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BELIEVE

Bruinsnation_tiny by Nestor on in Basketball

No matter what happens from here on out ...

... I love our coach.

I love our team.

I am exhausted right now (but having a hard time falling asleep because uhm I am a little amped up?) and don't have a lot of thoughts to offer up. Obviously Josh haters should take a rest. That was a money bomb from behind the three with our season on the line.

Kevin Love showed the entire world (as CBS switched their national feed of Tenn/Louisville game perhaps hoping and praying for an upset) why he is the best freshman to arrive in the greatest program in the history of this game since Bill Walton.

The zebras did all they could in trying to "make up" for all the calls from last few weeks. But once again our boys stood up, took a deep breath, and pulled out what turned out to be yet another prototypical Howland/Montanesque win.

Oh and by the way does some one want to look up comments from earlier in the season taking us to task for going easy on this kid and calling him a "disappointment"?


Photo Credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images (via Yahoo)

Here is the recap from the WWL and box score of yet another magical (thank you bruinofthenorth and congrats to you for blessing this Bruin Nation w the ultimate mojo) Ben Ball night.

We never stopped believing in JK and today he showed why he  is going to leave this magical program with his own legacy as a Ben Ball warrior.

We love our Ben Ball warriors. Like I said above no matter what happens we will never lose faith and will always BELIEVE.

That said bring on the Muskateers.

Thread it up and rock out in another post game Ben Ball victory thread.

GO BRUINS.

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You know...
This is GREAT for JK. It will help his confidence in a big way! Thank you JS for that huge three! I think I hurt my back flying out of the chair on that one. The warriors stood in there, when the going got tough and never laid down! THAT is Ben Ball!
Go UCLA!

by madmaxucla on Mar 27, 2008 10:27 PM PDT   0 recs

Ha!
I really close to throwing my back on that one too!

by bruin8uclap on Mar 27, 2008 11:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

KL's post-game comments
The team is not happy with this win.  He acknowledges mistakes were made and they will need to clean it up before playing a very good Xavier team.  It's nice to know our team is all business and always looking to improve.  Go Bruins!

by mark the bruin on Mar 27, 2008 10:31 PM PDT   0 recs

we can all agree with that!
Xavier is going to be the toughest test of the tourney so far... this wasn't good enough for the Elite 8 and they know it!

by njbruin on Mar 27, 2008 10:35 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

They Shouldn't be
I don't believe this team will be happy until they've won the championship.

by Tydides on Mar 27, 2008 10:37 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Saturday?
What time is the game scheduled for (PST)?

by kdblows on Mar 27, 2008 10:32 PM PDT   0 recs

Where can we watch the post game press conf?
CBH: 3 straight PAC-10 titles, most since CJW!

by Lakers Bruins Fanatic on Mar 27, 2008 10:32 PM PDT   0 recs

KCBS in Los Angeles
has the post-game report and interviews w/ players.

by mark the bruin on Mar 27, 2008 10:35 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The Defense
Keefe had as great a defensive performance as an offensive one. Standing in, holding his ground, blocking shots, he was everywhere.

There goes the narrative of UCLA being favored by the refs. That's the problem with creating fanciful storylines, now the idiots in the MSM will have to find something else to bitch about.

Great to see Shipp get some of that aggressiveness back and KLove was even more dominant than usual, sensing that his opponent could not handle him. We've won with guard play before and today we won with frontcourt play. Losing our pressbreaker in DC with 6 minutes to go could have been fatal, but Shipp and Westbrook found a way to stay on the floor and help run the offense down the stretch.

by Tydides on Mar 27, 2008 10:33 PM PDT   0 recs

The refs
Are you kidding? I'm betting that the MSM will not pay attention to the awful refereeing and the story line will be how UCLA nearly blew it.

by Raisin on Mar 27, 2008 10:37 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Not only that
they are going to salivate over Xavier having a chance to take out UCLA. It will be all about how UCLA will not be able to handle Xavier given the tough game we had against WKY.

by Nestor on Mar 27, 2008 10:39 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

only one way to shut them up
Win solidly against Xavier. We all know this team is capable of that. The good thing is the game is in 2 days, not 4 or 5, so we won't be hearing a whole lot of it.

