AREA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PREVIEWS : UCLA.Byline: - Lee Barnathan Last year: 26-8, 15-3 Pac-10 (T-1st) Coach, comment: Kathy Olivier (career: 97-74), seventh year at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX (97-74). Early-season injuries, strong nonconference schedule will test her abilities. The starters: Maylana Martin Maylana Lynn Martin (born April 17, 1978 in Honolulu, Hawaii) is an American former professional women's basketball player and currently a collegiate coach. Although born in Hawaii, she grew up in Southern California. (senior, forward, 6-foot-3, 18.2 ppg, 9.4 rpg), Erica Gomez (senior, guard, 5-9, 7.1 ppg, 6.7 apg), LaCresha Flannigan (junior, guard, 5-7, 14.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg), Janae Hubbard (senior, center, 6-4, 12.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg), Marie Philman (senior, forward, 6-0, 10.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg). Off the bench: Michelle Greco (sophomore, guard, 5-9), Nicole Kaczmarski (freshman, guard, 5-11), Carly Funicello (senior, center, 6-4) Why they'll win: They're talented. Greco and Kaczmarski fill in while Gomez recovers from injury. Martin continues to excel despite a weak back. Philman steps in while Flannigan recovers. The bench players, specifically junior Ayesha Rembert and senior Takiyah Jackson, have career seasons. Why they won't: The injuries to Gomez, Flannigan and Martin are too great to overcome. UCLA gets buried in nonconference games against North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. , Connecticut, Tennessee and Texas and can't recover. Key games:Saturday vs. North Carolina (7 p.m.), Nov. 23 vs. Texas (6 p.m.), Nov. 28 vs. Tennessee (2 p.m.), Dec. 23 at Connecticut (2 p.m.), Jan. 29 vs. Oregon, 1 p.m., Mar. 3 vs. Stanford (7:30 p.m.) Random fact: Despite the injuries, UCLA is ranked in the top five in just about every major poll, including fourth in AP. Intangibles: Gomez considered not returning for her senior year. Her appearance - even while injured - gives her team a lift. USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. Last year: 7-20, 3-15 Pac-10 (T-9th) Coach, comment: Chris Gobrecht (career: 351-238). Third season at USC (19-35) The starters: Tiffany Washington (senior, forward, 6-2, 9.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg), Tashara Carter (junior, forward, 6-0, 9.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg), Tiffany Elmore (sophomore, guard, 5-10, 11.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg), Carmen Carmen throws over lover for another. [Fr. Lit.: Carmen; Fr. Opera: Bizet, Carmen, Westerman, 189–190] See : Faithlessness Carmen the cards repeatedly spell her death. [Fr. Krause (sophomore, forward, 6-1, 3.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg), Camille Norwood (sophomore, guard, 5-8, 4.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg). Off the bench: Erica Mashia (senior, guard, 5-7), injured last year), Danielle Golay (senior, forward, 6-2), Denise Woods (junior, center, 6-2), Ayeshia Smith (junior, guard, 5-5) Why they'll win: They stay healthy this season. Transfers Golay, Smith and Woods, plus the return of Mashia from various injuries injects new life. Why they won't: It takes too much time for the transfers to jell jell v. jelled, jell·ing, jells v.intr. 1. To become firm or gelatinous; congeal. See Synonyms at coagulate. 2. . Injuries again claim too many players. There's not enough talent among the newcomers. Key games: Dec. 27 at Notre Dame Notre Dame IPA: [nɔtʁ dam] is French for Our Lady, referring to the Virgin Mary. In the United States of America, Notre Dame (7 p.m.), Jan. 16 at UCLA (1 p.m.), Jan. 22 at Arizona (1 p.m.), Jan. 27 vs. Oregon (7 p.m.) Random fact: The team plays nine of its 13 home games in the Sports Arena, moving out of the cramped Lyon Center. Intangibles: UCLA has beaten USC four straight times. Gobrecht believes surviving '98-99's injury-riddled season is a morale-booster. CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge Last year:21-8, 13-3 Big Sky (1st) Coach, comment: Frozena Jerro (21-8). Second season at CSUN (21-8) The starters:Edneisha Curry (junior, guard, 5-6, 18.4 ppg), Lynda Amari (senior, forward, 6-1, 11.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg), Jamilah Jones (senior, guard, 5-6, 5.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg), Neda Milic (senior, forward, 6-1, 7.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg) Keisha Harris (senior, center, 6-3, 7.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg) Off the bench: LaShaunda Fowler (junior, guard, 5-6, 4.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg), Leah Rice (sophomore, center, 6-3, 4.