Having established herself as the leader of the UCLA women’s basketball team, Nikki Blue has assumed a lot of responsibilities this season.
Blue, a Bakersfield native, added a new title over the weekend when the Bruins traveled to Fresno State – that of host.
On the menu Saturday for No. 18 UCLA was a catered rib and tri-tip sandwich lunch at Blue’s family restaurant in Bakersfield, Bar-BQ Express, and a convincing 92-76 victory over previously unbeaten Fresno State.
And it was Blue who led the Bruins in the dining room and on the court.
“For me and my family, who are diehard Bruin fans, I wanted the team to feel welcome in the Central Valley,” Blue said.
“It was very important for me to have everyone I care about most in life under one roof. That means my family and my teammates.”
In front of a large contingent of her friends and family, Blue broke loose on offense with a season-high 22 points, most coming in the second half as the Bruins (6-1) pulled away from the Bulldogs (6-1) for their sixth consecutive victory.
“Nikki started off a little slowly, but she picked it up and was incredible,” UCLA coach Kathy Olivier said.
Hampered by a sore right ankle that she injured just before the season, Blue had only been averaging 7.3 points a contest coming into Saturday’s game, well below her career average.
But it’s not her scoring that is of most value to this year’s Bruin team. Instead, it’s been her leadership and dedication. Despite the pain in her ankle, Blue played a game-high 38 minutes Saturday.
When the Bruins quickly fell behind 17-10 to Fresno State, it was Blue who settled them. When they held a meager 39-38 halftime lead, it was Blue and the coaches who knew they had the Bulldogs right where they wanted them.
“We are a second-half team,” Blue said. “We knew we were making them get tired. This team has an extra gear it can go to at anytime.”
UCLA wasted no time in the second half to exploit Fresno State’s tired legs, using a 19-5 run to open the half to bury the Bulldogs. Though Fresno State did an admirable job in the first half containing the Bruins’ “Triple Threat” of Blue, Lisa Willis and Noelle Quinn, not allowing any of the three to score in double figures, the trio broke loose in the final 20 minutes.
Quinn continued the dazzling start to her season, pouring in 21 points, her sixth consecutive game with at least 20 points, all Bruin victories.
“In the first half, Fresno State was really aggressive,” Quinn said. “In the second half, I think they got tired, and we just got into a groove.”
But as well as Quinn and Blue played, it was Willis’ statline that was the most impressive of the night. Along with 18 points, the junior guard compiled 10 rebounds, seven assists and six steals. With all three members of the Triple Threat at the peak of their game, it spelled trouble for an up-and-coming Bulldog team, who until Saturday night hadn’t even trailed at halftime all season.
For the Bruins, the victory adds to an impressive resume that already includes wins over perennial powers Texas and Purdue. Though UCLA is only seven games into its season, the team appears to be in mid-season form.
“We feel like we’re coaching them at the end of the year right now,” Olivier said.
“They’re very focused, and it’s only seven games into the season. This team thinks that it can beat anyone right now. I’m not saying we can, but the team thinks it can.”
While Saturday was the only official scheduled trip to Fresno on the Bruins’ calendar, UCLA is hoping to make a return visit later in the year. Fresno is one of the sites hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament this season, the closest in proximity to Westwood.
While it may be too soon to start thinking postseason, Blue has done her part in making the Bruins feel like Fresno is their new home away from home.
“It was a loving, positive atmosphere,” Quinn said. “It felt like we were at home.”
“That’s the ideal situation if we come back to Fresno,” Blue said. “There is no doubt we’d have the homecourt advantage.”