by njbruin on Mar 27, 2008 10:40 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Two days
Yeah, but I know CBH would like a few days more in between.  It gives him more time to prepare.  And, he is one coach where preparation really makes a difference to his team.  And, rest for our bruised warriors usually helps too.

by Joe Bruin on Mar 27, 2008 10:44 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

CBH
is pulling an all nighter as we speak. He didn't go to sleep following our last two sweet-16 games preparing for the Elite Eight. You can bet he and his staff are devouring Xavier tapes tonight.

by Nestor on Mar 27, 2008 10:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

and remember the spin before our last two Elite 8s
Memphis is so great.  Kansas is so great.  blah blah blah.  Can't wait for Saturday.

Until then, I am pulling for Stanford and Michigan State to win tomorrow.

by bruinliv on Mar 27, 2008 11:20 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Thursday-Saturday
These games are following the Pac-10 schedule. Nothing new for the Bruins. CBH has all the time he needs.

by njbruin on Mar 28, 2008 6:38 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yes and no
Yes, the team is used to playing Thurs and Sat, but during the season, Howland already knows the team the Bruins will be playing on Saturday before the Thursday game is played.  That is a pretty big different in terms of prep time I would think.

by Free the 16 on Mar 28, 2008 11:06 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

i am sure that...
Someone on staff watched the Xavier game. Sure of it.

I mean, yes, it is different from the season, but they've been here before, they know how to handle it. IMO this isn't a factor.

by njbruin on Mar 28, 2008 11:48 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It's a factor in a way
And in a good way.  We don't have some schmoe watching films.  We have Coach Howland, and nobody else does.  That give us an edge, in my opinion.  And in my opinion it doesn't matter whether the game is played tomorrow or next week.  We have Coach Howland and nobody else does.

by Fox 71 on Mar 28, 2008 3:16 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

My point was not to doubt Howland
Not at all.  I was just saying that although we play on Thursday and Saturday, just like in the Pac 10 schedule, it isn't quite the same thing prep-wise as in the tourney you don't know who the 2nd team is going to be ahead of time like you would in the regular season.  

My hunch during the regular season, say preparing for a weekend vs the Bay area schools on Monday you would do things to prepare for both teams, although clearly focusing more on the team you play 1st.  In the tourney that isn't really an option.

by Free the 16 on Mar 28, 2008 4:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I understand
But I think so highly of Coach Howland, I think we have an advantage over the others in terms of preparation.  They are in the same boat we are, but we have Captain Kirk, and they have Captain Queeg, to nicely mix my analogies.

by Fox 71 on Mar 29, 2008 7:46 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Props to Keefe
I'll admit it.  Short of calling Keefe a bust, I've been yelling at him for looking lost out on the court.  However, as a credit to CBH and Keefe, he could be this year's Bozeman, or Hollins who give us that lil extra.  Great game for him and I thank him for hanging in there!!

by PasadenaBruin on Mar 27, 2008 10:35 PM PDT   0 recs

good to see
Keefe is really stepping up and showing his potential. Also, Shipp being more aggressive on slashing to the basket rather than living and dying by the 3 is important. Sucked to see Collison have a bad game ball handling-wise, but when Howland called them Washington-like (the same game Collison had foul trouble and was nearly non-existent), it was uncanny how much it was like that.

by blinkshot on Mar 27, 2008 10:38 PM PDT   0 recs

Nestor and I
talk a lot in private, often disagreeing, sometimes heatedly, but one thing we have always agreed on is that Keefe would find his footing at some point and be a major contributor to the program.

Tonight was that night.  Congrats to James Keefe, you have officially arrived as a major player at the top basketball program in the country.

by paulucla on Mar 27, 2008 10:42 PM PDT   0 recs

Paul
... and I may disagree but we each know how we are crazy about our Ben Ball warriors.

GO BRUINS.

by Nestor on Mar 27, 2008 10:43 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

One thing you can say about CBH
is he develops talent. Our frontline for next year suddenly looks much stronger.

by UCLAMD89 on Mar 27, 2008 10:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

No Matter What
I am grateful for this team, these Bruin warriors.  They are all heart and soul, they play with passion, and they play to win, no matter what.