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg), Ebony ebony, common name for members of the Ebenaceae, a family of trees and shrubs widely distributed in warmer climates and in the tropics. The principal genus, Diospyros, includes both ebony and persimmon trees. Davis (junior, center, 6-2, transfer from Antelope Valley College Antelope Valley College is a comprehensive community college located in Lancaster, California, USA. It is operated by the Antelope Valley Community College District, with a primary service area of 1,945 square miles covering portions of Los Angeles and Kern counties. ) Why they'll win: Because they know they can. Winning the Big Sky and reaching the NCAAs for the first time instilled confidence. Plus, enough talent returns. Why they won't: Not enough depth in the post with the loss of Vivica Lof. Davis being unavailable until December. Utah transfer Kristi Rose sitting out a year. Montana, which was favored to win the conference last year, returns healthy. Key games: Saturday vs. Pepperdine (7 p.m.), Dec. 21 at Illinois (7 p.m.), Dec. 31 vs. Mississippi State (5 p.m.), Jan. 13 vs. Portland State (7 p.m.), Feb. 17 vs. Montana (7 p.m.) Random fact: Northridge was the choice of the media and conference coaches to repeat as Big Sky champs. Intangibles:Since this is the same team as last year, opponents are better prepared. Hence, a sophomore jinx jinx n. 1. A person or thing that is believed to bring bad luck. 2. A condition or period of bad luck that appears to have been caused by a specific person or thing. tr.v. is possible. So is another postseason berth. PEPPERDINE Last year: 21-9, 11-3 WCC WCC n abbr (= World Council of Churches) → COE m (Conseil œcuménique des Églises) WCC n abbr (= World Council of Churches) → Weltkirchenrat m (T-1st) Coach, comment: Mark Trakh Mark Trakh is the current University of Southern California women's basketball coach. Born May 31, 1955. Assistants Derek and Jody (Anton) Wynn. He is godfather to their daughter Jada. (96-73). Seventh year at Pepperdine (96-73) The starters: Rasheeda Clark (junior, guard, 5-10, 16.1 ppg, 4.8 apg, 3.7 rpg, 2.0 steals), Jennifer Saari (sophomore, guard, 5-7, 1.8 ppg, injured), Anna Lembke (sophomore, forward, 6-3, 4.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg), Anna-Lisa Epperson (senior, forward, 6-2, 0.6 ppg, 0.5 ppg), Nadja Morgan (sophomore, forward, 6-2, 7.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg) Off the bench: Damaris Hinojosa (freshman, guard, 5-10), Zeynep Korur (freshman, guard, 5-8), Tamara McDonald (freshman, guard, 5-7) Why they'll win: There's enough talent and experience to build on last season. There's more depth at all positions. Why they won't: The loss of inside player Kate Crane. While there's plenty of offense, defensive shortcomings A shortcoming is a character flaw. Shortcomings may also be:
Key games: Nov. 28 at Connecticut (2 p.m.), Dec. 11 vs. UCLA (3 p.m., Jan. 15 at Saint Mary's Saint Mary's, island, Scilly Islands Saint Mary's, England: see Scilly Islands. (7:30 p.m.), Feb. 6 vs. Portland (3 p.m.) Random fact: Last year's WNIT WNIT Women's National Invitation Tournament (college basketball) berth was the Waves' first postseason appearance since 1982. Intangibles: Another tough nonconference schedule will get the Waves ready for conference play. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT Last year: 8-19, 4-10 WCC (6th) Coach, comment: Julie Wilhoit (149-151). Fifth season at LMU LMU Ludwig Maximilians Universität (München) LMU Loyola Marymount University LMU Leeds Metropolitan University (UK) LMU Lincoln Memorial University LMU Location Measurement Unit (28-81) The starters: Taryn Reynolds (sophomore, guard, 5-7, 9 ppg, 3.8 rpg), Dana Hunter (junior, forward, 6-3, 7.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg), Rosa Bernasconi (sophomore, guard, 5-6, 9.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg), Bryn Britton (sophomore, guard, 5-11, 12.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg), Amber Gravely (junior, forward, 6-0, 2.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg) Off the bench: Theresa Palmer (junior, forward, 6-1, 3.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg), Lynn Brown (senior, guard, 5-6), Jennifer Callahan (freshman, guard, 5-9, transfer from Arizona), Shanese Washington (freshman, center, 6-2) Why they'll win: Britton, Bernasconi and Hunter are solid and could have big seasons. The hunger to improve causes the freshmen to play beyond their years. Why they won't: There's not enough talent, depth or experience. The loss of Julie Janosz - the conference's tallest player last year at 6-6 - hurts. Key games: Dec. 3 at Kansas tournament, Dec. 30 at Colorado (7 p.m.), Feb. 16 at Pepperdine (5:15 p.m.), Feb. 18 vs. Pepperdine ( 7 p.m.) Random fact: The Lions begin the season having lost their last eight games. Intangibles: Wilhoit continues to bring in the players she wants, so she has a nucleus to build around. CAPTION(S): photo PHOTO Cal State Northridge returns four starters, including Edniesha Curry (00), and was picked by conference coaches to win Big Sky title. Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion