December 11, 2007

Pac 10 Preview-UCLA

UCLA has started the season 4-4, losing 4 of their last 5. They had a very close loss to highly ranked Maryland, and they then lost to far lesser teams. It’s not going to get easier with BYU and Tennessee two of the three games remaining before the conference begins. UCLA is very young, 6 Frosh and only one Sr.

One thing UCLA does have is depth. They have six post players, for the 4/5 positions. 6-4 Frosh Regina Rogers has started 7 of the 8 games thus far, averaging 10 points and over 5 rebounds per game. Her problem is she is only averaging 16 minutes per game. She is averaging almost one foul per 5 minutes of play.

Outstanding 6-4 Sr Lindsey Pluimer is the Starting 4. She is averaging team highs of 14 points and 8 rebounds per game. Lindsey is also shooting 47% from 3 point land, although taking less than 3 per game.

Back up post players include 6-6 Soph Center Monique Alexander. Monique is averaging 3 points and 3 rebounds in 10 minutes. 6-4 Jr C/F Chinyere Ibekwe is averaging 2 points and 3 rebounds in 8 minutes per game. Chinyere started many games over the past two seasons. 6-4 Frosh Christina Nzekwe is averaging 3 points and 4 rebounds in 14 minutes per game. 6-4 Frosh Candice Brown is averaging over 3 points and 3 rebounds in only 9 minutes per game.

The other three starters are Wing players and the Point Guard. 5-9 Fr Darxia Morris is the Point Guard. She has started 6 of the 8 games, averaging 8 points and 3 assists. She leads the team in steals and has an assist to turnover ration of 1:1. Not bad at all for a young PG and a very young team.

The Wings are 5-10 Frosh Doreena Campbell and 6-0 Soph Erica (Latimer) Tukiainen. Campbell is averaging 10 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game. And she leads the team averaging 31 minutes per game. If that isn’t enough she has hit 59% of her 17 three point attempts. The former Latimer now Tukiaianen has averaged 5 points and 4 rebounds per game.

The main back-ups have each started games thus far. 6-1 Frosh Nina Earl is the 2nd leading scorer at over 10 points per game. 5-10 Jr Tierra Henderson has averaged 8 points per game.

UCLA is scoring 77 points per game, but giving up 73. They are very young, but with 5 weak teams in the conference UCLA has an excellent chance at a winning conference record.

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