They never give up, they always do their best, and they never let each other down, no matter what.

Coach Howland always has their backs, he never turns on them, and he's always teaching, no matter what.

They are my team, no matter what.

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on Mar 27, 2008 10:43 PM PDT   0 recs

Yep, I called him a disappointment
and I admitted in the game thread that I was obviously wrong. He has come on very strong in the past few games and is a different player than he was back in Jan. when I wrote that.

I didn't take into account the affect his layoff must have had on his timing, etc. He used to foul people all the time, not he is blocking shots and looking much smoother.

I love being wrong about my Bruins.  

by Dodger Hater on Mar 27, 2008 10:44 PM PDT   0 recs

anyone know why LMR only played 2 minutes?
this is his facebook status right now:

Lorenzo Mata
is over this. Can't wait til this is done.
 Updated 6 minutes ago

by elevated on Mar 27, 2008 10:46 PM PDT   0 recs

after we had the trouble against the press
I think Coach Howland thought that K-Love, Keefe and Luc were a better frontline in busting up the press because they're better ball handlers and passers than LMR. Hopefully, LMR would see more minutes against Xavier.

by uclachem87 on Mar 27, 2008 10:49 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think that might be girl related?
been seeing some of his status updates that seemed to do with girls...i'm sure hes by no means "over the tourney"...lets look back at his facebook status before the MVS game that said he plans on leaving a champion
O.A.

by Ollie on Mar 28, 2008 1:45 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I get that feeling that it's girl-related too
From reading his previous status updates.

by Raisin on Mar 28, 2008 8:19 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

phewwwwwwww
i was more stressed this game than the last, especially when DC fouled out and their point kept nailing threes.

looking at the stats we had a lot of turnovers. we crushed them on the boards and in fg percentage, still it was too close.

keefe was big

love was bigger

lot of quick whistles, but some of that is getting beat off the dribble and reaching, or like westbrook has done often fouling after missing a shot or turning over the ball or in aboya's case- just being himself.

anyway it was a win.. as ugly as it was

xavier is good, lets get ready to bring it saturday.

GO BRUINS!

by stephons on Mar 27, 2008 10:56 PM PDT   0 recs

Hey my post was not too far off
Said we'd be up by more than 20 in the 2nd half, and we were...for about 6 seconds.

Good grief. Can we imagine a bigger nightmare scenario than Shipp, Westbrook and Collison ALL having 4 fouls with about 10 minutes to go, and Collison fouling out (after playing poorly by his standards) against a pressing team who was closing the gap to the low single digits?

Then, as our warriors usually do, everyone on the court stepped up and made big plays: Shipp drains a clutch 3, Luc, JK and RW hit big free throws--shooting better than their averages down the stretch. Love gets big boards. We stop turning it over.

The Hilltoppers get credit for a great 2nd half. We get credit for getting it done against some considerable adversity.

Two other thoughts: (1) I now hate Bill Raftery. He seemed so enthusiastic about W Ky that I wondered if he was pleasuring himself.

(2) The "pro-UCLA Conspiracy" is toast. Our guards probably committed about 6 fouls total and got whistled for 13. Unless the conspiracy was to make it seem like there was no conspiracy in a game we would obviously win. Oh my god, it IS a conspiracy!!

by BruinsRule on Mar 27, 2008 11:03 PM PDT   0 recs

Agreed
and I was having nightmares about car commercials praising little W Kentucky's come from behind win against big bad UCLA way back in 2008 (as I have seen when Princeton defeated us in '96).

by bruin8uclap on Mar 27, 2008 11:30 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

great gutsy win overall
but I was surprised that we were not better prepared for the WKy press. WKy came from 18 down in the Drake game with the same intensity and shooting.

by Vanman7475 on Mar 27, 2008 11:08 PM PDT   0 recs

WKU vs. Drake
Wasn't Drake the one down by 18?  Western Kentucky had blown double digit leads in both previous tournament games.

By the way, Xavier blew an 18 point lead last night as well.  Louisville almost blew a 16 point lead.

by mizzou on Mar 28, 2008 5:47 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It's Time
A win is a win no matter how ugly it is.  The name of the game is to keep advancing.  But it is time for the Bruins to step it up on Saturday.  I hope Josh is a threat from the perimeter and our guards play aggressively without getting into foul trouble.  I can't remember the last time Collison fouled out?

