Sport: UCLA vs. Minnesota

Everyone is saying UCLA will lose even though they are a "6" playing an "11."

There are good reasons:
1) Jordan Adams was injured at the end of the Pac12 semi-final and needed surgery on his foot and is out for the rest of the season. His scoring and crafty steals were a big part of the success of this year's Bruins and were sorely missed in the defeat against Oregon in the Pac12 finals.
2) Rumors swirl around the impending firing of Coach Howland.
3) And now, a report surfaced that Shabazz is actually one year older than he has been claiming furthering the circus atmosphere around the burning ship that is the Bruin's basketball program.

Keys to tonights game:

1. First 5 minutes - if the team is in disarray they will be down double digits and they will either fold or be in a hole too big to dig out of.

They got off to a slow start.

2. Shabazz maybe the star but Larry Drew II is the key. His leadership keeps the team calm and he can pick his moments to score.

Neither had a good game.

3. Ware twins need to hit the open shots since the defense is going to key in on Shabazz.

10 and 4 points from them was not enough.

4. Shabazz needs to play within the flow of the game taking it to the hoop when he gets the chance but also giving up the ball when they close in on him.

Poor shooting until later in the game.

5. Anderson will get his points but UCLA really needs him to get rebounds to keep UCLA in the game since Minnesota is a rebounding monster.

Led Bruins with 11 rebounds but only 6 points.

6. Powell needs to be a defensive stopper. Bruins have scorers in others but need someone to be a pest to Minnesota's offense.

5 steals!

7. Look for Parker to get some minutes as they need his big body to deal with Minnesota's size. If he can give 12 effective minutes UCLA has a shot.

7 minutes, 5 fouls but 9 points.

8. Be alert to the officiating. UCLA has too few players to be playing with foul trouble.

T. Ware 4 fouls, T. Parker 5 fouls.

9. Howland needs to be smart in substitutions to sneak rest for his players.

The team was in a daze.

10. Will it be UCLA's defense on the last possession that preserves the win or UCLA's offense that gets the last bucket lifting them to victory?

If the Bruins had most of the 9 above keys, they win. As it was, they had almost none of the 9 and were blown out. Howland was fired on Sunday.

UCLA 69 Minnesota 68.

GO BRUINS!