UCLA Basketball News Roundup after Blowout Win

For those students who missed the special student midnight madness or the general fans, UCLA replayed midnight madness last night.  Technically there was an opponent but it was really all about fun.

Fun was the name of the game as Norman Powell, Zach LaVine and Co. had quite the dunkfest and never lost focus, not even with a gargantuan lead. Powell scored 19 points and most of those with flair, especially with a windmill dunk.

"That's one of the main dunks I've been trying to do all year," Powell said. "It's the first windmill I've had in college basketball."

Fans haven't been treated to these kinds of high-scoring affairs in quite some time. UCLA hadn't scored more than 100 points since it scored 113 points in a home game against Wyoming on Dec. 23, 2008.

The Bruins had 10 dunks Sunday - making this seem more like a midnight madness festivity than a game - and Powell had five dunks.

The Washington Generals, I mean Chattanooga Mocs coach said:

"Goodness gracious, we laid down and got beat by 40 or whatever it was," UTC coach Will Wade said on the post-game radio show. "We gave up 60 points in the second half.

Alford countered by saying:

Coach Alford said he thought his team played its best game of the season.

"It was our quickest turnaround," he said, noting the Bruins had played Friday night, "and we did our best job on the backboard, shared the basketball, doubled the assists to turnovers [23-11], didn't shoot a ton of threes, attacked the basket, just followed the plan."

Another post on inside UCLA.

UCLA hadn't scored more than 100 points in a non-exhibition game in five years. And that's because defensive-minded Ben Howland was coach.

This was a new kind of UCLA look to be sure. Kyle Anderson nearly had another triple double with 17 points 10 rebounds and 7 assists. Jordan Adams scored a team-high 22 points, and Tony Parker had a career-best 14 rebounds.

The Bruins are 5-0 for the first time since the 2007-08 season, when they won their first seven games.

Hey this is all good but keep in mind the immortal words of Charles Barkley via Jim Healy which could be applied to the Mocs.  The scary part is the Bruins are not going to be tested anytime soon.  UCLA's next game is against a team (Nevada) that beat the Mocs on 25 foot buzzer beater.

Actually the most important news may be regarding Wannah Bail, who may see his first action against that Nevada team.

Alford said he hopes freshman forward Wannah Bail, who has missed the first five games with a left knee injury, will be available by Thursday in Las Vegas.

"He's practicing with us," Alford said. "I believe he'll be ready."

Norman Powell gets the last word after a highlight reel game:

"I think we've grown tremendously as a team, not only in our chemistry but in our defensive end," Powell said. "We're starting to help each other out, talk on defense, and that's what coach has been talking to us about. For us to go far with this season and continue what we're doing, it's going to be on the defensive end. We're really talented. We know we can put up points, but being a great team that you want to be we've got to get defensive stops."

Go Bruins!