Bruins 54-Hoosiers 49: On to the Sweet 16 (barely)

by Ajax on Mar 17, 2007 7:23 PM PDT in Basketball

(Note:Just noticed that T beat me to the punch. Now you have 2 post game threads!--A )

Repeat after me:

It's the tournament. Just survive and advance.

UCLA surviving on D. Photo credit YahooSports.

Oh, and before you all start, I am officially out of the business of making predictions or announcing any "good feelings." I take full responsibility for WSU choking away their lead to Vandy and AA's dispointing night.

Here are your recaps: DSPN, CBS Sportsline, and YahooSports.

This one will take a few days to recover from. I aged 10 years in the last 1/2 hour. Anyway, on to Pitt and the Sweet 16. In case you haven't noticed, the Madness is in full swing.

This is your post-game thread.

Go Bruins!

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Comments

I like your picture better

I'm trying to delete mine.

by Tydides on Mar 17, 2007 8:25 PM PDT reply actions

Don't worry about it!

2 are better than 1!

by Ajax on Mar 17, 2007 8:26 PM PDT reply actions

wow

I agree with Ajax -- I definately aged in the last half hour. Feels similar to Gonzaga only from the other side of the pendulum - great job of maintaining composure and pulling out the win... I'm gonna go drink some beer and celebrate!

by ucsbbruinfan on Mar 17, 2007 8:27 PM PDT reply actions

Goddamn Right

Survive and advance.

A win is a win is a win is a win.

by Sweetbreads Bailey on Mar 17, 2007 8:27 PM PDT reply actions

I want a camera like that one

You can see the sweat on Mata's arm.

It's St. Patty's day, I'm gonna go...study. Forgive me if my posts tonight are poorly spelled or don't make sense.

by Tydides on Mar 17, 2007 8:28 PM PDT reply actions

Don't worry Ty

They never make sense and your spelling is always bad.

(Just kidding, c'mon.)

by Fox 71 on Mar 17, 2007 10:07 PM PDT up reply actions

AA

was the difference tonight. Yeah he only scored 10 points on 2 of 10 shooting. But with the scored tied with 90 seconds left, momentum clearly on IUs side, he took the ballgame into his own hands, getting to the line on 2 straight occasions, knocking them all down. MONEY. That was huge.

We will only go as far as AA takes us. I have faith in him.

ONWARD.

by godblesstyus95 on Mar 17, 2007 8:31 PM PDT reply actions

That wasn't a great game

But it was great to win that effing game. Our bigs will be tested again next week, but we have a tomorrow to worry about.

GO BRUINS

by sausmaf on Mar 17, 2007 8:31 PM PDT reply actions

It wasn't pretty, but it was a great game

I love the character of this team.

I love that it is a team.

It doesn't wilt.

We were ferocious.

There were very few easy games, today.

I'll take this win and remember it as one of the great blue collar games I've seen. No finesse. A purely physical game.

Before BH this is exactly the kind of game we'd lose.

With him, I never thought we'd lose.

It's a huge difference.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Mar 17, 2007 8:37 PM PDT reply actions

Howland

There is no way to quantify what he means to this team. No way to explain what he has done for this university.

People like to whine about how demanding the UCLA program is...We're not. We just want great coaches with honor and smarts and a plan.

Ben is our guy. Howland is our Homeboy.

by Sweetbreads Bailey on Mar 17, 2007 8:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Just win baby

Your team shoots only 36%, your All-American is held to 10 points, you have no seniors in a tight tournament game, AND YOU STILL WIN?

That's coaching.

by godblesstyus95 on Mar 17, 2007 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Thanks to Howland,

I see the game differently.

I never understood or appreciated good defense.

Now, I love it.

There are some teams in the tournament that really don't play D. I would never have really thought about it before Howland.

And, he has the ability to turn players into warriors. Afflalo would have been a warrior wherever he played. But, I'll never forget the conversion of Ryan Hollins; without Howland, Hollins would not be in the NBA.

I used to hate it when people called us "soft".

They don't anymore.

