Bruins Nation: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
Around SBN: Cal RB Jahvid Best Seriously Injured, Carted Off Field

Just A Typical Day For UCLA Basketball

Chris Dufresne from the LAT sums up a Humpday to rememer for Bruin Nation:

It was a typical day for UCLA basketball and a really good one for UCLA football.

"Great recruiting year for UCLA football!" Howland chimed at the end of his news conference.

We will get to the recruiting news later. For now we need to mark Dohn's poigant observation re. the so called "rivalry" between UCLA and Southern Cal basketball programs (emphasis added)

In the third game since Bruins coach Ben Howland met with his senior leaders, the 15 th-ranked Bruins treated their opponent like a low-level mid-major, building a 23-point halftime lead en route to a 76-60 thrashing of crosstown rival USC on Wednesday at Pauley Pavilion.

That's pretty much it. Isn't it. After all the nonsense of "gap closing" of last few years Ben Ball warriors have beaten those chumps 6 out of last 7 meetings in past three years. Coming into this game we had heard about how the Trojies were the hottest team in the Pac-10 but all that went out in the wayside as the Ben Ball warriors blitzed Timmeh's posters our of Pauley by midway through the first half/.

So many good things happened last night. As T noted in his post game thread it was difficult to single someone out as everyone seem to give an all out effort right from the start. Perhaps they were inspired by another memorable performance by AA2, who seems to be getting better by every game. He IMHO was the player of the game with 14 pts and 12 boards, setting the tone early with his all out hustle. He was diving for every lose ball, soaring up for rebounds and making it easy for his team-mates by constantly cutting to the basket. More from Dohn:

Senior center Alfred Aboya recorded his second career double-double, scoring 14 points and matching his career-high with 12 rebounds.

UCLA was again balanced in scoring, with four players reaching double figures. The Bruins were led by Josh Shipp's 19 points. Jrue Holiday had 13 points and six assists and Nikola Dragovic added 12 points.

I'd like to single JS not for his team leading 19 points or exceptional FT shooting (11-12). Nor did I think his best moment was the pretty dunk around the 7 min mark of the second half. I was incredibly proud at the composure and poise JS showed when Hackett went after him with his usual cheap, thuggish foul. JS didn't retaliate and fall into Hackett's trap. He gathered himself, got right up, and turned up his intensity few more notches. JS's cool reaction sent the unmistakable message to Hackett and rest of the Trojies that we didn't think they were worth the trouble. That was leadership.

Also providing leadership was our senior pg who might not have had a great night offensively, but was instrumental in our suffocating, inside-the-jersey defense:

Collison, the Bruins' point guard, is no longer sitting back on defense. He is challenging opposing point guards further out on the court, and he harassed USC's Daniel Hackett, who scored just two points before fouling out with more than nine minutes remaining.

"Collison's ball pressure made their point guard, the first 10 minutes, have to turn his back to run their offense because it was just so ferocious," Howland said. "It was a great game. Our bench continues to get better and better. Everyone is contributing for this team right now, so it's exciting."

Again here is the LAT (which was so flustered with their favorite Trojans having a bad day on all fronts yesterday that they misreported the score as respectable 76-70) on the story of last night's game:

Playing in front of the loudest home crowd of the season -- an announced attendance of 12,179 -- the Bruins won with pressure defense, holding USC stars Gibson and Daniel Hackett to a combined four points. They won with forward Nikola Dragovic's raining three-point shots and Josh Shipp's flying to the basket for a team-high 19 points.

This was the bad USC -- see the end of the Oregon State game -- looking flustered, suffering from poor shot selection and, even worse, 23 turnovers.

"That was the story of the ballgame," USC Coach Tim Floyd said.

Thanks for helping out Timmeh.

Going back to our defense what I am particularly noticing is how much tighter our defensive rotation is now compared to what we were seeing few weeks ago. Not only our freshmen are playing at a different level but lot of the upperclassmen such as ND and ML (who had two spectacular blocks) have turned it up few notches.

I do have two quibbles from last night's game. I do think we took our feet off the gas peddle a little in stretches during the second half. We were settling for jump shots too much and getting sloppy on offense. Also, as much I have been JK's game last few weeks, I think he took a step back yesterday with some questionable shot selections in the second half. But I have no doubt JK will get better.

Obviously there is a lot of season left. As scary as it might sound for rest of the country, Bruins still have a lot of room for improvement. Hopefully JH will continue to play at the level he has been at last three games. We will need JA, DG, and ML to continue to provide spark off the bench.  I will end with this note from Coach Howland:

"I'm really excited with how we're playing right now," Howland said. "I think this team is really improving as we move forward."

Hopefully they can keep this trend going when taking on a solid Irish team this Saturday morning. Here is to more "typical day for UCLA basketball" rest of the season.

GO BRUINS.

0 recs  |  Comment 14 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Love this quote

“This was a great spanking,” USC coach Tim Floyd said. “They really put it on us.”

