Mahatma Gandhi once said: “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
Just in case he was wrong, it’s a good thing the men’s basketball team has both.
Not to slight the teachings of the man they called Bapu, but it’s difficult to find any aspect of this team that isn’t its strong suit. The Bruins have an inside game, outside shooters, experienced leaders and one of the best coaches in the country ““ not to mention Russell Westbrook’s new “flaming mohawk.”
All in all, the Bruins will be one helluva team to watch.
With the regular season starting tomorrow, let’s take a look at five important things to know for this season:
5. Lorenzo Mata-Real is the same person as the former Lorenzo Mata. Pretty self-explanatory, but somebody had to say it.
The extra four letters and grammatical symbol probably won’t weigh ‘Zo down in the paint, and the bruising big man will share duties inside with Kevin Love and Alfred Aboya. The senior Mata-Real is tougher than a Ford truck, and his presence under the basket oozes intimidation.
Last season, the center averaged over 23 minutes per game and played in every contest. This year, the Bruins have a deeper frontcourt with the addition of Love, but Mata-Real’s role as an enforcer will still be key.
4. Pauley Pavilion is the place to be. The Bruins went 17-0 last season in the friendly confines of Westwood and gave up more than 65 points at home only four times.
The Bruins’ toughest home matchup will probably be No. 15 Texas. The Longhorns come to town Dec. 2. But UCLA also plays UC Davis, and the Aggies have a propensity for beating good teams (see: Stanford). The Pauley atmosphere will be one of the hardest places to play in the nation ““ over 6,000 fans showed up for Monday night’s exhibition matchup against Chico State.
3. Darren Collison isn’t underrated anymore. The lightning-quick junior point guard received preseason AP All-America honors, becoming the first Bruin to receive such an accolade in the 21-year history of selections. Collison is the straw that stirs the drink for the Bruins, but a mild knee sprain has kept him out for the past few days.
Last season, as a sophomore starting point-guard, he more than capably replaced Jordan Farmar, putting up 12.7 points and 5.7 assists per game.
However, point guard is the one position where the Bruins cannot afford injuries. Though Westbrook is a solid backup, the dual threat of Collison and Westbrook on the court at the same time is reason enough why Collison needs to stay healthy.
2. Love is the real deal. The 6-foot-10-inch 19-year-old from Oregon can do it all. He rebounds like he just got dumped, boxes out like FedEx, dunks like a donut and ““ oh yeah ““ is smoother from downtown than Miles Davis.
Enjoy him while he’s here, ladies and gentlemen, because chances are he’s in the NBA this time next year.
1. Ben Howland is the man. Entering his fifth season at UCLA, he’s already racked up a laundry list of accomplishments longer than the line at Tito’s Tacos at dinner time.
It includes back-to-back conference championships and back-to-back Final Fours over the past two seasons, coming up just short of a national title both times.
But you know what they say: The third time’s the charm.