UCLA WBB: Play hard or go home - Round one

Less than 24 hours after the likes of Jay Z rocked Pauley Pavilion in song, the UCLA Women’s Basketball Team , in their pre-season home opener against the Mustangs of The Masters College, (population 1,200), in Santa Clarita, Ca., appeared to have borrowed from the famous rapper’s song “Takeover,” as that is exactly what they did from tip off to the waning moments. The Bruins’ speed, athleticism, size and quickness overwhelmed the NAIA school, as they dug in defensively to win comfortably, 80-66.

UCLA, winners of 19 games last season, are feeling confidant in the return of their top four scorers, as well as three of their top rebounders and all five of their top 3-point shooters. The team’s theme for the ’09-’10 basketball season is “Play Hard or Go Home,” as Coach Nikki Caldwell intends to rely on their athleticism and quickness to push the tempo, while playing people at multiple positions and spreading the court on offense. “We will be aggressive for the full 94 feet.”

Defensively, as though according to script, that is exactly what the Bruins did, forcing turnovers, off-balance shots, and long-range jumpers. To the Mustangs’ credit, they made a far better percentage of those very shots from beyond the three-point arc, (38 percent in the first half, to the Bruins’ woeful 8 percent ), and the score was far closer at times as a result.

Besides the Bruins poor first half execution of jumpers, they managed to capitalize on fast break lay ups in transition, as well as the inside power and size of Senior center Moniquee Alexander. In fact, despite their defensive aggression, the Bruins didn’t begin to catch fire offensively until just past the 3:00 mark, when sophomore forward Nina Earl sparked a brief rally, with a fast bucket, to break the first half’s virtual deadlock, 24-22. Sophomore guard Rebekah Gardner scooped in a layup, followed by a junior guard Doreena Campbell’s jumper, followed by a Darxia Morris layup, would give the Bruins their biggest lead, 30-24 After trading free throws, senior guard Erica Tukianen launched a high-arching three-pointer at the buzzer-the Bruins’ first three in 12 attempts— to send them into the locker room, with a 35-29 lead.

The Bruins continued to bring the offensive heat in the second half, with Tukianen hitting another three, followed by the fast-break layups of Christina Nzekwe and Nina Earl, stretching the Bruins’ lead to 47-37.

While the Mustangs were still in the three-point state of mind, as Lena Riviera and Brook Beckendam both connected, they had nothing on Tukianen, who hit her third, and Gardner her first. After freshman Markell Walker connected on a pair of free throws, giving the Bruins their biggest lead of the game, 57-44, at the 9:27 mark. Walker, the former high school All-American, scored 9 points in her debut at Pauley,

The Masters College waged quite a battle in the waning minutes, but the Bruins prevailed, 80-66. Leading scorers for the Bruins were Tukianen, with 16, (12 of them on 3-point shooting), and Earl with 13. Brittney Henderson led the Mustangs with 18. UCLA shot 44% in the 2nd half. UCLA opens their regular season play in Iowa at the Hawkeye Tournament Challenge before returning back to Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 19th to face The University of Hawai’i in the season home opener.