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Anteater Nation, Anteaters, basketball, Big West Conference, Bren Center, Bruin Nation, Bruins, college basketball, Irvine, NCAA Tournament, Orange County, Pac-12 Conference, Pauley Pavilion, UC Irvine, UC Irvine Anteaters, UC Irvine Basketball, UCLA, UCLA Bruins, UCLA Women's Basketball, University of California Irvine, University of California Los Angeles, Westwood
UC Irvine players celebrating during their Big West Tournament title win. Photo courtesy of nbclosangeles.com
THESE TWO TEAMS – THE UC IRVINE MEN AND THE UCLA WOMEN – WERE CLEARLY THE BEST THAT SOCAL HAD TO OFFER IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL THIS SEASON
UC IRVINE ANTEATERS (MEN)
Record: 30-5, 15-1 and Big West Conference regular season and tournament champions
Coach: Russell Turner
Last Game: Beat Cal State Fullerton, 92-64, in the Big West Conference Tournament Finals on March 16th
NCAA Tournament Seed: 13th in the South Regional
Next Game: NCAA TOURNAMENT, South Regional vs Kansas State in San Jose, CA on Friday, March 22nd at 111:00 a.m.
Key Players:
- Max Hazzard, G: 12.5 ppg
- Evan Leonard, G: 11.1 ppg
- Collin Welp, F: 8.9 ppg
- Eyassu Worku, G: 7.5 ppg, 2.8 apg
- Jonathan Galloway, F: 7.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg
- Elston Jones, F: 6.8 rpg
Max Hazzard, UC Irvine’s leading scorer who also happens to be the grandson of UCLA legend Walt Hazzard. Photo courtesy of latimes.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUJ4bHJbyyQ
UC Irvine’s Anteater Nation rightfully going nuts after their basketball team’s Big West Tournament championship game win, courtesy of YouTube (click on the link)
Thoughts and Comments:
Of the eleven men’s college basketball teams that called the Southern California area home this season,
These Anteaters from south Orange County were the best by a long way as every other team in the L.A. area ranged from mediocre to just plain bad; don’t even get me started on UCLA!
The thing that I noticed the most about this UC Irvine squad is that there’s no one with the standout superstar stats; Max Hazzard (the grandson of UCLA legend Walt Hazzard), the leading scorer, was one of only two guys whose per game average was in the double digits.
The Anteaters, with their unique “Zot, Zot, Zot!” cheer, have a good resume, having won their last sixteen games. Their thirty wins is the first time that any Big West team has won that many since UNLV in 1990-91.
But one factor still remains that, while I think they’re capable of surprising people and becoming this year’s “Cinderella” team, keeps me from realistically seeing them lasting past the first weekend…
The conference they’re in and their strength of schedule.
Simply put, playing Long Beach State, Cal State Northridge, and UC Riverside will never prepare you to have any true chance against the big boys.
Which is why, as much as I like these guys and will be rooting for them, my official prediction for this UC Irvine team is,
One and done – two and through at best
Bruins having a good time before a Pac-12 Tournament game last week. Photo courtesy of uclabruins.com
UCLA BRUINS (WOMEN)
Record: 20-12, 12-6 and fourth place in the Pac-12 Conference
Coach: Cori Close
Last Game: Lost to Oregon, 88-83, in overtime on the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament
NCAA Tournament: Sixth in the Albany Regional
Next Game: NCAA TOURNAMENT, Albany Regional vs Tennessee in College Park, MD on Saturday, March 23rd at 10:00 a.m.
Key Players:
- Michaela Onyenwere, F: 18.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg
- Kennedy Burke, G: 15.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg
- Japreece Dean, PG: 13.8 ppg, 4.6 apg
- Lajahna Drummer, F: 9.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JzAmgFCPTM
Highlights of UCLA’s 73-69 win over Arizona State in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament on March 8th, courtesy of YouTube (click on the link)
Thoughts and Comments:
After a 3-5 start, I and I’m sure the rest of Bruin Nation resigned ourselves to the notion that these UCLA lady hoopsters were going to sorely miss Jordin Canada and Monique Billings – last year’s standouts – and go through a bit of an off-year lull and a rebuilding phase.
Though they stumbled in a few more games, namely losing to USC at home on January 20th to sink to a 9-9 record,
Their 11-3 finish, which included a FURIOUS comeback to beat then-second ranked Oregon in Eugene a few weeks ago,
More than earned my respect for those 20th ranked Bruins for (especially) having something that their basketball brothers did not have this season…
Guts, heart, and perseverance.
In fact, at one point I posted on Twitter the idea (though unrealistic, I know) of possibly hiring Close as the new coach of the men’s team, being everything that Steve Alford was not.
I even see UCLA as having a pretty decent chance in their first round game vs Tennessee, long known for being synonymous with women’s college basketball with the late great coach Pat Summitt but has not been the same dominating program in recent years, finishing with a losing record in the Southeastern Conference this season.
The fact that the Bruins are seeded 6th while the Lady Volunteers are seeded 11th illustrates that.
As such, my prediction for this women’s team of my alma mater is…
Two and through – I’m going to go out on a limb and pick UCLA to beat Tennessee, but I don’t see them beating 3rd seed and host team Maryland.
Of course, much like the Bruin football team when they faced USC four months ago, I certainly hope I’m wrong.
UCLA’s Kiara Jefferson driving with the ball, with Kennedy Burke (#22) looking on. Photo courtesy of uclabruins.com
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