Friday, November 11, 2011

No. 17/20 UCLA Opens 93rd Season With Loyola Marymount

No. 17/20 UCLA Opens 93rd Season With Loyola Marymount

The Bruins lead the all-time series with LMU 15-2 and have won the last 12 meetings.

The Official UCLA Men's Basketball website
Nov. 10, 2011

LOS ANGELES -



GAMEDAY CENTRAL
DATE: Nov. 11, 2011
SITE: Los Angeles Sports Arena (15,000)
TIP-OFF: 7:36 p.m. (PT)
TV: Fox Sports West
TALENT: Joel Meyers (play-by-play), Don MacLean (analyst) and Courtney Jones (analyst)
RADIO (UCLA Sports Network from IMG College): AM 570 KLAC
SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO: 138
TALENT: Chris Roberts (play-by-play) and Tracy Murray (analyst)
SERIES: UCLA leads 15-2


IN THE POLLS

UCLA is ranked 17th in the AP Top 25 and 20th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. This marks the first time since the end of the 2008-09 season that the UCLA Bruins are nationally ranked. Loyola Marymount is unranked in both polls.


SERIES VS. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT

This is the 18th meeting between UCLA and the Loyola Marymount Lions with the Bruins leading the series 15-2 (.882). The Bruins have won the last 12 meetings and haven't lost to LMU since dropping a 40-34 decision at home during the 1941-42 season. UCLA is 14-2 against LMU at home, which includes an 8-2 record at home(s) away from Pauley Pavilion. The last time these two teams met, then-14th-ranked UCLA posted a 75-44 win over LMU (Dec. 17, 2008) in Pauley Pavilion. Michael Roll scored 12 points, hitting four of UCLA's season-high 11 3-pointers. Darren Collison added 11 points for the Bruins. LaRon Armstead scored a career-high 18 points for the Lions (0-11). Loyola Marymount trailed by 15 points at halftime before things got away from the Lions. UCLA opened the second half on a 20-8 run to extend the Bruins' lead to 59-32. The Lions had just five field goals in the second half. UCLA dominated the boards 49-35. UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland is 3-1 all-time against Loyola Marymount (2-0 since arriving at UCLA).


UCLA IN SEASON OPENERS

UCLA is entering its 93rd season and is 72-20 (.783) in season openers and 58-8 (.879) in home openers (since 1945). UCLA is 7-1 (.875) in home and season openers under head coach Ben Howland. Last year, the Bruins posted an 83-50 blowout win over Cal State Northridge (Nov. 12) in Pauley Pavilion.


CHARTING COACH HOWLAND

Ben Howland earned his 300th victory of his career with the 72-54 win over DePaul in the 15th Annual John R. Wooden Classic (Dec. 13, 2008). He is currently 357-182 (.662), which ranks 33rd on the winningest active coaches list by percentage and 50th on the active list by victories. Howland's first career victory was his first game at Northern Arizona in 1994, a 71-69 victory over New Mexico Highlands. His 100th career victory came in his second season at Pittsburgh in the 77-65 win at home over Seton Hall (Jan. 13, 2001). His 200th win came in his third season at UCLA with the 56-37 home win over Delaware State (Nov. 19, 2005). Howland is 19-9 (.679) in the NCAA Tournament (15-6 (.714) at UCLA).


BRUINS' INJURY REPORT
Junior forward Reeves Nelson has a left ankle injury and is listed as day-to-day. He missed practice on Nov. 9, but his X-Rays were negative. He is listed as probable for the season-opener against Loyola Marymount (Nov. 11). Sophomore center Anthony Stover sublexed his left shoulder on Oct. 26 and hasn't returned to practice since. He will not play in the LMU contest.

No comments: