JD over at BruinHoopScoop has more on Sunday's ugliness:
That was a disastrous loss on Sunday. The main problems we had were difficult to miss, poor defense and ball-handling, so there's no real reason to talk about them too much. We definitely came out flat, while $C was ready to play. It also appeared to me that Tim Floyd spent most of the off-week preparing his team for our defense, as even when their point guards weren't driving freely to the basket, other guys were getting very good looks at the basket coming off of screens. Marques Johnson commented on how $C was running sets that took advantage of the way we hedge off of screens, and the result was some wide open shots.
Offensively, we continue to struggle without a third scorer. As with most of this year, our big men were no threat on the O side of the floor, so we really need somebody else to step up and create some offense. I nominate Cedric Bozeman. He has the ability to penetrate and make things happen, so I'd like to see him attack the basket more and become a legitimate scoring option. He has been efficient so far this season, which is great, but I think he could be more aggressive and still take very makeable shots or set up one of his teammates.
In additon to the need for a reliable third option we desperately need some presence inside. Ryan Hollins had couple of good games but has recently returned to his pathetic old Lavin habits of looking weak and timid inside. And to make it worse Ryan was making excuses couple of days ago in the LA Times:
Offensively, we continue to struggle without a third scorer. As with most of this year, our big men were no threat on the O side of the floor, so we really need somebody else to step up and create some offense. I nominate Cedric Bozeman. He has the ability to penetrate and make things happen, so I'd like to see him attack the basket more and become a legitimate scoring option. He has been efficient so far this season, which is great, but I think he could be more aggressive and still take very makeable shots or set up one of his teammates.
"I probably could have applied myself more," Hollins said. "I could have gotten more offensive rebounds, set more screens. Maybe my timing was bad. I had an off night.
"But a big man is only as good as his guards. If I don't get offensive rebounds, I am looking for them to get me the ball."
Uhm no Ryan ... you are not looking for the ball. Your deer in the headlight looks is telling out guards something else. And, today Arron slapped Ryan down:
"But a big man is only as good as his guards. If I don't get offensive rebounds, I am looking for them to get me the ball."
"Our big guys, I honestly feel they want the ball, they have to really want it," Bruins guard Arron Afflalo said. "When they want it, they have to really have the confidence to do something with it, just like when the guards want the ball. I can't really speak for them too much, but it would be nice for one of our guys to become physically imposing, and start imposing their will in the paint."
And looks like Coach Howland agrees with his sophomore guard. Per Howland - Ryan's starting job is up for grabs again:
[T]he most glaring number against USC was the zero in the scoring column next to Hollins' name. The senior center took only three shots -- two, according to Howland -- from the field and failed to make it to the free-throw line. Howland also questioned Hollins' efficiency in setting screens.
"The playing time is going to be based solely on practice," Howland said.
Man ... I cringe at the thought of seeing the other half of Fellins on the court. I guess the best thing about this week is its the last time we will have to see Fellins in their white unis at Pauley on Saturday. They can't leave this program and relieve us of memories of Lavin's shitty, clueless, hapless recruiting soon enough."The playing time is going to be based solely on practice," Howland said.
Anyways - one last note beforing moving from Sunday's debacle. There were lot of reasons for it. But as JD points out here, using of TOs was not one of them:
Also, I want to comment on Ben Howland's use of timeouts. Howland has been getting heat because he's used up his timeouts with about four minutes left in each of the last two games, and against $C, it would have been nice to be able to use a timeout and set up a play with one second left. I say as far as Sunday's game goes, this criticism is nonsense. We were in danger of falling behind by an insurmountable amount, so there was no reason for him to save timeouts. If you don't think you're gonna be within a possession or two in the final seconds, you have no need for a timeout. Even if we had two or three timeouts left in those final two minutes, they would have gotten used up before the final play. When you're making a desperation comeback attempt like we were, you don't save timeouts - you do whatever it takes to get yourself back in striking distance, which is exactly what he did.
Specifically, I read lot of criticisms (not necessarily here) about Howland taking TO right after the second half started - if I can recall correctly right after that TO UCLA went on a 13-0 run going up by 6 points. Anyways - I need to stop thinking about that game and move on to Oregon schools. As I wrote below if dont't get it together we may trip up against Oregon State at home and may have to deal with the possibility heading into the Pac-10 tourney with zero momentum losing 5 out of our last 6 regular season games. Not good at all.