Ben is the man.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Mar 17, 2007 8:52 PM PDT up reply actions

It goes back to a T-shirt I got

Offense sells tickets, defense wins championships. I took that to heart when I played high school basketball. I knew I didn't have the skills to be an offensive weapon, so I concrentrated on defense. I prided myself on it. I loved being gutty little Bruin in training.

by bruinbabe2000 on Mar 17, 2007 8:57 PM PDT up reply actions

Boy, did they ever think so.

You know the one person that would never credit our accomplishments, even on his dying breath some day ?
Can you guess it ? It's Robert Montgomery Knight, who must now be brooding with anger, frustration at Indiana's loss today. He never respected us since day one. When his Indiana team played us twice that season after Wooden retired, he savaged us mercilessly on national TV then.

Luckily, time's changed.

by Htse005 on Mar 17, 2007 9:40 PM PDT up reply actions

You got that right !

Before Howland, we would have been manhandled, pummeled into shreds. Now we tough it out with poise, grittiness and confidence. Pittsburgh is the real obstacle. If we get by those Panthers next week, then Final Four is within sight again.

by Htse005 on Mar 17, 2007 9:19 PM PDT up reply actions

People who whine about the demands of UCLA B-ball

are fools to settle for mediocrity. UCLA basketball strives for greatness each season. We want excellent teacher-mentor-coaches for basketball and all other sports. Hopefully football will start showing us something.

by UCLA4Life on Mar 17, 2007 8:46 PM PDT reply actions

A, I'm glad you're out of the predicting business

You do good work, I will always be greatful to you, but man, I was afraid you jinxed AA. I say almost because he made clutch free throws when they counted.

by bruinbabe2000 on Mar 17, 2007 8:48 PM PDT reply actions

I thought about that too

and I was close to nuking the whole open-game thread because of it. Fortunately, AA was just good enough to overcome my jinx.

by Ajax on Mar 17, 2007 10:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Gotta love our guys' poise and D in the clutch...

Think of how Luc and the rest of the team forced them into THREE inbounds plays in one possession.

Indiana had no timeouts... but NEITHER DID WE.

Indiana got worn down mentally, and we capitalized.

NO TIMEOUTS IN THE CLUTCH? PLEASE. Coach has had us playing with no timeouts late in games for the past TWO YEARS. It drives my wife crazy a lot of tiems when Coach burns the TOs, but you have to admit, we've at least had some good experience with it!

And if anyone dismisses this as lucky: YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN LUCK. Opportunity can come about randomly, but knowledge, preparation and skill allow you to make the most out of whatever opportunities show up out of nowhere.

Knowledge.

Preparation.

Skill.

Passed down, nurtured, and developed by Big Ben.

TWO DOWN.

FOR NOW ONE MORE TO GO.

GO ONE-AND-OH -- FOUR MORE TIMES.

MIM

by Meriones on Mar 17, 2007 8:52 PM PDT reply actions

Luck

Is where Preparation and Opportunity meet. Isn't that one of Coach Wooden's favorite sayings?

Like you, I dismiss the luck factor. We CONTROLLED them, even in the waning moments. When we showed them full court press, they folded like a deck of cards. Preparation and execution.

Side note: This is the second lowest point total we've ever held an opponent to in the tournament. Considering their blitz of truly lucky shots and to barely find their way north of our futility mark. That is intense defense, baby!

by Tydides on Mar 17, 2007 9:17 PM PDT up reply actions

Not that I want to spoil your fun

But aren't your supposed to be studying? Or is it "studying"

by bruinbabe2000 on Mar 17, 2007 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Don't worry

I'm "studying", it's just taking a little longer to kick in than usual. I mean, soak in...whatever.

GO BRUINS

by Tydides on Mar 17, 2007 9:37 PM PDT up reply actions

the good news for the bruins is...

Pitt is tremendously awful, it's like they're a parody of a Big Ten school, complete with a godawful "star" player in Aaron Gre/ay, who might lose to Yao Ming in a footrace.

Congrats on advancing to the Elite 8.

