The fresh throwback threads were snug, the lively crowd of 914 cozy, and the UCLA women's basketball team continued the theme in its season opener, churning out a comfortable 67-59 win against McNeese State Friday at the Collins Court. The Bruins may have advanced into the second round of the preseason WNIT, but perhaps more importantly, continued onward along the development curve, an identity steadily appearing. And if anything can be said this early on in the season, it's that coach Cori Close will be looking to tweak her offense to generate production from within the paint.
Against the Cowgirls, the Bruins put up assist after assist with the wing players penetrating the defense and either getting to the line, feeding the ball into the post or creating put-back opportunities. Redshirt junior forward Atonye Nyingifa and sophomore combo guard-forward Rhema Gardner certainly reaped the rewards. Nyingifa again proved to be the stake in the claim, scoring 16 points and matching her career high with 12 rebounds. Gardner also shined with a game-high 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
"If we can get the ball into the paint and get it up on the glass, our rebounding angles will be better," Close said. "We have to attack the paint and not rely just on jumpers, and I thought we did a good job of being aggressive with that today."
The starting backcourt of junior Mariah Williams and sophomore Thea Lemberger shared the duty of floor general and did so effectively, the two combining for nine assists and a variety of heady plays. Small wonder Gardner and Nyingifa had a field day.
"When the guards push the ball, it gets us down the court to post up and get position," Gardner said. "That's just been our main focus so far, to get the ball up the court."
"We follow our guards," Nyingifa agreed. "If they're pushing the ball in transition, they're fulfilling their roles. We have a great court awareness with them, in terms of where we are on the court at all times."
One dynamic that figures to be an interesting one for the Bruins as the season stretches on is the transition from Pauley Pavilion to the more compact Collins Court inside the John Wooden Center. Smaller though it may be, the confines of the latter venue make for an advantageous feel for a young team that will need the fan support in its maturation process.
"I actually like it," Gardner said. "The fans are more up close and personal, so there's just a lot of energy. I like the atmosphere a lot."
The Bruins return to Collins Court on Sunday at 2 p.m. against East Tennessee State for the second round of the WNIT, retro jerseys, good vibe and all.