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290350026

by EdtheBruin on Feb 5, 2009 5:39 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Exciting times

Reading about games like this make me even more excited for March to come around when I’ll finally get to watch the BBWs play live. There are a lot of games to go between now and then of course but I think the last three games should shut up those few misguided pundits who were questioning if the Bruins were good enough to get into the tournament at all. Muppets…

by irishbruin on Feb 5, 2009 6:45 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Disgusting LA Slimes

I don’t care about that junkpaper, really, I haven’t picked up an actual copy of it since moving back to SoCal a year and a half ago. I almost never read their online articles either.

But make no mistake. I don’t care how irrational it makes me seem, but that 76-70 “typo” was no mistake at all. Please.

Oh, and it wasn’t the “Good Bruins” who showed up and spanked the trOJies, it was the “Bad Trojans” who showed up and lost the game.

I am so incredibly sick and tired of their dishonesty and agenda. I try not to care, but this is just simply overboard for me. Even Timmeh can admit to getting a spanking. But no, for the Slimes, it’s just that the trOJies were having a bad day. Losers.

But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.

by tasser10 on Feb 5, 2009 9:55 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

One Thing: Coaching Discipline

Obviously, The Trojies are ill-advised to come into our house with anything less than their “A” game. But in addition, I was really watching Tim Floyd and his team last night, and I thought, "Wow, it really is…coaching. It’s all about coaching, coaching, coaching.

The good ones—and I mean the really good ones—like our Coach John Wooden, Adolph Rupp, Bobby Knight, Mike Krzyzewski, Pat Summit—they all coach discipline. (Do I personally love all of these folks? No, but that’s not the point.) They coach discipline, with discipline. They make the really hard decisions when they must, and they hold themselves, and their players, completely accountable.

Tim Floyd has a 63-36 record with USC. USC has now, and has had in the past, some very talented individual players. He has not, that I can find or recall, either in college or during his miserable tenure in the NBA, had a team that has played better as a whole than the sum of its individual players. In fact, one could reasonably argue that his teams have grossly underachieved when they’ve had high-calibar individual talent on board. (OJ Mayo was utterly punked by K-State’s Michael Beasley & Company last year—he absolutely could not handle the “help” defense.) Tim Floyd’s NBA record is 93-235, and his Bulls teams were apparently renowned for… fighting.

Look, both OJ Mayo and Kevin Love were destined for the NBA, regardless. And, probably Jordan Farmar and AA were, as well. But, RW and LRMAM were probably not guaranteed such a destiny in the beginning. Then they hooked up with Coach Ben Howland, the uncompromising disciplinarian. This is not to take away from their natural talents and abilities, understand, but they developed those gifts in the right environment to create—face it—absolutely monstrous, driven, disciplined, no-work-is-too-hard, defend-to-the-death NBA players, stars, eye-poppers, even. Coaches’ dreams.

Coaching discipline. Davon Jefferson was a talented young player. He had absolutely no discipline. He torpedoed himself in a gut-wrenching fashion. Angelo Johnson, another USC freshman last season, set an all-time “spoiled brat-ness” record last fall, and left USC in a huff. (Sorry, can’t resist this, compare AA2. He really considered leaving, folks, and he not only already has his undergrad degree, he has an enormous destiny of his own. Look at what he’s doing right now.) Floyd’s response to Johnson’s tantrum was basically to bemoan that he didn’t have players “like Darren Collison.” Nope, no accountability there. Floyd took no responsibility for these kids, from the get-go, the same way he takes no responsibility for the filthy play of Leonard Washington and Daniel Hackett. And, of course, there is no discipline whatsoever. Taj Gibson has skills. Taj Gibson is consistently in foul trouble. Coach Floyd responds to fouls committed by his team by screaming at the refs. Ergo, Taj Gibson and Daniel Hackett continue to get into foul trouble. It’s all “cheap shots and bad losses.” No responsibility. No accountability. No discipline.

Drago got himself in some serious trouble early this season. Coach Howland’s response? He’s benched. Discipline. Look at what Drago is doing now. Screw up, Coach sits you. Coach asks you to work a little harder and step up your defensive play, you do what he asks, and — you’re The Man.

The basketball part of this coaching thing? Well, that really is rocket science to me, frankly. But the other part that Coach Wooden and Coach Howland—and all those other great coaches I mentioned—have? I think it’s discipline, and I think it’s just as difficult and challenging to do as the basketball part. I also think the basketball part will kick you in the butt if you don’t have it, Coach Floyd.

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on Feb 5, 2009 10:48 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Fan Post this, 83.

This is GOOD stuff. BRAVO, I mean, BRAVA.

Any more of that cinnamon ice cream left? ;-)

M

"In this program your passion bucket must be full to play SC." -- CRN, to Dan Patrick, 1/2008

by Meriones on Feb 5, 2009 11:57 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Thanks, and

(yes, it’s in the freezer. Hot apple crisp with that stuff melting all over it…my family really loves it when the Bruins have a game.)

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on Feb 5, 2009 12:17 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Go ahead and cut and paste it into a new FanPost.

This is a worthwhile read. MIM

"In this program your passion bucket must be full to play SC." -- CRN, to Dan Patrick, 1/2008

by Meriones on Feb 5, 2009 12:26 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Nice post Bruingirl

And it reminds me of how much the cream (howland) has risen to the top over the last few years.

