Bruins have been riddled with injuries the whole season. Coach Howland has had to develop and integrate lot of our freshmen into his regular rotation rather early in this season because of key injuries to two of our starters - Shipp and Mata - who have pretty much missed the majority of the Pac-10 season. Still here we are - outright Pac-10 champions and ready to go all out for the Pac-10 tourney playing 3 grueling games in 3 consecutive days. Arron and co. are promising not to hold anything back and not making any excuses. They are ready to go "all out":
To win the Pacific 10 Conference tournament, the conference-champion Bruins would have to play back-to-back-to-back games, a grueling three straight days of competition beginning Thursday at Staples Center.
But would they also lose in terms of fatigue and possible injury heading into the NCAA tournament the following week?"No," said UCLA guard Arron Afflalo. "We are a group of 20-year-olds on average. There shouldn't be any such thing as being burned out for us. I know I take pride in myself and my body."
No disagreement from Ben Howland, Afflalo's coach.
"I'm not worried about it at all," Howland said. "Definitely a team with depth has a better chance playing back-to-back-to-back nights. It is hard. But with all the injuries we've had, we've developed a lot of the younger players more quickly. And therefore our depth is good right now.
"We want to win this tournament. We won the regular season, but it's all about what you have done for me lately. You have to prove it all over again and that's our goal. We're not going to save ourselves for the NCAA tournament. Also, how we do in this tournament will play somewhat into our seeding for the NCAA tournament."
By the way our coaches got some bonuses for the team's performance in regular season:
But would they also lose in terms of fatigue and possible injury heading into the NCAA tournament the following week?"No," said UCLA guard Arron Afflalo. "We are a group of 20-year-olds on average. There shouldn't be any such thing as being burned out for us. I know I take pride in myself and my body."
No disagreement from Ben Howland, Afflalo's coach.
"I'm not worried about it at all," Howland said. "Definitely a team with depth has a better chance playing back-to-back-to-back nights. It is hard. But with all the injuries we've had, we've developed a lot of the younger players more quickly. And therefore our depth is good right now.
"We want to win this tournament. We won the regular season, but it's all about what you have done for me lately. You have to prove it all over again and that's our goal. We're not going to save ourselves for the NCAA tournament. Also, how we do in this tournament will play somewhat into our seeding for the NCAA tournament."
Ben's bonus: UCLA's sweep of California and Stanford gave it the Pac-10 title outright, and also gave Howland a little more green. According to Howland's contract, he receives a $25,000 bonus for winning the league title outright. University of California records show Howland earned $1,020,000 last year.
UCLA's assistant coaches receive a bonus equivalent to one month's pay for reaching the NCAA Tournament, according to contract
They all more than deserve those rewards. By the Sporsline has a poll on who should be the National COY. You know what to do (VOTE HERE). Can't wait till tomorrow. And just 8 days till MADNESS. GO BRUINS.
UCLA's assistant coaches receive a bonus equivalent to one month's pay for reaching the NCAA Tournament, according to contract