Women's basketball notes

Published: Thursday, January 30, 1997

Thursday, January 30, 1997

If only points were rebounds

If points were rebounds, the Bruins would be 13-3. UCLA has outrebounded 13 of 16 opponents this year. The average margin has been five more per game.

Permanent

fixtures

Juniors Tawana Grimes and Aisha Veasley have both gone their entire Bruin careers without missing a game. Freshmen Takiyah Jackson, Maylana Martin and Carly Funicello have started every UCLA game in their careers thus far.

Turnovers are plentiful

UCLA has forced at least 20 turnovers in 15 of 16 games and at least 30 twice. But in only four games did the Bruins fail to turn it over at least 20 times themselves. On the season, the Bruin starters alone average 18 turnovers per game.

Four freshman starters could be a first

For the first time in 16 years, the Bruins are consistently starting three freshman. If head coach Kathy Olivier continues to start Melanie Pearson with Jackson, Funicello and Martin, it would mark the first time in UCLA history four freshmen have started consistently throughout the season.

Racking up wins in the Southland

Though the Bruins have lost two of their last three games at Pauley Pavilion, the confines of Southern California have been much kinder than those courts outside of the area. The squad is 1-5 outside of the region and 7-3 inside, including two wins at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. The overall road record for UCLA is 3-5, which is already better than last year's 2-10 finish.

Shooting for free

Of those Bruins with at least 10 free throws attempted, Grimes (75.6 percent), Jackson (75 percent) and Martin (73.6 percent) are the only players on the team averaging over 60 percent from the line. All three are in the top eight in the conference. UCLA, as a team, is fourth in the Pacific 10 at 64.8 percent from the line.

Better to take than to give?

UCLA has averaged 16 steals in its last four games. While the Bruins rank third in the Pac-10 in steals per game with 12.8, they are 10th in the conference with only 12 assists per game.

Compiled by A. CinQue Carter, Daily Bruin Contributor.