BenBall minus athleticism= Pitt

groan

www.royalsreview.com

by RoyalsReview @ Bruins Nation on Mar 17, 2007 8:57 PM PDT reply actions

Let's not

get too overconfident here. Pitt is a great team. If they were awful they wouldn't be in the Sweet 16. However, I do feel we should win this game. I think we need to get in transition because we are way more athletic than Pitt. But, though they lack outstanding athleticism they do have size.

But, with that being said I think we'll have less problems with Aaron Gray than DJ White. White was an absolute monster.

by BruinFanatic1988 on Mar 17, 2007 9:10 PM PDT up reply actions

the beat Wright State

and VCU...

UCLA will win by 15, and it won't be that close

www.royalsreview.com

by RoyalsReview @ Bruins Nation on Mar 17, 2007 9:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Watch It

Overconfidence is a sin on BN

by alcor805 on Mar 17, 2007 10:44 PM PDT up reply actions

I keep my fingers crossed

Whatever it is, I know Howland will prepare our team well in squaring off against his former team. He
"built" the program and he must know how to "tear" it down when necessary, specially when Pitt is standing in our way.

by Htse005 on Mar 17, 2007 9:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Since When Does March Madness Describe Officiating

The refs came down with March Madness the last 10 minutes of tonight's game. They realized that CBS was going to switch the whole country over and tightened up the game.

by alcor805 on Mar 17, 2007 9:11 PM PDT reply actions

Win or Lose

The next game should be dedicated to Jaime Dixon's sister Maggie who passed away suddenly last year. She was the women's coach at Army and very good friends with Coach Howland.

by alcor805 on Mar 17, 2007 9:15 PM PDT reply actions

Great Point

For some reason, Maggie Dixon comes up in my mind every couple weeks. What an absolutely tragic story.

Maggie and Jaime will always be honorary members of Bruins Nation, at least in my mind.

by Sweetbreads Bailey on Mar 17, 2007 10:34 PM PDT up reply actions

another place and time.

This is the not the time nor place to dedicate a game to Coach Maggie Dixon.

We all know Ben Howland and Jamie Dixon are great friends. However this week, Pitt's in our way, and we're in their way. It simply is not the appropriate context.

I do hope one year, our Bruins will play in the Maggie Dixon classic, something that Jamie created to honor her memory.

by ursa on Mar 18, 2007 12:33 AM PDT up reply actions

great win! on to the sweet sixteen!

i think i got a few grey hairs the end of that game.... and no, it wasn't luck.... it shows how bh has made us tough, confident, and in control.... yes, we used to be called soft when i was at ucla...no more!!!

by nycbruin on Mar 17, 2007 10:44 PM PDT reply actions

Defense

really does win games. this was a tough one to watch (on what limited coverage there was on cbs). we're gonna have to beef up the offense next time...we really got away with one today.

by diehardbruin on Mar 17, 2007 11:14 PM PDT reply actions

Law school function

Had to miss most of the game.

But caught the several minutes after the end of the UNC game. I seriously thought I was going to have a heart attack those last couple minutes.

Between Luc and Collison on those late Hoosier inbounds, those guy saved outr seasin there, or so it seemed.

by bruinhoo on Mar 17, 2007 11:58 PM PDT reply actions

no idea if this makes any sense

B/C of the before mentioned function, and our close call this evening, I am really drunk tonight. so, aplologies.

by bruinhoo on Mar 18, 2007 12:02 AM PDT up reply actions

I love my BRUINS!!!

BUT i was disappointed with the way we played today. On defensense we looked good but on offense we looked horrible.I saw a couple intances were we hesitated to take a shot. Getting the win is great, but when you know your team can play better it;s dissapointing to to see how we play like we did tonite. If they want to make it to the nat'l championship, we need to play better.

GO BRUINS!!!

by Jeodude on Mar 18, 2007 4:09 AM PDT reply actions

AA

As someone said: We will only go as far as AA takes us. Trouble is, lately AA has been missin in action (scoring wise) more often than not and as the tourney advances that can not be good.

by eltoloc on Mar 18, 2007 3:10 PM PDT reply actions