[llperez]

Its on at 7:30 pt on sunday. This is not only a big rivalry, but it has some extra pressure this year as both USC and UCLA are currently bubble teams looking for any wins they can get to improve their tournament chances.

USC Trojans(9-6)

The trojans got off to a rough start begining the season at 4-4. But sparked by the addition of former atlantic 10 frehsman of the yeart transfer Jio Fontan (14ppg..3apg) they have seemingly gotten things turned around. Over their last 7 games, they have gone 5-2 which includes victories over Texas, Tennessee and Washington State with the only 2 losses coming at Kansas by 2 points and to Washington in overtime. Nikola VUcevic is the star of the show. The 6-10 center is averaging 16ppg and 10rpg and is the anchor to their defense. ALex Stephensen is an athletic offensive minded pf and frshman sg donte smith is one of the teams best one on one creators.

UCLA Bruins(9-5)

The Bruins have been up and down so far. A 3-0 start was followed with 4 straight losses. One game they are pushing kansas to the brink in a 1 point loss and the next game they are getting beat by Montana. But since the embarrassing montana loss, they seem to have gotten things turned around having won 6 of their last 7 with the one loss coming to Washington. In that span they handed BYU their only loss of the season. The Bruins are led by sophomore forwards tyler honeycutt(15ppg…8rpg) and reeves nelson(15ppg…8rpg) as well as junior sg malcolm lee who has come on strong after a slow start to the year.

SHould be a great game.

[BKKnicksfanParticipant]

I wanna go USC but I don’t know anyone on USC who can stop Honeycutt. Maybe they throw Stephenson on him, I dunno.

UCLA wins.

[llperez]

honeycutt hasnt been particularly dominant this year other then the kansas game. Hes just really solid and plays a team game. USC is gonna put marcus simmons on him who i know nothing about other then he is 6-6 and starts at af for them. This is a really tough game to call. The bruins and trojans both are led by their inside play and dominating the paint.

[llperez]

and here we go

[llperez]

bad start for the bruins. A couple unforced turnovers and giving up wide open looks to usc. 10-4 trojans right now.

[llperez]

reeves nelson and josh smith are the only guys bringing it for ucla right now and keeping them in the game early. 19-16 for USC.

[llperez]

reeves nelson is 5-5 fromm the field and taking it right at the trojans bigs. UCLA up 1

[llperez]

i dont see any reason why nikola vucevic is not a late first rounder this coming draft. He dropped 28 last week on washington. He is ungaurdable one on one for the bruins right now. Left handed hooks, jumpers. Hes a legit 6-10 pf with skills.

[llperez]

close game. This is the most defensive attention i have seen honeycutt get this whole year. The trojans are doubling and switching every screen. They are hell bent on not letting him get free. And again, i would love to hear why nikola vucevic is not an nba prospect. A skilled ouble 6-10 big man. He is working the bruins right now. Lorenzo romar said nikola is a certain nba player after he torched them for 28 last week.

[llperez]

well tight game throughout, but it looks like USC is gonna win. Nikola Vucevic and alex stephenson were both dominant inside. The trojans effectively took honeycutt out of the game. But the real difference was USC’s significantly better gaurd play. Next time will be at ucla and the bruins will get revenge.

[the lake show]

Both have work to do to even be considered a bubble team

[llperez]

Espn’s most recent bracketolgy thing had USC in the tournament. They have beaten a couple top 25 teams. If you dont htink the trojans are on the bubble, you are pretty much alone. I would have added the bruins here, but since they lost tonight i wont mention them,.

[the lake show]

So if someone doesn’t agree with the Bracketology (that has been wrong on a couple of teams every year at this point) is alone in there thinking?..lol  thats funny but anyway yes i think they have work to do since they are inconsistant. they are closer to the bubble then UCLA but i take into account that they play in the Pac-10 which is ranked lower then some midmajor conferences so wins in that conference isn’t gonna count as high as in the past

 

At this point in conference season its a guessing game unless a team is clearly dominate or close to it which neither team is so no person could know more then the next if both watch Pac-10 basketball so its just opinion

[llperez]

it seems like you are just looking at a 10-6 record and saying they are not a bubble team. Keep in mind 4 of those losses were without there second most valuable player. The committe does take those things into consideration. Over there last 8 games, they are 6-2 with wins over top 25 texas, top 25 tennessee as well as ucla and washington state. The only 2 losses were by 2 points at top 5 kansas and in overtime against top 25 washington. They are playing great ball right now. Search around on the internet and a number of sites have them in the tournament. SO how you can say they are not even close to being a bubble team is probably pretty much just you on that one.

[the lake show]

No, just like you i watch Pac-10 games and like i said ther big factor is how weak the conference Is. beating teams in the Pac-10 ( unless its Washington) just doesnt count for much this year. a team finishing third could easily not make the tournament

[llperez]

SO usc beting top 25 teams outside the conference doesnt count? ANd washington, washington state, arizona, usc and ucla are all solid teams. Its not nearly as bad A conference as last year. I have actually read 2 different articles on the internet suggesting the pac 10 wasnt even the weakest conference of the big 6. One said the acc was and the other said the sec was.

[the lake show]

Yes it does count but thats one win. I would love for the Pac-10 to get more teams in since i’m a fan of them but the conference is pretty weak nationally 10 loses just might not get it done in the Pac-10 this year. Washington is gonna make it and Arizona just might join them. Losing to Stanford Evens out that win over a top 25 team( unless Stanford plays as good as i think they can)

[llperez]

usc didnt lose to stanford. Unless you were talking about someone else. In any case, washington should be a lock for the tournament. Arizona, washington state and usc would all be in as of today but are not sure things by any means. UCLA is on the outside and needs to do some major work. But even in the last 8 games, ucla’s only losses are to wash and usc which arent exactly bad losses.

[the lake show]

Sorry i was thinking of Arizona St.  The Acc is gonna get teams in over Pac-10 even if they have more loses or the same record. The MWC will get a good 3 or even four teams in. those are the conferences that will take the Pac-10 bids. The Pac-10 is very lowly reguarded among the college basketball commitee’s. I personally think the teams are better than people give them credit for but i’m not gonna be on the selection committe

[Author]

Posts