Pac-10 Basketball Preview: UCLA, USC

Bruins, Trojans Lack Star Power But Could be Conference's Best Teams

Jan 2, 2009

USC and UCLA are worlds apart on the football field these days. On the basketball court, they are much closer, and may be the best teams in the Pac-10 conference.

Unlike the past few seasons, though, USC could have the edge in basketball now, too. The following is part five of a series, previewing the Pac-10 Basketball teams from Southern California. Pac-10 play began Friday, Jan. 2.

Team Effort is Critical for Howland's "Baby" Bruins

Ben Howland has returned UCLA basketball to prominence in the past three seasons. Over that span, his teams compiled a 67-17 record, won three Pac-10 crowns and advanced to the NCAA Final Four three straight times, including reaching the championship game in 2005-06. But he has a big task ahead of him if the Bruins are to repeat as conference champs again. Or is it a small one?

In basketball terms, the Bruins are tiny. Their starting lineup features no one taller than 6-foot-9, going 6-9, 6-8, 6-5, 6-3 and 6-0. But so far, UCLA has shown that size doesn't matter, outrebounding its opponents by nearly eight boards a game while getting off to a 10-2 start and earning a No. 12 national ranking.

The Bruins, whose only losses were by three points to No. 23 Michigan and by four to No. 8 Texas, don't have a great rebounder. Instead, they use hustle and an incredible team effort to control the glass. Four players average between 4.2 and 5.5 rebounds per game, led by 6-9 center/forward Alfred Aboya.

Lacking Love, Star Power

With Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook gone, UCLA's top player is senior guard Darren Collison, one of only two returning starters from a team that went 35-4 a year ago. Collison's team leading scoring average of 14.3 is actually a bit below what he averaged a year ago as he has become a better distributor of the ball. He leads the team at 5.3 assists per game, and once again he has been deadly from long range, making half of his 36 3-point attempts.

Josh Shipp, the other returning starter, has slumped from 3-point range (6 of 30) after leading the Bruins with 70 3-pointers a year ago. The senior swingman is second on the team at 11.7 points per game.

One of the most exciting Bruins has been highly-touted freshman Jrue Holiday. The 6-3 guard has been a multi-talented force, with averages of 10.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

Aboya (9.3 points per game) and junior swingman Michael Roll (8.1) has also been keys to the offense, and Roll in particular has been deadly from the outside, making 22 of 38 3-point attempts.

For the Bruins to go on another postseason roll, like the past three seasons, they will need all of their players to play big -- figuratively and literally.

Floyd Continuing his Success in Year Four as USC Coach

Since coming to USC from a stint in the NBA, Tim Floyd has been a consistent winner. His first three teams went 17-13, 25-12 and 21-12, respectively and are coming off back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament.

This year's team could be his best ever. The Trojans are off to an 8-3 start, including a 7-0 mark at home, that is even more impressive when you consider two of the losses were by a combined three points to Oklahoma (currently 12-0 and ranked No. 4 in the nation) and Seton Hall.

Returning starters Taj Gibson, Dwight Lewis and Daniel Hackett, all juniors, have led the way as USC has more than compensated for the loss of NBA first rounder O.J. Mayo.

Though only 6-9, Gibson is one of the top big men in the nation, averaging 15.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, up from his 10.8 and 7.8 figures of a year ago.

The 6-5 Lewis, tied with Gibson for third on the team in scoring a year ago, leads the team in that department this year at 16.5 points per game. He has also improved his long-range shooting, making 17 of 42 3-pointers.

Hackett, also 6-5, is back running the point and doing so even better than last year, more than doubling his assist average (6.5) while chipping in 11.1 points a game.

Freshmen Faring Well

Freshman forward DeMar DeRozan (6-7) created quite a buzz when he announced he was going to attend USC, and he has fared well in the early going, scoring 11.2 points per game.

Fellow 6-7 freshman Leonard Washington didn't receive nearly the attention of DeRozan but has arguably been more valuable, averaging 8.9 points and 6.1 rebounds to back Gibson and help solidify a defense that has limited opponents to less than 39 percent shooting from the field and out-rebounded them by nearly 10 boards a game.

The loss of Mayo was big, to be sure, but the Trojans looked primed for a return trip to the NCAA Tournament and look to have the balance in place to contend for the Pac-10 championship.

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