Not a letdown, not a surprise

Thank goodness that’s out of the way. On Tuesday night,
UCLA had to contend with a slew of injuries, the expectations of a
No. 19 ranking, the hype of a nationally televised audience, and an
opponent easier to overlook than an oceanography midterm.

None of it had the makings of an upset, though. It all just
added up to a predictably lackluster contest against a weak team
that said little about the Bruins, but will definitely keep fans
eager for their future.

There weren’t any serious hints of a Bruin letdown, not
even when New Mexico State led eight minutes into the game or when
it went on a 9-2 run in the beginning of the second half.

It was obvious that the Bruins would eventually pull away,
simply because undersized and overmatched teams that went 6-24 a
year ago don’t go on the road and beat well-disciplined teams
like UCLA.

The suspense was minimal, the outcome inevitable, and the only
thing in abundance were referee whistles and television time-outs.
So thank goodness the Bruins can move on unblemished to more
meaningful games, more intriguing match-ups, and more uncertain
outcomes.

“It’s Nov. 15,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said.
“I don’t think I ever remember playing a game this
early that counted.”

Or one that made any definitive statement, for that matter.

Probably the only new thing fans learned about these Bruins was
that Janou Rubin had his eligibility restored and Jordan Farmar had
his jersey number changed.

Otherwise, it’s still apparent that UCLA is at its best
when pushing the ball up the court. It still looks awkward when
going inside. And Farmar still looks to take charge whenever the
opportunity arises.

Everything basically went according to plan on Tuesday, with no
backbreaking runs or extended lapses in intensity.

The contest was perfect for the cautious fan who prefers wading
slowly into the shallow end of the pool rather than diving in
headfirst. No big splashes. No shocking surprises. Just one small
step that still leaves a lot more to be taken.

Of course, this isn’t something that could be said of UCLA
season openers in recent years.

Last year, a freshman-heavy roster following a losing season
brought some uncertainty. The previous year featured a Vermont
opponent that would go on to reach the NCAA Tournament. And in
2002, well, the Bruins opted to belly flop into the deep end, and
they kept on sinking to the bottom for the remainder of the
season.

So for the upperclassmen on campus, Tuesday’s game can be
considered a nice change of pace.

But for the general fan eager to learn more about this team,
they were probably waiting for the final buzzer to sound off just
after halftime.

It was a game they’d like to TiVo, where after watching
the first 10 minutes they could fast-forward through the silly
fouls and sloppy turnovers, stopping to watch Cedric Bozeman
finishing on fast breaks or Arron Afflalo connecting on
jumpers.

Of course, it’s silly to expect a ton of answers from a
season opener. But wanting those answers is what makes me want to
just move on.

E-mail Finley at afinley@media.ucla.edu.

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