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(DAILY_WILDCAT)

pacing the void

By Kevin Clerici
Arizona Daily Wildcat
February 14, 1997

Women's basketballwants revenge in LA


[photograph]

Adam F. Jarrold
Arizona Daily Wildcat

UA senior center Jacque Barrington chases down a loose ball during a game earlier this month at McKale Center. Barrington and the rest of the Wildcats will battle the women of UCLA tonight at 7:30 in Los Angeles.


If there is one thing that sticks with Joan Bonvicini for as long as she coaches at Arizona, it will be last year's loss to UCLA.

Up 17-points with three minutes to play a Wildcat victory seemed imminent. Even the Bruin faithful were sensing the end.

Then the Wildcats quit scoring, rebounding, passing and just about everything else in the eventual 89-85 overtime loss. Bringing it up still makes Bonvicini -the winningest coach in women's history - want to cringe.

"That game left the worst feeling I have ever had as a coach. I won't ever forget that."

The remaining players can't seem to either.

"It's UCLA, that is all that needs to be said," junior Mikko Giordano said. "This game doesn't need a pep-talk."

Tonight's game at Pauley Pavilion will be televised live at 8:30 p.m. Tucson time on Fox Sports Net (channel 45).

Whipping the Bruins (10-10 overall, 4-7 in the Pacific 10 Conference) in the last two meetings has eased some of the embarrassment. But those two wins - 95-66 on Feb. 15 of last season and 69-45 on Jan. 18 - were in the friendly confounds of McKale Center.

"This is the first time back in LA since, so we still have a lot to prove," Bonvicini said.

UCLA head coach Kathy Olivier thinks Arizona (17-4, 7-3) should leave it be.

"I keep telling Joan that's old news, lets move on," Olivier said, jokingly.

The Wildcats are treating the weekend - they play at Southern Cal on Sunday at 3 p.m. - as the highest priority.

"It's huge, if we want to go anywhere come (NCAA) tournament time, we have to play well this weekend," Bonvicini said. "Basically we have to win both games and that means getting off to a good start against UCLA."

In the last meeting, Arizona used a relentless press to attack UCLA's guards, or lack there of. The Bruins lost All-American candidate Erica Gomez early in the season with a knee injury. UCLA has yet to find a sufficient replacement. In the Jan. 18 game, UCLA committed 31 turnovers.

"We don't have a point guard and every team knows it," Olivier said. "We have seen pressure since day one."

Arizona may be without the services of sophomore Monica Crank, who broke her nose, and DeAngela Minter who is recovering from a sprained ankle. Both are cleared to play, but Crank must wear a protective face shield when in action.

"If Dee and Bug (Crank) are out, then the rest of us are going to have to suck it up," Giordano said.

Freshman Felecity Willis should start at Minter's guard position. Giordano, who's been used in several different situations, should compliment the line-up where needed.

All-Conference forward Adia Barnes, who had 29 points and six rebounds in the last meeting, feels fine.

"We have a lot of talent on this team, we are just going to have to let those players that can play do the job," Bonvicini said. "This team is playing with a lot of confidence and they are ready for UCLA."

Arizona has won five of its last six, including four straight. With a sweep this weekend and an Oregon loss to No. 3 Stanford on Saturday, the Wildcats could return home Sunday alone in second place in the conference.


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