Game 2: 2KCoaches vs. Cancer Classic Quarterfinal at UCLA (1-0)
UCLA cruised to an 82-58 win over Prairie View A&M in their 1st round matchup. Coach Ben Howland is looking to take the Bruins to their 4th straight Final Four. UCLA has lost in the national semifinals the last 2 years after losing to Florida in the national championship in 2006. The Bruins are ranked in the top 5 of virtually every preseason national poll, despite losing Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, and Luc MBah A Moute to the NBA. Coach Howland has a mix of senior leadership and freshman talent he hopes can deliver the one thing he doesn't have: a national championship.
Probable Starters:
Darren Collison, 6' 160 Sr. 19 pts, 4 ass, 3 reb, 3 steals, 67% FG, 67% 3PFG, 83% FT. Collison may be the best change of pace guard in the country with his quick hesitation and slick crossover dribbles. He can drive, dish, pullup, and shoot from deep. He does a great of coming off screens tightly, allowing him to get into the lane to finish or kick the ball out to an open shooter. Where he gets into trouble is when he starts pounding the ball outside and doesn't look to create, which bogs down the UCLA offense. Defensively, he is arguably one of the top perimeter defenders nationwide. His long arms and quick hands make life miserable for opposing point guards. He is also very good at getting out in the passing lanes and reading the defense.
Jrue Holiday, 6'3" 180 Fr. 11 pts, 3 steals, 50% FG, 40% 3PFG, 50% FT. Holiday isn't the athlete Westbrook was, but he might be a better basketball player already than Westbrook. He can score in many ways, and do it going right or left, which makes him tough to guard.
Josh Shipp, 6'5" 220 Sr. 9 pts, 6 reb, 4 steals, 36% FG, 20% 3PFG. Shipp is a great all-around athlete who is especially tough defensively and on the offensive glass. Shipp can hit the open 3 and the baseline pullup, and has enough quickness and strength to get to the rim. Defensively, he's tough to drive on and is very physical on the perimeter. You have to force Shipp to take contested shots, where he'll get lazy with his lower body and start pushing the ball. And you have to force him back to the middle when he dribbles, which often makes him give the ball up.
James Keefe, 6'8" 231 Jr. 7 pts, 6 reb, 33% FG, 25% FT. Keefe is long, pretty athletic and can hit the open spot-up jumper. He's a good rebounder, has long arms, making it tough for opponents to shoot over him. He doesn't have much of a back-to-the basket game, but he does try to play physical at both ends. You have to keep a hand in his face when he has the ball outside because of his ability to make shots and pass the ball.
Alfred Aboya, 6'9" 245 Sr. 4 pts, 7 reb, 33% FG, 50% FT. Athletic big man, who can run the floor, finish in transition, rebound at both ends, and block shots. Most of his offense comes from 2nd chance points; you're content with him shooting the ball outside of 6 feet. He plays very hard and defends well. He is also very long, making him tough to shoot over.
Off the Bench:
Malcolm Lee, 6'5" 180 Fr. 12 pts, 6 reb, 4 ass, 63% FG, 33% 3PFG, 50% FT. Instant offense from all corners of the floor. When he comes in, he's looking to shoot the ball.
Drew Gordon, 6'8" 235 Fr. 6 pts, 8 reb. 100% FG. Arguably has more offensive ability than UCLA's starters at the 4 and 5. Athletic, can run the floor, good rebounder, and can step out and hit the open shot.
Michael Roll, 6'5" 200 Jr. 7 pts, 2 ass, 43% FG, 33% 3PFG. Jason Kapono-type player. Can't leave him open or he'll bury the outside shot. Must make him put the ball on the floor.
Jerime Anderson, 6'1" 165 Fr. 3 pts, 3 ass, 50% FG, 100% 3PFG. Has a solid offensive game for a freshman, but he's looking to get others involved and spread the ball around. The heir apparent to Collison.
J'mison Morgan, 6'10" 248 Fr. 4 pts, 2 reb, 2 blks, 100% FG. The young enforcer underneath. Has some post game that still needs work, but he'll add another inside presence who will rebound, intimidate, and block shots underneath.
UCLA under Coach Howland is a Big East impostor in the Pac 10. When you play UCLA, you expect tough defense, physical play underneath, and great athletic ability. You also expect a slower, more half-court based game in which every possession feels like a game in and of itself. But with so much youth, can the Bruins play their usual brand of basketball? Some signs were there last night: holding Prairie View to 42% shooting, outboarding them 41-18, and forcing 26 turnovers. In contrast, UCLA committed 24 turnovers, 6 each by Collison and Anderson, their 2 point guards. Those numbers may be more indicative of the out-of-control style Prairie View plays, but does UCLA have enough discipline to play their half-court game?
The Bruins keep it simple offensively. They run a lot of high pick and roll for Collison and wing pick and roll for their swingmen. When they go high pick and roll, their wings slide down, waiting for the kickout while the weak side big man (Keefe or Gordon) pops out for the elbow jump shot. If Collison decides to kick the ball out to a wing, the wings will dribble weave, looking for an opening to drive or shoot. If there are no openings, one of UCLA's bigs will pop out for a wing pick and roll, or Collison will get the ball back and look to drive again. It sounds simple, but what makes it tough on the defense is UCLA's spacing. When the shot goes up, the Bruins will send 3 or 4 guys to the boards, and because of their spacing, they're hard to locate. UCLA will run when the opportunity is there, and they do a great job of running their lanes and finishing at and above the rim. You have to make them execute in the half-court.
Defensively, it's tough to score on UCLA because they play physical, are athletic, and have incredible length. It doesn't hurt that Howland brings the Big East defensive mentality with him. They will challenge you on the perimeter, make you go east-west and limit any ball movement. After taking you out of your offensive rhythm, they like to force quick shots, allowing for easy defensive rebounds and transition opportunities. The ball has to go inside-out and be reversed to force the defense to move. UCLA's bigs can be scored on underneath, but you have to be physical and strong with the ball. Anything weak thrown up will be swatted in your face and run with the other way.
Every possession counts against UCLA. To win, Miami must take care of the ball, move without the ball well and rebound, rebound, rebound. Force UCLA to make 3s and cut off Collison from the lane, force him to go east-west dribbling the ball. Miami can't have any empty possessions offensively. If they don't, that limits UCLA's ability to get out and run. Miami must do a better job against dribble penetration and must be sharp in their team defense. If they're not, it could be a long night.
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