Kiki Rice’s senior season got off to a surprising start on Monday. As UCLA announced their starting lineup for the season opener against San Diego State, Rice wasn’t one of them, with Charlisse Leger-Walker and Gianna Kneepkens starting in the UCLA backcourt.
Rice still played, and played well, in UCLA’s 77-53 win to open their season and Bruins’ head coach Cori Close spoke postgame about why Rice was coming off the bench.
“She had a minutes restriction, a big minutes restriction just a week ago,” Close said of Rice. “It’s just a matter of her coming back. This was literally the first day that she was completely cleared from our staff.”
Rice scored 10 points on 4-10 shooting in 25 minutes, dishing out five assists and grabbing four rebounds. Following last season, Rice underwent surgery on her shoulder.
“She’s been doing an excellent job, she’s such a hard worker that way. She’s a selfless leader,” Close said of Rice. “Everybody wants to start. I’m sure she didn’t like it but the reality is, I have to make that choice as she’s coming back.”
Rice has been a great Bruin but her and Charlisse Leger-Walker do a lot of similar things on the basketball court. It’s obviously a great luxury to have both but it will make cracking the starting lineup a bit tougher for everyone on the Bruins.
“It’s only a matter of time before you see not only old Kiki but improved Kiki,” Close said. “She has not been healthy for two years and she is healthy and ready to go.”
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: ‘Everybody wants to start’ — Cori Close says Kiki Rice is still working her way back
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