May be it's just me, but the TV announcers' comments were starting to irritate me with 5:30 minutes left in the game.

Go Bruins, Beat the Musketeers!

by ocbruin84 on Mar 27, 2008 11:10 PM PDT   0 recs

awesome win...
but two things that really concern me are:
  1. Luc's travelling and turnovers.  I know he has the ankle injury but seriously it comes at the worst times when we're getting ready to take a big lead.  talk about momentum breakers.  ( I think he had 8 travel calls the last 2 games; brutal to watch)
  2. the lack of backcourt depth.  I know the refs sucked this last game but when both westbrook and dc got in foul trouble, i looked at our bench and was wondering who else could play the backcourt...scary thought if the conspiracy continues...
regardless go BRUINS!

by eoj703 on Mar 27, 2008 11:10 PM PDT   0 recs

I really believe
Mustafa Abdul Hamid could get the ball up the court and run the offense, pass the ball around, get guys shots.  Not sure how Howland feels, though.  

by bruin95 on Mar 28, 2008 12:06 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Son of a b*tch what a game.
Damn this team is badass. Nobody is stopping these guys.
CBH: 3 straight PAC-10 titles, most since CJW!

by Lakers Bruins Fanatic on Mar 27, 2008 11:11 PM PDT   0 recs

and another thing
in general, the stupid announcers never point out how our Bruins have overcome serious injuries (Keefe almost red shirted until Roll went out, DC was out and came back slow, Luc hurt all season, LMR out for a few games). At least the TV team tonight did mention Keefe positively and mentioned his shoulder injury/surgery. This is the "No excuses" team, Go Bruins!

by Vanman7475 on Mar 27, 2008 11:16 PM PDT   0 recs

W. Kentucky is a very good team
with good athletes who turned it up and kept attacking. It was surprising to see bruins struggle that much with the press, but they found a way to win again. I'm not sure if they were expecting that kind of onslaught in the second half. They expended a lot of energy tonight, really need to get some rest and prepare for tough Xavier team. Digger is talking them up already.

Keefe was unbelievable, on offense and defense. Shipp and Westbrook stepped up when needed. The last two games got a bit too close for comfort, but bruins showed once again they can adjust to different types of teams and come out with a victory. It's going to be a battle on Saturday. Hoping Shipp, Westbrook and/or Collison can hit some shots early to get them clicking early.  

by Bruins095 on Mar 27, 2008 11:21 PM PDT   0 recs

Did Love hurt his shoulder?
sounds like he had some treatment after the game. It also looked like Westbrook was hobbling a bit. Luc made some bad passes and is turning it over way too much. I'm sure the ankle is bothering him. As with many teams that advance this far, bruins will have to fight through some bumps and bruises. Hope they are ok physically.

by Bruins095 on Mar 27, 2008 11:29 PM PDT   0 recs

Press Beating 101: Quick Sharp PASSES.
Dribble Sparingly.
Attack, attack, attack.
Go for the easy bucket.
Make the defense PAY!  (Think BLITZ).

Damn Ben, do I need to come over and give you guys a CLINIC?

Good Grief!

Hey guys, before you GET MAD AT ME, none of us can be "happy" at the sheer PANIC we saw on our faces at a little pressure from Level 2 type athletes.  PANIC comes from LACK OF PREPARATION.  Plain and simple.

Also, what the heck to those other guys with clipboards do?  Decorate the bench?  I mention BEN, but the whole coaching crew puzzles me at times.

Go Bruins!

Yes. I'm GLAD we're still ALIVE!
Yes, I love Howland.  

Side note... perhaps for another day...
I was very partial to Larry Brown back in the day.  Larry took 4 freshman and Kiki to the FINALS his FIRST YEAR.  Larry QUIT only because we didn't give him the reign and lattitude he wanted... otherwise, he would have put up the same kinda runs as Coach Howland.  No doubt about it!

by class1984 on Mar 27, 2008 11:30 PM PDT   0 recs

Agreed.
The most difficulty we had against the press was when Collison was immobile and dribbling staring down the defender. Looking at the succesful pushes we had, it included a lob pass to Love, who in turn fired a laser down past halfcourt. Nearly everytime it happened, it allowed us to get to the basket rather easily (and either score or draw the foul).