It was only a year and a half ago that SUCsters were crowing about how Timmie was a better coach than Howland because Timmie was able to make it to the Sweet-16 in only his second year. Funny how those same people are now nowhere to be found.

by bornagainbruin on Feb 5, 2009 12:06 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

At least Foster got some money quotes:

Trojans’ guard Daniel Hack-‘em leaned back in his chair, being as repetitive as USC’s band. “Don’t ask me, I don’t have any answers. I have no idea. Don’t ask, I don’t know. I’m at a loss,” Hack-’em said.

As to what happened against UCLA, Floyd said, “we were not able to duplicate how they play defense in practice.”

Duh.

by bru79 on Feb 5, 2009 11:13 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Southern Cal basketball

is a joke. Nothing backs that statement up more than when they threw out that punk rapper kid in garbage time.

Too bad that 95% of SUC fans don’t really care about basketball. When we start beating them with regularity in football (and I mean WHEN), then the trOJies will be crying like babies.

by godblesstyus95 on Feb 5, 2009 12:33 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Mostly the band-wagoners will just crawl back under their rocks

like they did during the Tollner/Smith/Robo2/Hacket eras. Ah, what blissful quiet was heard!

by bru79 on Feb 5, 2009 1:33 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I love my Bruins!

Pauley was rocking last night. I enjoyed the crowd’s enthusiasm and support almost as much as I enjoyed the game. There’s nothing like being there for the SUC game.

They put together a great first half, executing on offense and pressuring on defense. SUC played a really terrible game, making many unforced turnovers and shooting poorly. They weren’t half the team they were at Galen.

Drago killed them in the first half. He stuck the fork in and they were done.

 All that being said, in the last three games Cal, Stanford and SUC played horrible games against us. Washington completely outplayed us and we had trouble against WSU and ASU. I hope that the momentum built is a product of the team improving and not just meltdowns by the last three opponents.

JS is the key to our team going far. He continues his consistent scoring, which bodes well for the rest of the season.

AA is playing much better, and yet, even in these games, he fumbles the balls too much and misses easy layups. As a senior, he needs to have more poise and not rush catches and shots. That being said, he’s playing better than I ever expected he could, and was definitely the player of the game last night.

DC and JH are just as solid as players can be. JH may not be as unstoppable as I had hoped, but he is a strong piece of a strong team. DC is the most unselfish star player I can imagine. He had 2 pts for most of the game, but obviously didn’t care.

The freshman are coming on. JA is getting comfortable at the point. DG is making really solid contributions – blocks, rebounds and monster dunks. ML looked good vs. Stanford, but isn’t quite ready for prime time. JM is still nothing but a project. Still getting great contributions from JA and DG will make us tougher as the season progresses.

JK was terrible last night. I predict that he will come on in the Pac10 tourney and NCAA. He is a vital piece, and will be need against teams with big inside players. We’ll need his defense and his fouls.

CBH is doing a great job of expanding the players who matter to 9 (DC, JS, JH, AA, ND, JK, MR, JA and DG) and is working to make it 10 with ML. This allows the team to always play hard defense and remain fresh at the end. Part of his strategy is to wear down the opponent with fresh bodies. It really worked well against SUC, which really has only 6 or 7 decent players.

CBH was taking big hits two weeks ago. Now he’s a genius. Thank god for CBH. He is the face of the return of UCLA to prominence. I look forward to ever single game and I get to watch a team that plays hard with intelligence.

by 75NatChamps on Feb 5, 2009 1:42 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to Bruins Nation, an unofficial daily online scrap book covering the greatest collegiate athletic program in the nation. GO BRUINS.
Start posting about the Bruins »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

13-9_ucla_baby____036_small
Videos from Washington/UCLA Football Game!
2145443360_ab27e15b11_b_small
Bleeding Blue and Gold ... Always
Morrell_small
The UCLA Passing Game Under Norm Chow
Arron_afflalo1_small
NBA Opening Night (Bruin Edition)
Rowing_picture_small
Football is like a box of chocolates

Recent FanPosts

Th_ucla182c2_small
More photos from the UCLA vs U-dub game.
Images_small
Non-Revenue Sports Bruin Review and Calendar
Telemachus_small
Washington @ UCLA Photos
Bruinsnation_small
A Quick Reflection On Steve Sarkasian For Rest Of 2009
Bruinsnation_small
Harrison Barnes' Amazing Trip To Howlandwood
Bruinsnation_small
The Big Red Signs Off
Moreyouknow_small
Pre-Game Guesses: Oregon State Results
Screen_shot_2009-09-28_at_6
13-9’s Tidbits: Washington Edition
Small
Hartman doesnt get it

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

SPONSORS


Managers

094_small Ajax

Bruinsnation_small Nestor

Menelaus2_small Menelaus

Arron_afflalo1_small Tydides

Brad_pitt_as_achilles_small Achilles

Small Meriones

Telemachus_small Telemachus

Small Odysseus

Blue_bellerophon_small Bellerophon

Authors

Images_small Ryan Rosenblatt

Official Partner of CBS Sports