UCLA Bruins News

Dragovic Needs To Focus On Getting His Life Together: Commentary On Troubled Forward Of UCLA Basketball Program

Post Game Recap/Quick Analysis: Howland's Bruins Show Signs Of Improvement By Powering Past Bakersfield

LOS ANGELES-UCLA starting forward Nikola Dragovic was suspended for the Bruins' game against Cal State Bakersfield on Friday night following his arrest.

Ben Ball Roundup: Gameday Notes (As UCLA Takes On Cal State Bakersfield)

A Note Re. Evoking Steve Lavin To Criticize Ben Howland: Here Is A Hint. Not Acceptable On Bruins Nation

Losing an early non-conference game against a mid-major can be an early death sentence for some teams, but for others it can just be a blip on a radar soon forgotten.

For Ben Howland's UCLA and other Pac-10 schools, a down season is ahead. Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy analyzes what Tuesday's buzz means to college basketball.   Back of the Pac It's awfully early to be leaping to grand conclusions, but since we'd already leaped to this one in preseason, we're really just affirming our stance: The Pac-10 is going to have a hard time.   Is that based on Oregon State's dismal opening loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Stanford's double-digit loss to San Diego... and UCLA's double-overtime stumble against Cal State-Fullerton? Yes. But not entirely.   It's mostly based on the number of very good players who completed their careers last season, either by running out of eligibility (Taylor Rochestie, Jon Brockman) or running for the NBA (Chase Budinger, James Harden). Seven of the league's top 20 scorers from 2008-09 are back, and three of the top 10 rebounders.   And though there are always good high school players in California, which is the league's most important source of new talent, five players from the state were in last year's Scout.com top 50 -- and one ended up at a Pac-10 school: forward Tyler Honeycutt (UCLA). Jordan Hamilton (Texas), Hollis Thompson (Georgetown), Michael Snaer (Florida State) and Renardo Sidney (Mississippi State) went elsewhere.   Pac-10 schools signed five top-50 players combined.   If you don't have old talent and don't have new talent, it means you probably don't have enough talent.   Jamie Dixon's job with the U.S. national team in New Zealand merits a high five. Some welcome good news Pitt's most recent season ended in the most heartbreaking fashion, on a buzzer-beater by Villanova's Scottie Reynolds that stopped the Panthers a few seconds short of a Final Four berth. And this is a definite rebuilding season, which means it'll probably be less fun than last.   In between, though, Panthers coach Jamie Dixon took a team of relatively unheralded teenagers to New Zealand and brought it back as world champion. For that, USA Basketball named Dixon the organization's coach of the year for 2009.   Dixon and assistants Chris Lowery (Southern Illinois) and Matt Painter (Purdue) were in charge of the United States U-19 national team. Many big-name players passed on the opportunity to play, making Duke transfer Seth Curry probably the biggest name -- and that was mostly because of his brother, Stephen. But the coaches instilled a strong and successful defensive ethic in that team. Dixon credits Lowery and Painter, who worked together at SIU, but it's not like he's any stranger to great D.   The book on Clemson It seems wrong to harangue a team for a 40-point win, so let's look at this as as constructive criticism. Watching Clemson in its easy road victory over Liberty, it started to become clear why Trevor Booker doesn't get enough shots. The ball constantly is flying over his head.   Related Links DeCourcy: Keep an eye on Indiana in Puerto Rico Starting Five: Can Isiah Thomas avoid controversy? Top five from early signing day The Recruitnik: Latest signing, commitments Defining moments of college hoops decade Booker now has played two games without reaching double-figures in shot attempts. He didn't play big minutes in either because the games were blowouts, but neither did the Tigers make an issue of his huge physical advantage over these teams.   It makes sense for Clemson to play fast. It's a style that differentiates the Tigers from a lot of teams in the ACC. But it only takes an extra second or so to complete an entry pass to Booker inside rather than jacking up another 3-pointer. He made better than half his shots in three previous seasons; passing him the ball is a high-percentage play.   This story appears in Nov. 18's edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today.   Senior writer Mike DeCourcy covers college basketball for Sporting News. E-mail him at decourcy@sportingnews.com.more>>

Waking Up To A New Reality In Howlandwood: Quick Reflections After UCLA's Season Opening Upset Loss To Cal State Fullerton

Ben Ball Gameday Roundup: Notes On UCLA's Season Opener Against Cal State Fullerton

LOS ANGELES-Ben Howland has gone back to basics at UCLA. Losing Final Four veterans like Darren Collison, Josh Shipp and Alfred Aboya will force that on a coach.

Re. The Power Of Social Media In Shaping Today's College Athletics

Tyler Lamb Sends It In: Quick Post On An Elite Basketball Recruit Sending In His LOI To Howlandwood w/o Much Fanfare