Thursday, February 11, 1999
UCLA takes on Stanford on road
MBASKETBALL: Team needs win against Cardinal to have real shot
at conference crown
By AJ Cadman
Daily Bruin Staff
Walking onto the opposing team’s home floor can be a humbling
and disturbing thing for the visiting squad. Last year, the UCLA
men’s basketball team had to endure the heckling of the Cameron
Crazies of Duke University on the road.
Tonight, the No. 9 Bruins (17-5, 8-3 Pac-10) will face a
similar, yet daunting task as they travel up to Northern
California. They will attempt to defeat the No. 6 Stanford Cardinal
(19-4, 9-1) at Maples Pavilion, considered by many to be the
Cameron Indoor Stadium of the West Coast.
"I think (Maples) is one of the great home court advantages in
college basketball," said UCLA head coach Steve Lavin. "The fans
are right on top of you."
Beyond the boisterous, sellout crowd of over 7,100 that will
pack Maples Pavilion this evening, the Bruins stand neck-and-neck
with No. 10 Arizona in the conference race, both teams two games
behind the Cardinal. With seven of eight remaining contests against
conference foes, each game UCLA plays from here on in affects its
chances at a Pac-10 title and its seeding in the NCAA
Tournament.
"Each game from here on out is important," said Lavin. "The
tournament selection committee strongly looks at the last 10 games
as a benchmark for how a team is playing at that time."
The Bruins have not defeated Stanford in Palo Alto since the
1995 National Championship campaign, 88-77. Since then, UCLA has
lost three straight games at Maples and three straight overall in
the series.
The Bruins’ only loss at Pauley Pavilion this season was at the
hands of the Cardinal, 72-59, back on January 16. The loss of
freshmen Dan Gadzuric and Jerome Moiso to foul trouble led to
UCLA’s succumbing to the frontline presence of Stanford’s Mark
Madsen and the referee’s whistle.
"The Stanford game ranks right up there with one the best games
we have played all season," said Lavin.
Stanford comes in having suffered a tough loss to second ranked
University of Connecticut 70-59. Husky point guard Khalid El-Amin
exposed the Cardinal’s zone defense with his quick penetration and
dead-eye shooting. On the other end of the court, the Huskies
stifling defense caused turnovers, leading to transition and fast
break points.
"(Stanford doesn’t) seem too vulnerable to me," said Lavin.
"Last year, the losses really helped them. Because they are a
veteran team, it can help them this year as well."
Leading the Bruins’ recent resurgence has been Davis, with
especially productive play on the road. Davis is averaging 16.6
points per game and shooting 46 percent from the field in seven
contests away from Pauley Pavilion. His career high of 25 points
came this season at Freedom Hall against Louisville.
The Farm will provide a formidable challenge for UCLA tonight.
The game will be another in a series of barnburners that provides
the opposing team with a mountain to climb.
"The floor shakes and you’re shooting at a moving basket," said
Lavin jokingly about the Maples mystique. "When Brandon Loyd can
dunk, you know there’s some serious springs under the floor."JAMIE
SCANLON-JACOBS/Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Dan Gadzuric celebrates with a yell of triumph after
a dunk in a game against Oregon State.
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