But exactly what CBH said to RW: "STOP DRIBBLING!"

by lolwtferic on Mar 27, 2008 11:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Drifiting off topic here, but...
What in Larry Brown's history would make you possibly believe that he would stay anywhere for the long run?

Also keep in mind that with Brown, KU became the first national champion to be barred from defending its title because of NCAA sanctions.

by insomniacslounge on Mar 28, 2008 1:30 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

honestly
most people don't like our team for a number of reasons:
  1.  Media spin - the general media is usually against us for whatever reason.
  2.  We are too successful - 11 bball championships, 100 NCAAs. Let's face it, we aren't too different from the Yankees or the Pats.  Just wait and see what happens when RN turns our football program around.  The haters will come out in full force (while we are all die hard bball fans, football rules this country)
  3.  jealousy - UCLA is a top academic school that sees the most applications.  We are also located in Westwood and have an amazing setup for a university.  I truly loved my undergrad experience at UCLA.
Personally I don't care about any of this stuff.  This is just what I have concluded as I represent UCLA in a major sports town with few UCLA alum (Boston) - thus I am constantly defending our Bruins at the office, at the bar, etc.   I love coming to BN because you help me put solid arguments together.  

by bruinliv on Mar 27, 2008 11:30 PM PDT   0 recs

CBS Sportsline's Dennis Dodd
Already with an article talking down to UCLA.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10743125

And seemingly this is front page center image worthy.

by lolwtferic on Mar 27, 2008 11:32 PM PDT   0 recs

well
Well he's right in that we really need to step up the intensity of our games, and that our work against the press today was disastrous. I don't know if we were just disinterested or tired or both, but it was a pretty bad showing the second half against the press. Foul trouble too will kill us if we let it happen again.

by blinkshot on Mar 27, 2008 11:40 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Unfortunately, that dude is RIGHT.
See my post a couple above this one.
And guess what...
we got the MOST POWERFUL PASSER in college basketball history.  Let's see if CBH will learn how to better uitilize him WHEN Xavier presses us.

by class1984 on Mar 27, 2008 11:40 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

yeah
I definitely saw way too much ball dribbling when the press was on and there were people open... I mean at one point we had 3 guys under the basket and one WKU player there and instead of passing it to an open guy, we opt to pass it to one with a defender on him at a bad angle... poor court vision. Not to mention when the press was on and it was 3 on one and we go for the shot rather than pass it to one of 2 open people under the basket for the easy deuce...

by blinkshot on Mar 27, 2008 11:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

That article is bull
Dodd is right about one thing: The Bruins had a tough time against WKU's press.
..
..
..
Against Xavier's press? Bring it on.
Give me a DC and RW that aren't in foul trouble or having terrible games, and I'll show you a press-break that you can't write up on a chalkboard. Throw in Kevin Love and any team that presses us is BEGGING for a blowout.

by Allofmybros on Mar 28, 2008 1:22 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

come on
can we please stop posting jack-ss msm articles
they are a complete waste of everyone's time

by glassbruin on Mar 27, 2008 11:51 PM PDT   0 recs

Sorry glass, but jack-ss
is a NUMBER 1 SEED cracking under a Full Court Press from a desperate, would-be Cinderella squad called the HILL-TOPPERS.  Now, THAT's jack.

by class1984 on Mar 27, 2008 11:55 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Didn't we win?
Just sayin'
Born and raised a Bruin!

by ktbruin on Mar 28, 2008 9:42 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't like you
Not that it matters, but I don't like you or your comments. You reek of a sense of entitlement and won't be happy until UCLA wins every game in a blowout. If I were the moderators and I saw you calling our team a bunch of jackasses, I would send you packing.

