Bruin Bites ESPN Game Day Edition

Today's UCLA at Arizona game is a sellout and hosting ESPN Game Day. All day ESPN will be cutting to UCLA players and Pauley. So far today Kyle Anderson and Larry Drew have failed "know your teammate" but the students have looked great and loud.

Speaking of teammates and UCLA students the Daily Bruin ran a very interesting story on Shabazz Muhammad. Shabazz suffers from Tourette's syndrome. Tonight's game is likely Shabazz's last game at Pauley Pavilion and should be a fitting tribute to his toughness. After suffering from the flu, pink eye and now a swollen ankle Shabazz has overcome a lot and that is just on the court. Thanks Shabazz you proved to be a tough kid.

While Shabazz is almost certainly done, Larry Drew II is definitely playing his last game.

Prior to tip-off for the Arizona game, the Bruins will honor senior point guard Larry Drew II in a special "Senior Night" ceremony. This season, Drew II has averaged 7.1 points per game, 2.7 rebounds per game and a conference-best 7.8 assists per game.

Larry Drew II currently has 218 assists this season. That is number 2 all time for a single season and Larry needs 19 assists with at least four games left to play to pass Pooh Richardson's all-time single season record of 236 in 1989.

As far as the health of the players, 2 of Bruins 8 scholarship players are hurting:

"Travis is probable for giving it a go tomorrow," Howland said of his 6-foot-10 post player, who is averaging 11.6 points and shooting 51.5 percent from the field.

Muhammad, UCA's leading scorer and second in the Pac-12 with 18.3 points per game, sprained his ankle in the first half Wednesday against Arizona State. He played 18 minutes in the second half and all five minutes of the overtime period, but after scoring 15 points in the first half he had only six points on 2-of-5 shooting after halftime. Howland said the star freshman definitely would play Saturday.

"The sprain swelled up more than we anticipated," Howland said. "He was out there gingerly [in practice] but he will play."

Shabazz would play with a broken ankle if they let him. It will be interesting to watch how limited he really is. I am very concerned about this. Travis has historically had good games against Arizona.

The Arizona-UCLA is also important for the conference as the fishwrap points out. When UCLA and Arizona stink, so does the PAC 12.

In other news, Bruins fan should not forget that they do have a ranked basketball team. The #16 UCLA women beat ASU last night led by Kari Krover's 5-10 from three.

#10 UCLA softball also played. "Senior B.B. Bates drove in four runs on a solo homer and a three-run double, while freshman Paige McDuffee tossed a complete-game, three-hitter to improve to 5-0 on the year, as the 10th-ranked Bruins knocked off Fresno State 7-1 on Friday at the San Diego Classic I."

One last note. The last time UCLA played Arizona at Pauley was the best UCLA basketball game since the Kevin Love season. It was a complete blowout of Arizona with Coach Wooden's great-grandson Tyler Trapani scoring the last basket. Hopefully today will have a little of that same magic.

Go Bruins.