The UCLA men’s basketball team left the Big Apple with
something of a big problem.
Well, a big man problem, to be more precise.
After their third-place finish in the NIT Season Tip-Off last
week, the No. 16 Bruins (4-1) left New York with the knowledge that
a lot of work still has to be done for them to become a great
team.
The most glaring weakness was the UCLA frontcourt, which
struggled to contain both Memphis and Drexel inside the paint.
“I know we’re going to face better players, tougher
players, so we have to improve in that aspect of the game,”
freshman forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute said. “That’s
something we need to do in practice.”
The first chance to show improvement is tonight, as UCLA hosts
unheralded Albany (1-3) at Pauley Pavilion.
Drexel was able to really exploit UCLA’s post play last
Friday, as 25 of the Dragons’ 30 second-half points came
either in the paint or at the free-throw line. Senior centers Ryan
Hollins and Michael Fey were largely ineffective, as both were held
scoreless in a combined 19 minutes of playing time.
“I just wasn’t feeling good about our production out
of the two seniors who were playing,” coach Ben Howland
said.
Hollins and Fey had been much more effective against Memphis, as
Fey scored 13 points and Hollins added eight.
Each had four rebounds.
Against Drexel, however, they were almost non-existent ““
sophomore forward Lorenzo Mata came in to play inside and provided
the Bruins with a spark off the bench.
“Coming out and not playing well, I’ve got a lot of
work to do and I’ve got to get a lot better,” Hollins
said. “Being my senior year, I expect to help the team out a
lot more.”
As for Fey, Howland said his conditioning is still far from what
it should be.
Fey missed over a month of practice with a strained groin, and
he is still working himself into shape.
“I’ve seen improvements already in terms of Mike
getting back in shape, and we just have to get a better feel and a
better chemistry and that will come as the year goes on,”
Hollins said.
UCLA’s frontcourt is also feeling the effects of several
other injuries.
Freshman forward Alfred Aboya (knee) is expected to start
playing for the first time this season in the next two weeks, while
sophomore swingman Josh Shipp won’t be back until
mid-December.
The absence of Shipp and Aboya has forced other players, namely
Mbah a Moute and senior Cedric Bozeman, into positions to which
they are unaccustomed.
Mbah a Moute is playing power forward even though he was a point
guard in high school, and Howland said the team is currently asking
Bozeman, who has seen time at three different positions, to do too
much.
“Drexel really exploited us inside,” Howland said.
“Their big guys inside especially hurt us, especially (Frank)
Elegar.”
Elegar finished with 13 points, and 39 of Drexel’s 56
points were scored by their forwards or center.
UCLA attempted to double-team the Dragons down low, without a
large degree of success.
“We’re going to have to double-team more than I
would like in the post,” Howland said. “We
weren’t real good at it. We weren’t effective. They
were getting it back out.”
Fortunately for the Bruins, play from their guards has been
solid thus far.
Particularly impressive has been sophomore Arron Afflalo, who is
averaging 17 points per game this season.
He put UCLA in a position to win against Drexel, hitting several
huge 3-pointers down the stretch and shutting down Drexel’s
best player, guard Dominick Mejia.
The Great Danes of Albany, who were 13-15 last season, have lost
three straight after opening the season with a win against Oakland.
They lost 80-53 to San Diego State on Saturday.