M. BASKETBALL Sunday, 2:30 p.m. v. UC Riverside
Pauley Pavilion
There couldn’t be two more different teams facing each
other on Sunday. While the No. 1 UCLA men’s basketball team
is 5-0 and is off to its best start since the 1994-1995 season, UC
Riverside (3-4) has been hit by a huge amount of tragedy to begin
its season. The Highlanders, who are only in their sixth season of
Division I competition, first heard bad news when sophomore
transfer Mark Hall died in a car accident Sept. 16. In the same
accident, the Highlanders’ best player, junior guard Aaron
Scott, suffered injuries that will prevent from him playing at all
this season. For a team that was 5-23 the previous season, this was
not the way to begin anew. Following the accident, UC Riverside
coach David Spencer took a medical leave of absence from the school
due to illness, and assistant coach Vonn Webb took over the
coaching duties. This Sunday, when the Highlanders face the No. 1
Bruins, they will be a completely different team from the one they
had projected to start the season. Not only are Hall and Scott
gone, but junior forward B.J. Visman and sophomore forward Benoit
Bekono have since suffered injuries that will cause them to
redshirt this season. The Bruins are 2-0 all-time against the
Highlanders and defeated UCR 84-70 in 2003 in the last matchup
between the two teams. If there is any hope for the Highlanders, it
is that they have shocked the world previously by defeating the No.
1 Iowa Hawkeyes in 1988 in the finals of the Chaminade Classic.
After facing UC Riverside on Saturday, the Bruins will host Cal
State Fullerton at home next Tuesday. They will then face currently
ranked No. 9 Texas A&M in the John Wooden Classic on Dec.
9.
COLLISON WINS HONOR: Point guard Darren
Collison was named Pac-10 Player of the Week for Nov. 20-26 for his
play in the EA Sports Maui Invitational. Collison helped lead the
Bruins to a tournament victory with wins over Chaminade, Kentucky
and Georgia Tech. He averaged 13.3 points and 7.0 assists per game
in the tournament. He is averaging 13.2 points and 7.4 assists per
game on the year.