Just how low can this team go?
Well, the Bruin squad has already set several marks for UCLA
basketball futility, and many more lie ahead if the team continues
to struggle.
Records that have already been shattered include:
“¢bull; Saturday’s 35-point shellacking by Arizona was the
worst-ever loss at Pauley Pavilion for the Bruins. The previous low
was a 22-point loss to Cal in 1993.
This year’s squad also lost to Branch West by 25 in an
exhibition game, but the game didn’t count in the
standings.
“¢bull; Saturday’s loss was also the Bruins’ seventh
this year at Pauley Pavilion, which breaks the old record of six
set during the 1987-1988 season. Six home dates still remain.
“¢bull; UCLA, which managed only 53 points against Arizona on
Saturday, has scored 53 points or less in a game only four other
times during the past 17 seasons.
“¢bull; The squad’s 4-9 start is the worst UCLA start
after 13 games since the 1945-1946 season, when the Bruins started
2-11. That year’s team turned things around, going 6-5 the
rest of the season.
“¢bull; The current four-game losing streak is the worst by a
UCLA team since February 1990, when the Bruins lost five
straight.
Other records haven’t been broken yet, but have a good
chance of being shattered when the season is over.
For example:
“¢bull; The Bruins haven’t missed out on the NCAA
tournament in the past 14 seasons, but they are almost assured of
not getting selected this season.
The only way to keep the streak going would be to win the Pac-10
Tournament, where they would receive an automatic berth if
victorious.
“¢bull; UCLA basketball has not had a losing season in the past
54 years, when the 1947-1948 squad went 12-13.
If they finish with their current .308 winning percentage, it
will be their worst since the 1941-1942 squad went 5-18 (.217).
“¢bull; The Bruins have never finished under .500 in the Pac-10
since the conference was first formed in 1978.
In fact, UCLA hasn’t been under .500 in conference play
since 1947-1948, when the school was a member of the Pacific Coast
Conference.
The Bruins are currently 2-3 in the Pac-10.
“I don’t know how to respond,” said junior Jon
Crispin after being told of some of the records under attack.
“After you lose this many, it’s like, “˜What the
heck.'”
But everyone on the team is trying to be optimistic despite the
season-long struggles.
No one is thinking of the records, but just trying to get better
with each game.
“This sucks,” forward Josiah Johnson said.
“But we have more games to play, so we are trying to stay
positive.”