Two games left.
After all the victories and accolades they have helped bring to UCLA basketball in their careers, seniors Alfred Aboya, Josh Shipp and Darren Collison will play only twice more at Pauley Pavilion before their brilliant college careers finally conclude.
The No. 20 Bruins (22-7, 11-5 Pac-10) face Oregon State (13-14, 7-9) tonight at 7:30 in what will be the second-to-last home game for three Westwood greats. The Bruins’ final home game, Senior Day, is Saturday when they host Oregon (8-20, 2-14) at 12:30 p.m.
“It’s always a little surreal,” coach Ben Howland said. “I’m going to miss these guys.”
These three seniors have already won three Pac-10 regular season titles and reached three Final Fours.
Collison surprised UCLA last spring when he decided to postpone an NBA career and return for his senior season. He had started at point guard for the Bruins in 2007 and 2008, when they reached the Final Four. This year, he has averaged a career high in scoring (15) and field goal percentage (53.3).
Aboya has reinvented himself this year. Always a solid defender, Aboya refined his offensive game and shooting stroke and finally entered the starting lineup. Both he and Collison have appeared in an astonishing 136 games in their careers, the most in the history of UCLA basketball.
Shipp came here five years ago, a part of the first freshmen class Howland ever recruited to Westwood. He sat out the 2005-06 season because of a hip injury but contributed significantly in each of the past two seasons.
The three seniors work hard and lead by example, Howland said.
That leadership comes in part from the sense of personal accountability the seniors have felt throughout this mercurial season, Shipp said. The Bruins do not dominate like they did in the past two seasons. The team has stumbled at points, although players say they are now poised for an NCAA tournament run.
“We’ve gone through a lot of things and it’s brought us closer,” Shipp said. “When we do lose, it falls on us, and we take it personally.”
Collison ““ by all accounts the most vocal leader ““ approaches his last weekend at Pauley with that type of mentality. Collison will enjoy this weekend, but he’s more concerned with the Bruins’ slim chance at a share of the Pac-10 title and their NCAA tournament resume.
“It’s still business,” Collison said.
Oregon State does pose some challenges for UCLA.
The Beavers play a zone defense, which has flustered UCLA at times this season.
Stopping Oregon State coach Craig Robinson’s version of the Princeton offense may be even more difficult for UCLA.
The offensive scheme, designed by legendary Princeton coach Pete Carril, spreads the floor and emphasizes constant back-cuts. As a part of that offense, center Roeland Schaftenaar distributes the ball. He leads the Beavers in assists, because he often stands at the top of the key, not in the painted area, and he will be a tough matchup for the Bruins.
The first-year coach Robinson is also one of the big success stories of the college basketball season.
He played under Carril at Princeton, and formerly coached at Brown University. He is the brother of first lady Michelle Obama. And, most impressive to Howland, Robinson has quickly rebuilt an Oregon State program that did not win a conference game in 2008.
“He has done a fantastic job,” Howland said.
Still, this weekend may feel like a bit of a celebration, especially for Aboya.
His parents, Baliaba Aboya Casimir and Kedi Kofane Angele, arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday for their first trip to America and will watch their son play basketball for the first time tonight. In an interview with the Daily Bruin in February, Aboya said his parents do not know the rules of the game but always emphasized academics.
“Nobody in my family went to college,” Aboya said.
“Going to college was always the most important thing.”
Aboya earned a degree in political science a year ago and is now enrolled in the UCLA School of Public Affairs.
Howland said that Collison and Shipp are also on track to earn their undergraduate degrees this spring.
“Guys are doing it the right way here at UCLA,” Howland said.