Heads up for those picking UCLA tonight

[Russ Smith]

Just an FYI rumor is Dijon Thompson is not 100% but will start. He has been fighting a sinus infection all week and then missed a couple of practices after Matt McKinney kneed him in practice. Last week McKinney injured Brian Morrison with a knee but unfortunately not enough to keep Morrison out of the OSU game.

I'm still sticking with UCLA over Texas Tech but the main reason I picked them was expecting a big game by Dijon, looks less likely now.

Texas Tech has a minor distraction in that a story surfaced yesterday that Tennessee had contacted Bob Knight about their coaching vacancy, both schools are denying it.

 

[Dback Jon]

Thanks - still picking Howland over Knight (favorite college coach vs one of my least favorite)

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I went with the Bruins anyways. I think the comfort level of playing in McKale (and not seeing Stoudamire on the other team) combined with Knight's awful Tourney performances as of late made me go with UCLA.

 

[MadCardDisease]

yep I'm still taking UCLA also

 

[Mulli]

UCLA will win. I picked them, but I crossed them out and went with Tech.

 

[Russ Smith]

I went with the Bruins anyways. I think the comfort level of playing in McKale (and not seeing Stoudamire on the other team) combined with Knight's awful Tourney performances as of late made me go with UCLA.

I haven't changed my pick either. I'm also banking on UCLA's kids being "embarassed" at how they played against OSU in the Pac 10 tourney and really coming out hard.

My biggest concern is that Howland will see that Tech is not strong inside and taylor his game around trying to exploit that by going to Fey which will result in an NCAA tourney record for most dropped passes and missed layups by a 7 footer.

IT's a pretty even matchup but UCLA should take it.

 

[Russ Smith]

Well I don't know if Thompson's 2nd half dry spell had anything to do with his sinus issue or not, he looked fine to me but he just hit about a 5-6 minute stretch where he didn't score and missed several open looks.

Tech's offense just grinded UCLA up, Morrison gave us a brief lift offensively in the first half but Ross was just clowning him on defense, one easy shot after another after beating Morrison with a cut. Ross completely dominated Farmar. I've seen Farmar have bad halves before but never 2 in a row like that, Ross really got to him. Jordan needs to get stronger, great talent needs some muscle.

God I hope Alfred Aboya and Ryan Wright are legit so that Ben doesn't have to play Fey and Hollins at C next year. Mata showed signs but I suspect he may redshirt next year, that's the rumor at least. Aboya is a real physical kid from Cameroon, he played in a small private league this year and dominated, he'll have an adjustment for sure but he's 6'8" 235-240 and UCLA needs a kid like that. wright is about 205-210 but he's reportedly the best leaper UCLA has had in years (inside players). Canadian kid so also has to adjust to the US college game but a spectacular athlete.

Good luck to UA, UW and Stanford the rest of the way.

 

[Dback Jon]

Key play in the second half was the missed alley-oop on the 2 on 1 fast break. That would have cut the TT lead to 4 (?) - big momentum shift.

 

[Russ Smith]

Key play in the second half was the missed alley-oop on the 2 on 1 fast break. That would have cut the TT lead to 4 (?) - big momentum shift.

Yep and as I yelled at the tv how does a 7 footer with long arms who's a highjumper in essence AIRBALL a dunk? The announcer said the pass was behind him but he caught the ball, he just dunked it over the rim and off the other side. Shipp made a good play to retrieve it but couldn't score but yes that was a huge turning point.

Another key turun was after Farmar hits a 3, his first basket, he steals the ball at the other end but then drives out of control, loses the ball, and commits a foul. The shot and steal were the first signs of life from him all night if he'd just been under control he MIGHT have been able to build on them but after the TO and foul he just was awful the rest of the game.

Oh well I knew this was a rebuilding year and you gotta love the way Josh Shipp competed last night. Playing on a badly sprained ankle for a few weeks now he just gutted it out again, love that kid.

 

[Dback Jon]

Yep and as I yelled at the tv how does a 7 footer with long arms who's a highjumper in essence AIRBALL a dunk? The announcer said the pass was behind him but he caught the ball, he just dunked it over the rim and off the other side. Shipp made a good play to retrieve it but couldn't score but yes that was a huge turning point.

Another key turun was after Farmar hits a 3, his first basket, he steals the ball at the other end but then drives out of control, loses the ball, and commits a foul. The shot and steal were the first signs of life from him all night if he'd just been under control he MIGHT have been able to build on them but after the TO and foul he just was awful the rest of the game.

Oh well I knew this was a rebuilding year and you gotta love the way Josh Shipp competed last night. Playing on a badly sprained ankle for a few weeks now he just gutted it out again, love that kid.

With three starting freshmen, the Bruins will be tough next year. Howland's teams at NAU and Pitt improved dramatically the third season.

 

[Russ Smith]

And since I can't complain about officiating or anything I can complain about Bob Knight. Bill Plasche in the LA Times said Howland went out to midcourt before the game for the "traditional handshake between coaches", one problem, Bob Knight wasn't there. Knight sat on the bench, refused to even look at Howland. Howland eventually just shook hands with the ref who reportedly shook his head at him like "I have no idea why he's not out here."

Howland was asked what if anything Knight said to him after the game and he said I don't know, I went to shake his hand but he turned away, twice."

Knight was asked about it and he said something like ben and I go way back I've known him for years."

I agree Howland is the perfect guy for the UCLA job, he realizes the problem, spent a lot of time talking about how skinny most of the UCLA guys are, how they need to get stronger, and how they start an intense weight program April 5th.