For reasons stated in my post on Nestor’s thread. Though I do believe our last offensive possession was doomed. DC had succeeded in making only one basket (all game) off the dribble. Under other circumstances, it’s the most reliable play, but i would’ve preferred a kick-out given the presence of Sanders and DC’s lack of elevation in that game.

Darren Collison had a good look, Sanders just made a better defensive play on the ball. About the only thing that I wish had changed was if DC had started the offense a little earlier so that it doesn’t result in just 1 shot just in that scenario. Who knows, if ND had a second or 2 to set up that 3 maybe he hits it and UCLA seals it right then and there. I am all for CBH’s patient get-the-best-look offense. It’s when the other players play spectator and do nothing off the ball that really irks me. And I think that may be why CBH doesn’t play the frosh as much, since they don’t know the offense well enough and have not been significantly consistent contributors off the bench.

They always say that good coaching wins close games. Maybe it is true that Coach Howland should play ML some, but then how do we know that ML doesn’t make stupid mistakes if he plays? Had we made three out of the five layups, the whole game will be so much different. Don’t forget we are talking about 18 to 22 years old kids here. What they have done last night was great. They were trying to do the best they can. Luck is always a big factor too. How many times they missed the free throws so we can survive at last. I remember a lot of us complained about ND and insisted JK should be started prior to the game, and I am glad Coach Howland stuck with ND. To me, that is one of the many decisions Coach had made and worked.

My frustration last night was NOT the rotation, while it IS frequently the fact that we so many times stand around the perimeter waiting and waiting and finally taking a 3. But last night with the freakishly long Sanders ( who had already it seemed like rejected about a half dozen in the last 4 minutes), I thought it would have been perfect on quite a few occasions to pull up and take the dreaded 10’ bank shot. I know, I know those don’t make ESPN…and so most don’t practice that shot enough. The cutter could even dish it to…NO not a 3 point shot, which is the rage but to a mid range jumper with a much higher percentage of success, while the passer is screening Sanders, or a forward cutting behind Sanders. So while I was so glad they were driving to the hoop, I thought that they needed to adjust a little to the monster in the middle. In the end, you make two 10’ bank shots, and DON’T miss only 2 of your 5 layups and we win by 9! That’s how close we were to easily taking care of VCU, and the type of play we will need to get by Nova.

Keep driving to the hoop, mix it up with some mid range jumpers, make our layups, and follow-up our layups to get those easy put backs….an occasional three…..and we beat Nova like a drum right out of Philly! Besides I have you in the final four on my bracket, and picked 15 out of 16 yesterday! Keep it up.

Go Bruins!

Dan Wetzel has this to say about last night:

The historic highlights are always about buzzer beaters – the final-second shots made courtesy of superior play. And that’s fine.

Thursday night though, UCLA’s Darren Collison delivered the defensive equivalent, making the play that won the Bruins their first-round game over VCU, 65-64 in the East Region.

Collison guarded VCU’s devastatingly quick guard, Eric Maynor, who just two years ago scorched the Duke backcourt for a game-winning jumper.

With Maynor looking to duplicate another game-winner over an all-time program, Collison cut off the lane, made Maynor pick up his dribble and then refused to fall for a foul-drawing pump fake. With a hand in his face, Maynor was forced into a disjointed 17-foot jumper that fell harmlessly short.

Anything less out of Collison and Maynor probably scores, UCLA loses and the shot is remembered forever.

Nobody wants to watch highlights of a guy playing defense. The video of Collison on Maynor won’t be a Pontiac Game Changer or be immortalized in future commercials. It won’t be toasted in Westwood the way, say, Tyus Edney streaking the length of court, still is.

This was the game-winning play though. And it spared the Bruins from being on the wrong end of the replay.

This is the reason UCLA is back to powerhouse status, seeking its fourth consecutive Final Four. Ben Howland is a great defensive coach and quite often that’s where the game is really won. Thursday, his star player proved it in the biggest moment of the game.

“It’s really my fault, my responsibility, I didn’t use our bench well enough in this game.” And… “I probably should have played Malcolm,” Howland said. “Again, that’s my call.”

Even old Ben knows he almost cost us that game. ML could have really helped out DC defending Maynor. Get real guys, this is a team. Not a team of seniors only. We were willing to live and die with JH out there, and not playing ML at least 10min wore DC out and nearly cost us. 1 point is all we won by, and remember that PAA had to hit 2 clutch free-throws to keep us ahead. DC was gassed, and we need him Saturday. I’m afraid we might be screwed for our next match-up against Nova since we pushed our seniors to the brink.

I was at the game and sat in the UCLA section. There was some person there who booed Michael Roll and screamed for ML. This is just wrong:

1. This is terrible to Roll. He has worked hard and improved. He is a good offense player and okay on defense.
2. Lee is a good defense player but is out of control on offense. Take away a few flashes and games against bad teams and he is a liability RIGHT now. He needs some work because his basic offensive play is to turn to the basket and drive. Lee is the future but he is not there yet.

Second, everyone complains about Coach’s offense at the end of the game. I too hate the way Drago and Shipp disappear. Only AA is the same player at the end of game as he is the rest of the game. But I have to ask, have you been watching this team over the last 3 years? Two out of the last three years, we almost always turned to the primary crunch time ball handled to take the last shot. It is not DC fault but a pattern.

1. Three years ago, the end of the game was everyone waiting around for Jordan Farmar to do something. He could also pass but everyone else was passive. DC is not Farmar in that he is not the passer and is not as comfortable shooting outside unless he is set.
2. Two years ago, everyone waited for Aaron Afflao to jack up the shot in crunch time. DC is not Afflao in that he cannot do fade away or mid range jumpers over people. It is not DC’s fault that he is relatively short.
3. Last year was the exception. Love demanded the ball but don’t forget he had to often come out high to get the ball. We had two options that year.
4. DC is just being the heir to Afflao and Farmar. It is unfortunate that DC has only one crunch time move, the drive to the basket for a layup or a floater. (Yes he is a good 3 point shooter but he does not have the size of Affalo to get his outside shot off closely covered, nor the ability to shoot jumpers on the move like Farmar.) It is not DC’s fault. He is the best free throw shooter of the group (important in crunch time) and a better defender than Farmar.

More reasons.

5. Before you bag on DC and Coach too much, think about VCU. Everyone knew Maynor was going to take the shot. We aren’t different.
6. Also never forget that Coach will always be defense first. That forces DC to run down the clock to give the other team less time for their offense. We are like the Ravens or those teams in any sport that think defense first. We will always sacrifice some offense for defense. DC is doing what coach wants and helping our defense when he runs the clock down.

I’ll be one of the few Bruins Saturday at the Villanova home game. So yes, be nervous if it is close but believe in Coach and root for DC. They have earned our support.