COLLEGE BASKETBALL: 1993-94 SEASON PREVIEW : SOUTHLAND PREVIEW : Something Old, Something New

“Rookie head coach” is one of two themes binding the women’s basketball programs at USC and UCLA this season.

Cheryl Miller, an All-American a decade ago, takes over at USC for Marianne Stanley, whose contract was allowed to expire in June. And Kathy Olivier, a seven-year UCLA assistant coach, took over for Billie Moore, who resigned after 16 seasons.

A second link is USC’s Lisa Leslie (6 feet 5) and UCLA’s Natalie Williams (6-1), two seniors who are national player-of-the-year candidates.

Leslie, an outstanding scorer from short and intermediate range, had a solid game on Sunday against an Australian all-star team that beat USC, 78-75, two nights after beating UCLA, 80-77.

Leslie had 15 rebounds and 21 points and three blocked shots in 36 minutes. She played with a game-long intensity she sometimes lacked a season ago.

Williams, probably the premier low post player in women’s college basketball, had 28 points and 19 rebounds in 35 minutes against the Aussies.

Leslie seems to have a stronger and deeper supporting cast than Williams. USC, which should contend for national ranking, returns starting point guard Nicky McCrimmon (5-8) and forward Jualeah Woods (6-0).

Challenging UCLA and USC might be Stanford in the Pacific 10.

As Miller put it: “The Pac-10 winner will be the team that wins at home and steals a couple on the road.”

Three other Southland teams:

CAL STATE FULLERTON

Second-year Coach Debbie Ayres is hopeful of improving on last season’s 8-19 finish with two players who made the Big West all-freshman team, guard Shayla Bradshaw and forward Shefonda Colbert. Another sophomore, Faye Hagan, was the No. 2 rebounder last season.

Immediate help is expected from JC transfers LaCheri Grant, Autumn Hollyfield, Koko Lahanas and Beth Taylor.

LONG BEACH STATE

After being a dominating team the past decade or so, Long Beach State crashed last season. The 49ers suffered their first sub-.500 season (9-17 overall, 8-10 in the Big West), after making the NCAA playoffs 11 years in a row.

Second-year Coach Glenn McDonald will bank heavily on proven inside player Danielle Scott and another forward, Kim Barfield. The point guard is sophomore Akia Hardy. Two top scorers and rebounders: Neisha Williams and Chenise Butler.

UC IRVINE

From where they have reposed the past two years, the Anteaters can only go up. Irvine is 7-46 in that span (2-24 last year) and the outlook is for more of the same. A preseason poll tabbed Irvine last again in the Big West.

Things are so bad, this gem from the Anteaters’ press guide sums it up: “On paper, the Anteaters’ 2-24 overall and 1-17 Big West record looked like a horrendous year, but statistically many improvements were made.”