WHO'S BACK
The Bruins return four starters for the 2015-16 season and a total of 10 letterwinners which accounted for 83% of UCLA's scoring last year. The four starters include senior guard Nirra Fields (15.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.3 spg), an All-Pac-12 honoree; junior guard Kari Korver (10.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.5 apg), a second team Pac-12 All-Academic selection that was one of only three Bruins to play in all 37 games and made the most starts at 36 games; sophomore point guard Jordin Canada, the reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and WNIT MVP (11.8 ppg, 4.4 apg, 3.4 rpg, 2.0 spg) that made 30 starts as a true freshman and senior forward Kacy Swain (4.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, .755 FT%), who returns for her final year after making 25 starts last season.
BATTLE-TESTED BRUINS
In addition to the four starters, UCLA also returns three players that all averaged double-digit minutes last year. All three Bruins are part of the top-rated recruiting class from 2014 and include sophomore forward Monique Billings (5.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.4 bpg), sophomore forward Lajahna Drummer (5.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.6 spg) and sophomore guard Kelli Hayes (2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 0.5 apg). Three other battled-tested Bruins that return for the season are junior guard Dominique Williams (0.5 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.6 apg), sophomore forward Paulina Hersler (1.7 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 0.1 apg) and sophomore guard Chrissy Baird (0.4 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 0.1 bpg).
WELCOME TO WESTWOOD
The UCLA women's basketball team enters the 2015-16 season with another top 10 recruiting class arriving in Westwood. The reigning WNIT champions have added guard Kennedy Burke (Northridge, Calif./Sierra Canyon HS) and forward Ashley Hearn (Rowlett, Texas/Sachse HS). Both players were ranked in the top 40 in the overall recruiting rankings and in the top five at their respective positions. The Bruins also welcomed in Oklahoma transfer Nicole Kornet. The senior guard will redshirt the 2015-16 season but will be invaluable during practices, going against the eight players on UCLA's roster that are listed as either a freshman or a sophomore this year.
BOMBS AWAY
The Bruins have two three-point shooting contest winners on the roster this year as freshman guard Kennedy Burke won the 2015 high school three-point shooting contest, a competition won by junior guard Kari Korver in 2012.
BIG MACS ON CAMPUS
UCLA's roster will also feature a school-record-tying four McDonald's All-Americans in 2015-16 as freshman forward Ashley Hearn joins sophomores Jordin Canada and Lajahna Drummer as well as senior guard Nirra Fields.
FIELDS SET TO CLIMB CHARTS
Senior guard Nirra Fields enters the 2015-16 season at No. 16 on UCLA's career scoring list with 1,346 points. She needs 19 to pass Anne Dean (1,364 - 1983-86) for 15th. She is 10th in 20-point scoring games (26) and needs five more to pass Nikki Blue (30 - 2003-06). She is 7th in three-point field goals made (108) and 4th in attempts (359).
KORVER ALSO ON CAREER CHARTS
Junior guard Kari Korver enters the 2015-16 season at No. 1 on UCLA's career free throw percentage list at 84.4 percent (103-for-122). She also ranks in the top 10 in all three categories for three-point shooting, entering the season at No. 4 in three-point percentage (.388), at No. 6 in makes (112) and at No. 8 in attempts (289).
PRESEASON PROJECTIONS
UCLA was picked to finish fourth in the Pac-12 in 2015-16 in a vote by the league's coaches. For the first time in the history of the poll, Oregon State was selected to win the Pac-12 title. The Beavers received the maximum first place votes with 11 and 121 total points. Stafnord, which had been voted to win the Conference 15-consecutive years prior to this year, collected 104 points for second in the polling, followed by Arizona State, which placed third with 102 points and one first-place vote. Tied for fourth with California, the Bruins and the Golden Bears had 88 points. Washington rounded out the top half of the league, coming in sixth with 68 points. The Bruins were also picked to finish fifth by the Pac-12 media.
PRESEASON POLLS
UCLA is currently receiving 22 points in the USA TODAY Sports Top 25 women's basketball coaches poll, which enters the season at No. 35. Several 2015-16 opponents are also ranked or receiving votes as South Carolina is at No. 2 and possible opponent Notre Dame is at No. 3. Oregon State is ranked No. 9 while Stanford and Arizona State are right behind at 14th and 15th, respectively. UCLA's season-opening opponent, St. John's, received 33 points (No. 33) and California is right in front of UCLA at No. 34 with 28 points. Washington (four points) and James Madison (one point), also received votes in the preseason poll.
EXHIBITION RECAP
UCLA cruised to a 113-42 victory over Vanguard in its exhibition opener on Nov. 1 in Pauley Pavilion. Senior guard Nirra Fields scored a game-high 24 points while sophomore guard Jordin Canada chipped in 20 points. Fields opened the contest with 12 points in the first quarter and had 19 by halftime. She added seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks. Canada scored 12 points in the third and added game-highs of six steals and four assists. Vanguard's Kandyce Smith scored a jumper at the 5:07 mark of the first quarter to tie the game at 9-9, but the Bruins closed the quarter with a 26-4 run to lead 35-13. UCLA was never threatened again. The Bruins led 65-25 at the break and then posted a dominant 25-4 third period to take a commanding 90-29 lead into the fourth. Six different Bruins scored in double figures. Sophomore guard Kelli Hayes and sophomore forward Monique Billings each tallied 12 points while sophomore forward Lajahna Drummer and junior guard Kari Korver each registered 11 for the Bruins. Both Bruin newcomers had shining moments as freshman forward Ashley Hearn had six points (3-for-3 from the field) and a game-high eight rebounds and freshman guard Kennedy Burke had nine points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists. Sophomore forward Paulina Hersler came off the bench to contribute four points, three rebounds and three assists. Senior forward Kacy Swain chipped in four points and five rebounds in 13 minutes of action. Samantha Doucette was the only Lion to reach double figures, scoring 17 points. The Bruins shot 55.4 percent (41-for-74) from the field and 55.6 percent (5-for-9) from three-point range while holding Vanguard to 22.8 percent (13-for-57) from the floor. UCLA dominated the glass (53-29) and won the turnover battle (12-27) thanks in part to recording 20 steals.
