UCLA Subdues No. 14 Purdue

Before the basketball season began, UCLA Coach Kathy Olivier said that her Bruins needed a fast start to be worthy of national attention.

How about the team’s best start in more than 20 years?

Since an opening loss to Texas Christian, the Bruins have five consecutive victories. Two have been against ranked opponents. The latest was No. 14 Purdue, which fell to the No. 25 Bruins, 70-64, Sunday before 3,268 at Pauley Pavilion.

Sophomore guard Noelle Quinn had 23 points, her fifth consecutive 20-point outing. Also in double figures for UCLA were Lisa Willis (14), Lindsey Pluimer (12) and Nikki Blue (11 points and six assists).

It produced the Bruins’ best start since opening the 1982-83 season at 5-0.

“We’ve been trying to come out strong, especially the first five minutes,” Willis said. “Teams look at us and say we’re small, but we’re also quick. We play like we’re all 6-5.”

Added Olivier: “When we lost to TCU, I got on them for a first game, and I don’t know if you want to do that to a team. But they have responded.

“Against a big team like Purdue with its great tradition, this was a great win for us.”

Purdue Coach Kristy Curry was impressed.

“Right now I think UCLA is a top 10 team,” Curry said. “And Noelle Quinn is one of the top 10 players in the country.”

Purdue (4-2) has size, as evidenced by its 43-31 rebounding edge, but it came into the game averaging 24.8 turnovers and had 29 against the Bruins, which gave up big leads but did not trail.

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The more USC plays a fast tempo and shares the ball, the better its offense operates. That was clear in its 77-56 win over Loyola Marymount before 514 at the Sports Arena. Rachel Woodward led USC (3-2) with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Coach Mark Trakh was most pleased that all 11 players he used scored at least two points and that USC had 20 assists on its 30 field goals. Bianca Ziemann’s 16 points led Loyola (4-2).

-- Mike Terry

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Lauren Wenski equaled a career high with 16 points for Pepperdine (2-6) in a 63-42 victory over Cal State Northridge (1-3) in a Contra Costa Times Classic consolation game at Berkeley.