UCLA again living the we over me mantra in NCAA | College News
All Nike-sponsored faculties enjoying in the NCAA event put on totally different colours of the identical warmup shirt. The now-ubiquitous long-sleeve white shirt has “Nothing Easy” printed on the entrance in daring letters. An emphatic period punctuates the sentence and every faculty’s emblem is printed beneath.
What makes UCLA’s in any other case cookie-cutter postseason look stand out is on the back: “We” printed over a horizontal bar and “me.”
During the event that transforms careers and makes stars, UCLA is recommitting to its mantra of “we over me” to carry the program to new heights.
“We’re only playing for the letters on the front of the jersey,” coach Cori Close stated. “And trusting that when you play fully committed to only playing for what’s on the front of your jersey, that usually it comes back to the letters on the back of your jersey 10-fold.”
The top-seeded Bruins host No. 8 Richmond on Sunday at 7 p.m. (ESPN) at Pauley Pavilion in the second spherical of Spokane Regional 1. UCLA (31-2) is making an attempt to return to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive yr.
While selflessness has been a pillar of UCLA’s program underneath Close, the Bruins misplaced sight of the purpose towards the finish of the common season. Graduate pupil Charlisse Leger-Walker pointed it out during a staff assembly after the Bruins misplaced to USC at home in their regular-season finale.
UCLA began reemphasizing “we over me” going into the Big Ten event. The tactic labored completely as the Bruins received their first convention event title since 2006. Basketball director of operations Pam Walker then had the “we over me” image added to the backs of UCLA’s shirts for the NCAA event.
“Throughout the season we’ve had highs and lows, and it’s just a reminder of if we stick together, we can achieve what we want to happen,” ahead Angela Dugalic stated.
Dugalic, a former five-star recruit who performed for the Serbian national staff during the Paris Olympics, is one of 9 former McDonald’s All-Americans on UCLA’s roster. The roster bursting with expertise makes it even more important — and troublesome — to search out gamers who’re prepared to buy into UCLA’s abundance mentality, Close stated.
Instead of those that fret about how coaches will cut up up the 200 minutes of enjoying time accessible in every recreation, Close is on the lookout for gamers who need to signal up for the “most impactful growth experience.” When ahead Janiah Barker got here by means of the switch portal, Close puzzled if the Texas A&M star actually understood the task.
Barker, one other former McDonald’s All-American recruit, averaged 26.5 minutes per recreation as a sophomore at Texas A&M. She was an established starter averaging 12.2 factors per recreation. The Bruins, who have been returning the core of a proficient junior class that took the staff to the No. 2 rating in the nation, wouldn’t have a massive position for her.
She was more in what she might deliver to the Bruins.
UCLA gamers bounce up from the bench to have a good time the win over Southern on Friday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Close known as the athletic 6-foot-4 ahead a “missing piece” for the Bruins’ hopes to succeed in their first NCAA Final Four.
“She brings great energy on the court,” junior Gabriela Jaquez stated. “We really feed off of her. And the way she rebounds and jumps so high to grab those boards and fights down there is really huge. The level of physicality she brings is really important to our team.”
Barker, who was chosen Big Ten sixth participant of the yr and averages 7.7 factors and 6.1 rebounds per recreation, was one of six scorers in double figures for the Bruins during their opening-round rout of Southern on Friday as she got here off the bench for 10 factors and 10 rebounds. The Bruins overwhelmed the No. 16-seeded Jaguars, who have been two days faraway from their first NCAA event win in program historical past, by dishing 23 assists on 26 discipline objectives.
Naturally, the staff that emphasizes the group’s success over particular person accolades led the Big Ten in assists per recreation this season.
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