COLLEGE BASKETBALL 1995-96 : USC Is in Control, but for How Long? : Southland women: UCLA’s recruiting coup threatens Trojan domination of Bruins, but neither team is likely Pac-10 winner.

Speaking of streaks, as USC and UCLA football followers are wont to do these days, the Trojans have beaten the Bruins eight consecutive times since 1991 in women’s basketball.

That trend should continue this season. But beginning next year, the cross-town rivalry could take a new turn.

UCLA Coach Kathy Olivier is trying hard not to look smug after a major recruiting coup, the signing of All-American prep sensation Maylana Martin of Perris, in Riverside County. The 6-foot-2 Martin, ranked the nation’s No. 1 prep center by one scouting service, can dunk.

She also averaged 33.4 points, 18.5 rebounds and six blocked shots a game last season as a junior.

That makes it two blue-chippers in a row for Olivier, who last year signed Seattle’s Takiyah Jackson. But Jackson blew out a knee in a summer league and is lost for this season.

UCLA has four starters back from a 10-17 team, among them All-Pac-10 center Kisa Hughes. They are joined by another top freshman recruit, point guard Erica Gomez.

Returnees include Zrinka Kristich, Tawana Grimes, Nickey Hilbert and Ricarda Kuypers.

The theme for the USC-UCLA rivalry this season is dueling sisters.

New Trojan Coach Fred Williams has identical twins in his backcourt, freshmen Kim and Kristin Clark. And his senior guard, Audrey Gomez, recovering from knee surgery, is the sister of UCLA’s Erica.

The task for the low-key Williams is to stay the course on the transition from Cheryl Miller’s two-year tenure to his own.

The shock caused by Miller’s abrupt September departure for a broadcasting career seems to have long since been smoothed over, in part because of the way Williams handled it.

There was some player outrage at first--it was the Trojans’ third coaching change in four years.

One of Williams’ first moves was to call a team meeting and tell his players, “Every person in this room would have done exactly what Cheryl did, presented with the same opportunity.”

Miller, who earned about $90,000 at USC, was offered a substantially larger salary by WTBS.

Next, Williams had to deal with the loss of Martin, signed later by UCLA. Williams had thought she had been leaning toward USC until Miller left.

“It hurt,” he said. “It was a real disappointment.

“A lot of high school prospects were taken with Cheryl, big time. Now I have to establish Fred Williams as the guy in charge, and present myself in their homes as a coach who’s going to be here a long time.”

The Trojans were 18-10 last season, finishing fifth in the Pac-10.

Junior All-American Tina Thompson leads a strong returning group. She is joined by Jody Anton, Michelle Campbell and Erica Jackson.

Williams sees the top three Pac-10 teams, in uncertain order, as Stanford, Oregon State and Oregon, a grouping he wants his players to join.

“I want us to break into that group somewhere, and I think we can do that this year,” he said.

Thompson is a dominating player, offensively and defensively. Williams said she improved her game significantly by playing internationally last summer with the U.S. Jones Cup team in Japan.