And on top of it, you insult a valiant Western Kentucky team that played its heart out with a bunch of sharp-shooting seniors that could have easily beaten a number of other teams with the kind of comeback they made last night. It's one thing to criticize the way our team played, God knows it wasn't perfect. But to come out and insult the players, coaches, and the other team is simply filthy. Take your crap elsewhere.

by tasser10 on Mar 28, 2008 9:45 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Hater.
JACK was the situation.
JACK is YOU for taking comments outta context.
Dude, u got issues.
Nobody here is talking about your mom.  
Yeesh.

by class1984 on Mar 28, 2008 11:49 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Watch it
Haven't taken tasser's advice, but he pretty well explained the problem he had with your comment and rather than a response to the content, you attacked him. The next time you do it will be your last. Thanks.

by Tydides on Mar 28, 2008 11:53 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

No
but saying I don't like you because you're a jackass is.  Sorry for getting personal.

by tasser10 on Mar 28, 2008 12:08 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Thanks.
I apologize too.

Now, Go Bruins!

by class1984 on Mar 28, 2008 12:11 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

"I don't like you"
What is this?
A PLAYGROUND?
What are u?
A Bully?

Idon'tlikeyou... nener-nener-nener.
Imgonnatellonyou...nener-nener-nener.

LOL
(As I stick my tongue out, put my thumb on my nose, and wiggle my 4 fingers.)

ROLF

by class1984 on Mar 28, 2008 11:56 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

You're not helping yourself
Trust me, you are digging yourself a hole and soon you'll fall in it face first.  I still don't like you, I don't like your comments and I don't like your attitude.  Your posts read like those of a spoiled teenager who throws a tantrum when his team doesn't blow out the opponent. I hope you whine all the way to the championship just so I can keep telling you what a jackass you are.  Go root for Dooke.

by tasser10 on Mar 28, 2008 12:07 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Come on, you guys
WKY was the same team each half.  The first half we put on a dominating show, probably our best first half of the year.  The headlines should be how the Bruins used a monumentally dominating first half to create a lead which was never seriously in jeopardy.

We lead this game for 40 our of 40 minutes.  We overcame adversity with the officiating.  But we always kept our composure.

We might get beat in any game.  Remember that every team has great players - there are no patsies anywhere.  But we have great players who are also a great team.  We will perservere.

I am calling out the naysayers - explain to me why you are criticizing our players and our coach for a game we won?  How many times in the last 14 games has someone said "If we play this way again ..." or "We have to do better than this ...."  Bruins, we won all of those 14 games.  We win by putting up more points.  Forget the gloom and doom.  Do you think Tennessee would rather be in our position or theirs tonight?

by Fox 71 on Mar 27, 2008 11:51 PM PDT   0 recs

Agree almost completely
Look, there is no denying the lead was in serious jeopardy up only four with a 3 in the air. I felt worse about our chances this game than Stanford, Cal, or A&M because of the snowballing momentum in WKY's favor and the uncharacteristic sloppiness combined with severe foul trouble. But these trashing stories are nothing new. For the first time in decades, UCLA is TRULY threatening the balance of power in college basketball. Bruin fans knew this the day Howland was hired, but guys like Dodd and Bob Knight (frankly, they should be seen in the same light) are just realizing it and resent it. Fact is, the Bruins aren't thrilled to advance to the Elite Eight: they have their sights set on something larger, and were probably thinking about rest and Saturday a little too much. If I were a biased journalist from an eastern based outlet or a fan of one of the remaining 12 teams (as of Thursday night), I'd be worried - we know this was an anomaly for DC, and RW, JS, and JK all stepped up and have confidence going forward. Luc even stepped up his efficiency in the 2nd. The Bruins best chance to get knocked off has come and gone, they are going to be too locked in going forward.

by Nauseator on Mar 28, 2008 12:25 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

We Played Like Crap in the Second Half
Collison, Shipp, and Mbah were turnover machines against the press. Thank God for Kevin Love and Shipp's miracle three.  

by 75NatChamps on Mar 27, 2008 11:52 PM PDT   0 recs

MSM
I notice quite a few comments on bruinsnation about the MSM and what they think of us.  One of the comments in this thread started with "only one way to shut them up...Win solidly against Xavier."  I just want to say that I don't think we should care about shutting them up; they can keep talking while we keep winning.

