UCLA faces Mississippi State in Wooden Classic
By David Wharton
The Los Angeles Times
December 12, 2009
If nothing else, Reeves Nelson will look a little scarier when he and his UCLA teammates face Mississippi State at the John R. Wooden Classic in Anaheim today.
A pitch-black shiner. The white of his right eye turned blood red.
"It was a little sore the last couple of days," the freshman center said. "Now it feels good."
Nelson, who was poked in the eye against Kansas last weekend, said he had recovered to the point where his vision was clear and doctors said he would not need to wear goggles.
The Bruins got similarly good news regarding freshman forward Tyler Honeycutt, who felt soreness in the same area of his shin that suffered a stress reaction at the season's start.
Honeycutt underwent an MRI exam on Thursday night and it showed no damage to the bone, which means he is likely to play today.
"We got a little scare," Coach Ben Howland said.
He was talking about Honeycutt's shin, not Nelson's eye.
Long and short
Today's marquee game between No. 15 Georgetown and No. 17 Washington features an unlikely matchup.
Look for Washington guard Isaiah Thomas -- all 5 feet 8 of him -- to attack the basket against Georgetown's 6-11 center, Greg Monroe.
"I'm going to be fearless when I go in the lane," Thomas said this week. "I don't think anybody can [intimidate me] unless it's somebody like Shaq."
Washington forward Quincy Pondexter says he isn't worried about Thomas venturing among the big men.
"Man, that kid's been little all his life, so he's had to learn how to do all those trick shots and hang in the air for what seems like 10 seconds and toss up shots," Pondexter said. "That's his game."
For Georgetown, this will be the second consecutive game against a top-25 team.
The Hoyas defeated No. 22 Butler, 72-65, on Tuesday.
Coach John Thompson III hopes a tough early schedule will prepare his team for the upcoming Big East Conference season.
"This week was put together by design, it wasn't by accident," Thompson said. "I want our guys to be used to that emotional ride."
Tough job
The Bruins also face an imposing opponent in the paint.
Mississippi State's Jarvis Varnado, a 6-9 forward, leads the nation with 5.3 blocks a game.
But Howland said his team will face other problems when it comes to the Bulldogs' defense.
"They are long and athletic," he said. "They can get out and pressure you, get after you. They get after the ball."
Mississippi State has held opponents to 38.7% shooting this season.
The man
John Wooden did not attend the news conference, but officials said they hoped the 99-year-old would be on hand for today's games.
On Friday, coaches talked about what Wooden meant to them.
"The Pyramid of Success is something he has passed down to so many people," Mississippi State Coach Rick Stansbury said. "Most coaches, it's part of their lives."
Said Washington Coach Lorenzo Romar, a former UCLA assistant: "You want wisdom? Forget about buying a book, just sit at John Wooden's feet."
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Bulldogs try to keep rolling against UCLA
clairionledger.com (Mississippi)
December 12, 2009
Mississippi State (6-2) vs. UCLA (2-5)
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, Calif.
Mississippi State will try for its third impressive victory in a row this afternoon, when it travels to face UCLA in the John R. Wooden Classic.
The Bulldogs have destroyed the last two teams they've faced, beating St. Bonaventure by 52 points and then easily handling DePaul 76-45 on Thursday in the SEC/Big East Challenge.
State had a brutal travel schedule after that game, leaving immediately by plane from Tampa, Fla., and not arriving in California until what would have been 5 a.m. Central time.
"We've got a quick turnaround and face a UCLA team that's getting better every time they play," MSU coach Rick Stansbury said in a released statement. "We'll have our work cut out for us on very short rest."
UCLA is a big-name program, but doesn't appear to have big-time talent this season. The Bruins have just a 2-5 record. Michael Roll leads the team with 13.6 points per game.
After a tough start to the season, the Bulldogs have appeared to steady the ship. Jarvis Varnado leads the team with 14.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Against DePaul, he had 12 points and 14 rebounds. He's one of only four active players in the country with 1,000 career points, 800 rebounds and 100 blocked shots.
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State goes to La-La Land
by John Yargo
Jackson Free Press
December 9, 2009
On Saturday, Mississippi State (5-2) travels to Anaheim, Calif., to play UCLA (2-5) in the annual John R. Wooden Classic. Both teams began the season ranked in the top 25, but have fallen out recently.
This year's Classic features only the second match-up between the two teams. (In the 1995 NCAA tournament, top-seeded UCLA dispatched fifth-seeded Mississippi State, 86-67, on its way to a championship.) In eight appearances in the Wooden Classic since it began in 1994, the SEC is 2-6.
The SEC's reputation is at a particularly low point. A scarce three of its teams got into the NCAA Tournament last year. A suddenly resurgent (and inexperienced) Kentucky is the only team currently in the top 10. But the Pac-10's struggles are more severe. Only one team, No. 12 Washington, is ranked in the top 25. Over the last three years, the NBA draft has stripped that conference of young superstar talent.
Both Mississippi State and UCLA have gotten off to bad starts, losing to mid-majors Rider and Portland, respectively. In addition, off-the-court distractions have caused some damage on the court and in reputation. The NCAA is scrutinizing State freshman Renardo Sidney's finances for the last two years, and UCLA's Drew Gordon has been dismissed for behavior detrimental to the team. Both were expected to be featured players. (Why State has gotten involved in the Sidney fiasco puzzles me, but that will have to be a subject for another day.)
Neither team, though, has begun conference play. Once UCLA adjusts to life after Gordon and the Sidney case is resolved for State, you could see both teams ascend in their weaker conferences. Beating UCLA, the holder of a record 11 national championships, will always help in putting a season back on track. For UCLA, ending a four-game losing streak is the first step.
As with last season, State has struggled to score points. Their base set is four guards around front court "presence" Justin Varnado. "Swat" Varnado is often successful in patrolling the front court (9.7 rebounds per game) alone and is more than adequate on the offensive end (67.3 field goal percentage). Sophomore combo guard Dee Bost distributes the ball well and has gained weight. Forward Ravern Johnson is the outside shooting threat. This year, coach Rick Stansbury hopes he can lead his team beyond the second round of the NCAA tournament. But Bost has stepped forward and told Sporting News that State "can win a national championship."
Coach Ben Howland's "Big East Out West" style characterizes UCLA's team. Unlike other Pac-10 coaches, he prefers a slow, grinding offense and aggressive man-to-man defense. His teams have played in three Final Fours in the last four years. Howland went into this season with the most inexperienced team he's coached at UCLA. This year's edition has looked disinterested on the offensive end. Against MSU, UCLA will need to be very efficient, cutting down on turnovers. Some combination of James Keefe (a less-athletic senior) and J'mison Morgan (a sophomore who has struggled with conditioning will leave to replace J)(???)
The records and the teams' styles seem to point to a close game. State is vulnerable to outside shooting, but UCLA is mediocre from the outside (27 percent). UCLA, without Gordon, will have to be creative on the front court to offset Varnado.
UCLA and State will improve and go deep in their respective conferences. At season's end, this game will look like a more compelling game than it does now. If UCLA's talented front court can produce, it might be the best pure defensive match-up of the weekend.
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