The holiday seasons have arrived, but for the UCLA women's basketball team, rest is only fleeting. Coming on the heels of their first loss of the season last week against top-ranked Baylor, the Bruins march into Northridge on Friday, taking on West Virginia in the opening round of the Holiday Inn Thanksgiving Basketball Classic. But until then, some quick reflections are in order.
Bruises and Lessons from Texas
UCLA may have taken a beating against Baylor, but there was some insight gleaned in doing battle against the top-ranked team in the country. In fact, the Bruins did a stellar job of holding their ground early in the game, trailing 30-23 heading into halftime before Brittney Griner and the Bears pulled away in the second half.
"That first half showed me that they were starting to believe that they could accomplish what they needed to accomplish, together," coach Cori Close said of her players. "In the second half, we were put against the ropes, and we learned how important rebounding and guard play are. Everyone's going to talk about Griner, and she gave us exactly what we thought, but it was (sophomore guard) Odyssey Sims who dictated the rebounding and the game, on both ends of the floor."
What's at Stake in Northridge
Don't expect the Bruins to take these next two games in Northridge lightly. This season marks the first time that the RPI (or Ratings Percentage Index) formula for women's basketball is the same as the one used for men's hoops, meaning that more weight will be given to road wins than home wins in determining the seeding for the postseason. Suffice it to say, the Bruins will seize whatever opportunity they can to build upon their resume.
"Here we've got two local games that are technically road games, and if we can get two wins in Northridge, that would be big in the RPI," Close said. "On top of that, West Virginia is a perennial Sweet 16-level team with dominant post play, so I see this as a great opportunity for us."
On the Injury Front
Some reinforcement may soon be on its way for the Bruins. Junior forward Markel Walker, who had offseason thumb surgery, has made some progress and may be making her much-welcomed season debut mid-December.
As for freshman guard Alexis Perry, her recovery from a knee injury will likely have to wait a bit longer.
"Alexis is coming along really well, but we're going to take this slow," Close said. "She has rushed back from injuries her whole life, and it has put her at a deficit. This is about her being able to pick up her kids one day, as well as being a great point guard at UCLA, so we just need to be really mindful of putting her in a position to be successful."
A New Bruin in the Fold
And finally, fans may have noticed a new face among the Bruins in recent games. That would be freshman walk-on and sharpshooter Madeline Brooks, who Close decided to add on after receiving high recommendations from associates.
"I was initially against adding another player to our roster," Close said. "I agreed to meet with Madeline just as a favor to my colleagues, and her character, work ethic, and passion blew me away. It's about her heart and her commitment to doing what is right even when there are no coaches around, as much as it is about her being a great long-ball shooter. She has really been a great addition so far."
