UCLA men’s basketball coach Ben Howland warned his players
that Tuesday’s practice would be “very, very
competitive” as a result of the Bruins’ loss to USC on
Sunday.
The practice could potentially be remembered as very, very
costly.
Alfred Aboya, already nursing a strained left groin he suffered
during practice last week, re-injured the same area Tuesday and is
listed as doubtful for Thursday’s game against Oregon State
with a strained left hip flexor.
The 6-foot-8 freshman, who had arthroscopic procedures performed
on both of his knees prior to the season, was competing for the
just-vacated starting center position with Ryan Hollins, Michael
Fey and Ryan Wright.
The injury to Aboya comes at a particularly tough time for the
21-year-old freshman, who has been enjoying his best stretch of
basketball this season over the last four games. During that span,
he’s averaged 7.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while
shooting 84.6 percent (11-for-13) from the floor.
In a 70-67 loss at Washington on Feb. 11, Aboya led UCLA in
scoring with 15 points, making all six of his shots while pulling
down eight rebounds in 31 minutes, all of which set career
highs.
At USC, this past Sunday, the freshman was again perfect from
the floor, making all three of his shots and snatching five
rebounds in only 16 minutes.
This season, Aboya has played in 20 games (starting two of them)
and is averaging 3.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
NO EXCUSE: Last week, Howland gave his team
three days off in preparation for USC on Sunday, the team’s
only game of the week. Following the Bruins’ 71-68 loss to
the Trojans, UCLA’s Darren Collison said the time off might
have allowed a sense of complacency to set in. Tuesday, Howland
disagreed with the freshman point guard’s assessment.
“I thought our guys were in a good mental state.
“(The comments) surprised me,” Howland said. “I
don’t know where that came from. I didn’t feel like
that at all.”
DRIBBLER: The National Association of
Basketball Coaches named UCLA’s Jordan Farmar and Arron
Afflalo to its District 15 First Team.