When Arizona State visited Pauley Pavilion last season, they
were the most injury-plagued team in the Pac-10.
Two players in their rotation, Awvee Storey and Kenny Crandall,
were out, and many more were banged up.
In fact, their roster was so short that they had to play Chris
Osborne, whose left wrist was in a full cast after having two
surgeries. Osborne logged four minutes in the game, and actually
scored two points despite having trouble simply catching or
dribbling the ball.
“It is really painful when I’m out there,”
Osborne said after that game.
The worst part for UCLA is that they actually lost to ASU by one
point, one of the most embarrassing games of the season ““
especially after they were scored on by a player wearing a
cast.
If any team can match ““ or surpass ““ that low, it is
this year’s 4-7 squad. They’ll have their chance when a
healthier Chris Osborne and his much-improved ASU squad (11-4, 3-1
Pac-10) visit Pauley Pavilion for the first time since last
year’s ugly Bruin loss.
But UCLA has much bigger problems than worrying about the past.
The team is in turmoil, with rumors of head coach Steve
Lavin’s imminent resignation having been all over the media
since Saturday’s ugly 80-65 loss to St. John’s. There
have also been rumors of sophomore Cedric Bozeman wanting to
transfer and sophomore Dijon Thompson also being unhappy with the
program.
Lavin and Bozeman later denied those rumors at a media-frenzied
press conference. The team had an emotional meeting Monday, where
they vowed to each other to play harder and smarter basketball in
hopes of turning around what looks to be a lost season.
“We are the underdog now,” guard Jon Crispin said.
“We need to come out and play with a lot more
heart.”
Whether there is any substance to this team ““ or if they
are all talk ““ will be put to the ultimate test tonight.
Beating ASU is a must if the Bruins are serious about making a run
in the Pac-10.
“Meetings are only successful if they are backed up by
actions on the floor,” Lavin said.
Fans should expect to see changes tonight when the Bruins take
the court. Several players said they are going to use the
full-court press more, and that players dogging it and not diving
for balls will be pulled from the game immediately.
“If you don’t play hard, you are going to come
out,” Crispin said. But even increased effort doesn’t
guarantee a victory over ASU. The Sun Devils are one of the hottest
teams in the Pac-10, having won seven of their last eight.
In fact, Saturday they trounced Washington State by 41 points.
And with the Pauley Pavilion crowd incessantly booing the Bruins
throughout the past two games, the scene is set for another Bruin
loss.
“The team is huddling together,” Bozeman said.
“All we have is each other right now.”