by echonin on Mar 27, 2008 11:57 PM PDT   0 recs

I think
they felt they were in control at half and did feel pressured by the press. They definitely got tired and made bad passes along with too much dribbling. The early timeouts in second half did leave them huffing a bit during long stretch without a break.  Klove alone should be able to break numerous press situations. Collison is too good to get pressured into bad passes. This can be fixed and shoud be by Saturday.I was hoping to see them run a bit more, but fatigue was a factor. Bruins must take care of the basketball to get past Xavier.  

by Bruins095 on Mar 27, 2008 11:57 PM PDT   0 recs

Press
I just came back from the game at US Airways Center. Thank goodness, we have "home court" advantage the past 2 games. The UCLA crowd was so-so for the 1st half because we had a sizeable lead. However, we had to cheer on the defense the second part of the 2nd half.

The reason WKU didn't press much the first half is because they weren't making shots. You can't really press when our team was getting the rebounds. However, when we got into foul trouble early in the 2nd half (silly fouls by Shipp, Collison, Westbrook) that allowed them to press after free throws. WKU started driving more because we were in the bonus so early in the half.

Darren took himself out of the game early because he was so intent in trying to help Josh, Russell, and Luc get going on offense. He did this at UW game and wasn't able to get himself going in the 2nd half. When he loses confidence, he defense also struggles. It's not only the press, but when teams pick Darren up at half-court and pressure him, it changes our offense.

I think we will be okay against the press (if Xavier uses it) because he have a great passing big man in Love. First though, we need to play solid defense without getting in foul trouble.

If you guys have a chance, come down to Phoenix for Saturday's game, the WKU and W. Virginia fans are selling their tickets at good rates. Go Bruins!

by UCLA Champions Made Here on Mar 27, 2008 11:59 PM PDT   0 recs

Takes a bit of time to switch gears
Personally I think that our team did just fine with the press. They probably expected it but expecting and dealing with it in real time are two different things.

It seemed to me that our team got better exploiting the press as time when by, finding the open man and coming with numbers to the basket. I think our team's early difficulties with the press were due to changing gears, from half-court to a more fluid offense. Now that we have been exposed to the press and with Xavier probably bringing it in the next game, you will see our team exploit it even more effectively than tonight.

This team does not want to lose. They get the job done. This is precisely the team you want making a run.

by Bruins100NCAA on Mar 28, 2008 12:01 AM PDT   0 recs

WE ARE NOT A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
Playing like this, we would have definitely lost to the 2007 Spurs, or the 2002 Lakers.

Oh wait ...

yeah ... I see the flaw in my argument ...

by dokein on Mar 28, 2008 12:17 AM PDT   0 recs

I agree
Florida is the championship team until further notice.

by Tydides on Mar 28, 2008 12:44 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

QB Situation
Olson, Cowan, and Craft wouldn't even come close to Kevin Love in a competition for the starting qb slot this fall. Those laser passes are ridiculous.

by bhbruin on Mar 28, 2008 12:37 AM PDT   0 recs

Just read back through
some comments that basically alluded to Bob Knight becoming visibly senile. While the man clearly has no business analyzing this tournament, nor do many over at WWL, lets look at his prediction this way...by picking Pitt to win it, he essentially complimented CBH, for the wonderful shape he left the program in, and what a good job he did mentoring Dixon
.
Beyond that, get him out to palm beach, theres a bridge game and a tee box with his name all over it...
O.A.

by Ollie on Mar 28, 2008 1:59 AM PDT   0 recs

Is Xavier better than Texas Tech? I don't think
I'm not afraid.  Although we beat a highly charged and underestimated Texas Tech team by 2 points and we came back from 10 points down in the 2nd half, we beat them!

I'm not afraid of Xavier and don't think we should be.

I hope others agree.

It won't be a cake walk but we've seen a team like Xavier before and won so that confidence level should be high.

by BillM85Legacy on Mar 28, 2008 5:06 AM PDT   0 recs

A&M?
Down here, confusing the schools would be fighting words.

But, I agree.

A&M was a big threat.

Xavier is very fast and talented. Will be a tough game -- but have faith, we have a team that refuses to lose.

There are no easy games. Ask Duke, UConn, Tenn, and after tonight, Texas and Memphis.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Mar 28, 2008 5:36 AM PDT