Pac 12 Preview: UCLA

Last Season:
19-18, 8-10 in Pac 12 play. However UCLA was 13-18 until they won 6 straight to win the WNIT.


The Coaches:
Cori Close is in her 5th season with the Bruins, winning at a 54% rate.
Jenny Huth is also in her 5th season as are Tony Newnan and Shannon Perry. The Bruin staff has had no turnover under Close.



Losses:
Biggest loss is Recee Caldwell who transferred to Texas Tech. Caldwell was just a Frosh and played only half the season, missing the 2nd half with an injury. Caldwell averaged 7 points in 25 minutes. She was a top, top recruit.

Luiana Livulo started half the games but played only 10 minutes and averaged 2 points and 2 rebounds.

Corinne Costa started most games averaging 22 minutes, 5 points and 5 rebounds but also set UCLA shot blocking records.

Madeline Poteet, formally Brooks, averaged 2 points.

Savanna Trapp the 6-9 recruit has never played and not on the roster.



Additions:
Ashley Hearn is a 6-4 Frosh Post. Hearn was ranked 12, 15, 30 and 34 out of HS and a McD All American. A top recruit who will play a lot as a Frosh.

Kennedy Burke is a 6-1 Frosh Wing. Burke was All State in California and ranked 16, 19, 33 and 41 out of HS. Two top recruits.
With just two players this Class was ranked # 17 overall.

Nicole Kornet is a 6-1 Guard who transferred from Oklahoma. Nicole was a top HS recruit ranked from 19 to 68. She will redshirt this year and have her final season next year. At Oklahoma Nicole averaged about 5 points per game in her three seasons, but had games of 26 and 21 points.



The Schedule:
South Carolina, probably Notre Dame, Michigan and St John’s. They also play Cal in a non- league December game and very interestingly are not playing UConn. The Bruins don’t travel to Cal or Stanford and don’t play Utah or Colorado at home.



The Team:
The Bruins top three returning scorers are guards so I’ll present a three guard line up, which they used last season. Nirra Fields is a 5-9 Sr Guard who led the team in scoring with 15 points per game. However she shot just 39% and 27% from three. Her improved shot selection is the key.

Jordin Canada is the Point Guard, a 5-6 Soph. Last season Canada averaged 12 points over 4 assists per game with a 1.2 ratio of assists to turnovers. However Canada shot just 38% and 17% from three.

Kori Korver is a 5-9 Jr who averaged 10 points per game, while shooting 41% from three. Korver made 74 threes twice the number as Fields who was 2nd on the team.

Monique Billings is 6-4 Soph Post who averaged 6 points and 5 rebounds in just 16 minutes.

Lajahna Drummer is a 6-1 Soph Forward who averaged 5 points and 5 rebounds in 16 minutes.

The Frosh Hearn and Burke should see many minutes in the rotation.
Kacy Swain is a 6-3 Sr Forward who averaged 4 points and over 4 rebounds in 14 minutes.

Kelli Hayes is a 6-0 Soph Guard who went to Mitty HS. Hayes averaged 2 points in 12 minutes.

Paulina Hersler is a 6-3 Soph who played 5 minutes per game and Dominque Williams is 5-8 Jr Guard who also averaged 5 minutes per game.



Predictions:
If the Bruins shoot better than last season’s just under 40%, they will challenge for the Title. They have the players with great skill. Or they shot 40% and fight for 4th place.



2015 Recruiting:
Ally Rosenblum from SoCal, 6-3 Post ranked # 77.