State 7 p.m. Jan. 27 @
Oregon 1 p.m. Jan. 2 Stanford 7 p.m. Feb. 4 California 3 p.m. Feb.
10 @ USC 2 p.m. Feb. 15 @ Arizona 7 p.m. Feb. 17 @ Arizona State 7
p.m. Feb. 23 Oregon 7 p.m. Feb. 25 Oregon State 2 p.m. March 1 @
California 7:30 p.m. March 3 @ Stanford 7:30 p.m. March 8
Washington State 7 p.m. March 10Â Â Washington 1 p.m.
SOURCE: UCLA Sports Info (schedule is tentative) Original graphic
by VICTOR CHEN Web adaptation by CHRISTINE TAN/Daily Bruin