Bruins Give Michigan Their Sophomore Jinx

Nervousness. Errant shooting. Poor rebounding. Seven minutes without a point.

A team shouldn’t be able to afford any of the above in the NCAA tournament, but sophomore-fueled UCLA survived the first round because the mistakes were muted by sound defense.

The Bruins pressed and pressured their way past Michigan, 65-58, Friday night before 3,053 at Coleman Coliseum for their first tournament victory since 1992 and first in Coach Kathy Olivier’s five-year tenure.

UCLA (20-8) never trailed after the opening minute, forcing Michigan (19-10) into 30 turnovers and 38.6% shooting. Yet the Bruins squandered several chances to pull away and, after their long scoring drought, led only 37-35 with 11:45 to play.

The magnificent seven UCLA sophomores needed to mature on the spot.

Erica Gomez was the first to step up. The All-Pacific 10 point guard had missed all eight previous shots, but she connected on a three-pointer, her only basket of the game.

Sophomore post players Maylana Martin and Janae Hubbard each followed with layups and the lead was back to a comfortable 44-35 with 10 minutes to play.

“Everybody says we are so young but all the sophomores played major minutes as freshmen,” Olivier said. “We toured Europe last summer, then they played their whole sophomore season.

“By now, I think of them as juniors.”

Michigan had one surge left, a six-point run that cut UCLA’s lead to 54-47 with four minutes to play. This time it was sophomore Melanie Pearson who responded, sinking a three-point shot.

Pearson, a reserve forward from Woodbridge High who averages nine points, scored 15 on six-of-11 shooting and made three three-pointers. Her contribution was important because UCLA shot only 37.9% and was outrebounded, 50-36.

“Nobody but Melanie was shooting well,” Olivier said. “She had a good feel early and we kept spotting her.”

In a key matchup inside, the 6-foot-4 Hubbard had 12 points, nine rebounds and held Michigan center Polyanna Johns to nine points by denying her the ball. Johns, who averages 17 points, couldn’t get into Hubbard’s cupboard, taking only six shots and making four.

Johns, a 6-3 senior, had 14 rebounds but only one on the offensive end. Hubbard had seven offensive rebounds, including a put-back of a Gomez miss with two minutes left that led to a three-point play and a 60-51 lead.

Hubbard picked up her fourth foul midway through the second half, and Martin took over guarding Johns. Martin, leading scorer and captain of the USA Junior National team last summer, had 16 points and provided leadership down the stretch.

“Keeping everybody together is something I have to do,” Martin said. “I don’t have experience in the NCAA’s but I don’t feel inexperienced at all.”

Pearson gave cold-shooting UCLA a lift early, making four of five shots in the first half, including two three-pointers.

The Bruins’ 33-23 halftime lead could have been greater, but they made only four of 13 free throws.

The more experienced Wolverines were fumble-fingered and out of sync most of the half, committing 15 turnovers and making only nine of 28 shots. It took a long three-point heave by Ann Lemire at the buzzer to put Michigan within 10.

“They forced us totally out of our offense,” Michigan Coach Sue Guevara said. “Our ballhandlers had a terrible time passing the basketball. It came down to plain old defense and forcing turnovers.”

Defense was enough for UCLA in this one, but even a sophomore in her first tournament knows a more complete performance will be necessary soon enough.

“We have to play better to beat anybody else,” said Gomez, who was one-of-11 shooting but had six assists and six of UCLA’s 18 steals.

“Our defense overcame a lot, but if we rebound and shoot better I feel good about our chances.”