The Bruins made a huge comeback from a 20-point first half deficit, and they played so hard and so spirited that no one seemed to mind that they didn't quite pull it off. I have to admit, I was just hoping UCLA wouldn't get their asses handed to them today. They did me one 10 times better than that.
I LOVED the fact that the Bruins never gave up. That's the key to a championship team.
Jasmine Dixon, Markel Walker and Doreena Campbell are so impressive.
The last few minutes were so exciting! The crowd was so loud! Both Friday and today, I haven't had that much fun at a college basketball game in a long time. UCLA is an entertaining team.
Can't wait for the UCLA-USC matchup next Sunday at SC!
Stanford is a well-oiled machine. Joslyn Tinkle will take over when Jayne Appel leaves. And when Chiney Ogumwike gets there, they'll be even more scary.
For the last two games, there has been great attendence. Look at this crowd! And people are into the game! It's freakin awesome.
Always the floor leader, even when posting up, Jayne Appel points to where her teammate should go.
Freshman forward Markel Walker had been impeded by the face mask Friday night, and threw up two airballs early in the first half today. Suddenly the mask came off - guess she'd had enough of it. And her game came back.
Cardinal Rosalyn Gold-Onwude (out of the picture on the right) was lethal from three-point range.
Darxia Morris throws to Jasmine Dixon in the second half.
Doreena Campbell can change direction like lightening.
Coach Nikki Caldwell at an earlier timeout. The second-to-last timeout of the game, when the crowd was screaming, she had to lean in and get right down in her five starter's faces so they could hear her.
Caldwell was chilled out in the post-game interview.
Celebrity sightings:
Long Beach Poly's Ariyah Crook-Williams.
Mater Dei's Jordan Adams and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis. (Alexyz Vaioletama was also there, but seemed to be sitting in the Stanford area.
Michael Lockwood and Lisa Leslie.
Los Angeles Sparks co-owners Kathy Goodman and Carla Christofferson have also been at the last two games. Christofferson's son Jackson, almost six months old, is a cutie.
7 comments:
Sue, this was the second game in a row that was just so much fun to go to. It was impressive to hear the fans talking about wanting to come to the next game, something that never happened during Olivier's era. I think Caldwell has done an incredible job.
And what do you think about rumors that both Ariya and Jordan are heavy leans to UCLA? You did hear Caldwell say at the end that she hopes there are some future Bruins in the audience.
I heard those comments too, along with many positive discussions and much enthusiasm during the game. It really lifted me up. I can't figure out where all the fans came from, because they weren't there like that in November. But maybe word finally caught on. Caldwell has indeed done a helluva job, but I'm not surprised in the slightest.
I knew there was a rumor about Crook-Williams leaning towards UCLA, but not Adams. That would be such a coup!
I'm going to go out on a limb and say UCLA will be second in the Pac-10 within the next three years. I think Stanford will be on top for a long time, and then it'll be Oregon and UCLA duking it out for the next spot.
WOO!!
I have to say I think Oregon is way overrated. Having that record when you have no competition is not a great accomplishment. Remember they lost to Utah, who was thrashed by UCLA. We'll see what happens, but for this season, I think they'll wear down, as I think USC will.
If Caldwell gets several top local players to go with Swain, like Gray, Crook-Williams and Hartman then Adams in the next class, UCLA could absolutely challenge Stanford.
I don't know if UCLA can keep up the attendance but it was so great to see a large family crowd coming to a women's basketball game and feeling that they'd gotten their money's worth.
Even though I personally like Coach Boyle, she was badly outcoached by both Caldwell and Cooper this weekend.
I was at Galen Center for both of USC's games this weekend. Same atmosphere there. They had 1800+ on Friday night in a game that Stanford took the crowd out of early and late. USC narrowed a 20+ deficit down to 9 points. Then Stanford decided to hit 6 three pointers(all in the 2nd half) and open up the lead.
Sundays game vs Cal had less people, around 900 but was much louder as the game saw Cal go to a 10 point half time lead and then USC open the 2nd stanza scoring 11 straight points. Leads changes hands a few times in 2nd half.
Game winning 3 point shot by Ashley Corral with 1.5 seconds left on the clock had the crowd go wild. Corral got inbounds pass with 6.4 seconds on clock and drove the court for the bank shot winner. Stallworth for Cal had 30 points and was a major force posting up.
Some observations on your photos and the games. In photo 5 I see all three Samuelson sisters Bonnie and Karlie who play for Edison HS and JHS sister Lu. Russ Davis, Cal Swish and Vanguard coach is in the same photo on left side in white shirt, second row.
Also at both the UCLA and the USC games was Thea Lemberger, Santa Monica HS/UCLA signee, Lyndsay Sherbert, Great Oak HS/Cal signee and Lauren Engeln Laguna Hills HS and UConn signee. They went to firt half of UCLA game and made it for late first half of the USC game.
By the way, if you blow up the picture of Lisa Leslie, she is giving you some glare. LL was at the USC game on Friday night.
We need a giant crowd on next Sunday with USC hosting UCLA. I dont care if game is on FSW.
Battle for LA on Sunday, UCLA v USC and Battle for OC on Monday, Brea v Mater Dei.
IM in OC
My daughter and I have attended the last couple of games in Pauley, and they've been a blast. And this Stanford game could NOT have been more intense. I did this brief write-up of the game at the BruinZone message board:
http://tinyurl.com/yzy8qfy
Anyway, my daughter and I are hooked. We're on the bandwagon. Name the cliche, and that's us.
We're already planning to go to Galen next Sunday and to see a win against $c. See you guys there.
Patrick Meighan
UCLa Class of '95
Great showing against Stanford and though I was not upset with the loss, I KNOW the could've won. I hope the Bruins do some freethrow shooting in practice this week because despite a shotty 1st half, if they would've hit 1/2 the FTs they missed, they would have walked away with a win...
I am looking forward to an exciting game over @ Galen next weekend with a Bruin win....
Gail
Thanks, all, for your great comments. Thanks for the link, Patrick.
Gail, I was thinking that too last night about the free throws. I hope Nikki had them practicing those today (and running some lines for yesterday).
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