Seniors hope for invitation to Big Dance

Published: Friday, February 27, 1998

Friday, February 27, 1998

FEATURE: Bruins to play last home game, anticipate tournament

By David Arnold

Daily Bruin Contributor

What does any one really deserve?

Can anybody say that they deserve to get out of life what they put in?

Do the seniors of UCLA's women's basketball team deserve to be in an NCAA Tournament in appreciation for what they've done for the program?

Seniors Tawana Grimes, Carla Houser, Jamie Oenning and Aisha Veasley won't get the answer they desire until March 8, when teams receive invitations to the Big Dance. The four soon-to-be-alumnae have four more games left, including their final tip-off at Pauley Pavilion this Sunday as UCLA hosts Washington.

Four years ago, Kathy Olivier was a rookie head coach, and Grimes, Oenning and Veasley were her first recruiting class. On Sunday, the coach may sit in a corner office talking about how her seniors "pretty much built this program," and the seniors may remember their first day at UCLA, and realize they have only one more game left on that campus.

And on March 8, maybe the seniors will agree when they remember their coach said, "They have success written all over them."

"The tournament is kinda like our reward, our payback," said Houser. "Since I've been here I've wanted to go to the tournament," said Grimes.

When asked if a Big Dance this year would make up for three years of being wallflowers, Oenning said, "It doesn't make up for it, but it's nice."

"Just the other day," said Olivier, "I grabbed Tawana and I said, 'You know we've got four games left, and we're going to do this. You guys deserve this.'"

Yet they're four seniors with one starter between them (Grimes), so how do they deserve anything?

"They pretty much started the trend of what kind of people we want in our program," said Olivier, "They do a perfect job of representing what UCLA women's basketball is about."

"We don't need to take credit for that," said Grimes. "as much as basketball was a good experience, the people that I've met and the friendships I've established will be the highlights of my having gone here."

"They say that adversity builds character, and I think that's true for our class," said Oenning. "One thing that has really impressed me ... is that we're all so different ... different backgrounds, different lifestyles, different families, different everything."

"That's the biggest thing that I love about these guys ... they do respect that I'm different," said Houser.

Maybe Houser is different from her classmates; she came to UCLA after dropping out of James Madison and being spotted by Olivier at a Friday league game in Long Beach, but that's not to say she doesn't fit in.

"She fit in perfectly the minute she got here, and that says something about Carla Houser," said Olivier.

Oenning is also lucky to have people who acknowledge her contributions. "She provides that leadership: she comes in ready to go every practice," said Olivier. "Her work ethic is something that people look up to."

Though Grimes, Oenning and Veasley will be back for classes in the fall, after this season their history with UCLA athletics will be just that.

"I think we lose a lot of leadership," said Olivier of her seniors' departure. When asked what they think the team loses with their graduation, Houser, Grimes and Oenning perhaps ominously listed "leadership," "discipline," and "maturity." "There's no substitute for maturity," said Oenning, referring to what she calls "a humble, unselfish group."

If four people can have a collective middle name, "unselfish" might apply to the seniors. Grimes, recruited as a shooting guard, has always adapted for the good of the team. This was evident more than ever last year when she was moved to the point after point guard Erica Gomez was injured.

"This year is the first year she's really got to focus on what Tawana Grimes came here for," said Olivier, "Tawana doesn't have to play Miss Everything anymore."

Veasley, too, could be the calendar girl for selflessness. A starter as a junior, sitting on the bench as a senior, Veasley only sought to contribute.

"I think this game really celebrates for us, for years of hard work and contribution," she said.

What hard work will mean for them, they don't know. Olivier hopes she'll see Oenning coaching, Houser playing abroad and alludes to talking with the WNBA and ABL about the plans of Grimes and Veasley.

But Grimes said, "I don't know exactly what I want to do," and the others are mysteries too. Of only Houser may predictions be made: "I've always wanted to play overseas."

"I think they're ready to move on, which is kinda sad," said Olivier, though she added, "They're probably gonna have more money than me."

All joking aside, it will be an emotional Sunday in Pauley. "It's going to be special because this is the first group of girls we've recruited," acknowledged Olivier.

"I don't know whether to cry or laugh. I'm a very emotional person, I know I'm going to be bawling my eyes out," said Houser.

"It's not just another game for me," said Veasley, "This is like the last time I'm going to be playing in front of my family and friends."

If one deserves to get out of life what one puts in, maybe the seniors deserve to end their careers where they dreamed they would: in the NCAA Tournament.

MICHAEL ROSS WACHT

(Left to right) Carla Houser, Aisha Veasley, Tawana Grimes and Jamie Oenning are the seniors on the Bruin basketball team.