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Open Game Thread: #9 UCLA Bruins at #8 Texas Longhorns

UCLA Bruins @ Texas Longhorns


The Drum should provide for #8 Texas (5-1) quite the atmosphere this evening when the 9th-ranked UCLA Bruins (4-1) make their first-ever vist to Austin. All time, the Longhorns and Bruins have battled three times on the hardwood (UCLA won the first two, Texas won last year), but each contest has been at Pauley Pavilion.

KEYS TO THE GAME

  • Start fast.  In this case, I mean two things: First, a strong opening 20 minutes like last year's at Pauley would both light up the crowd a go a long way towards hiding some of Texas' vulnerabilities (such as go-to half court offense in a close game). Second, I think Texas is the team which would benefit from a higher-paced game. For whatever reason, Rick Barnes declined to press Notre Dame until the game's final minutes; a mistake I hope Rick doesn't make this evening. The Bruins' guards can be forced into turnovers.
  • No second chances.  UCLA Coach Ben Howland has some years fielded some excellent offensive squads and other years horribly ugly ones to watch. But even the ugly ones keep the offensive efficiency at a high level, thanks largely to their proficiency racking offensive boards. This will be a man's game, and you can bet that every member of the Texas frontcourt knows that if they're getting beat for rebounds after a UCLA shot, they won't be playing.
  • Win the turnover battle.  I get the feeling this might be the decisive factor for these two teams. For Texas, the impact of Augustin's departure is obvious. A year after comfortably leading the entire country with an impressive 14% turnover rate, Texas' rate is up by more than a third, losing north of 19% of their possessions. On the bright side, Texas hasn't been nearly as turnover-prone as UCLA, which has given away 23% of its offensive possessions on the year. The sample sizes are still small, but the underlying causes suggest an opportunity for both teams to attack. For the Bruins, that means being unafraid of getting burnt by our vanilla stable of guards, contesting passing lanes and aggressively playing to change possession. If Abrams gets by you to the lane... who cares? He doesn't instigate contact to get to the line, and doesn't finish. On the flipside, tonight's match up between Darren Collison and Justin Mason should be special. At his best, Collison can be the premier player in a given game, taking over with a wide array of skills -- including a strong perimeter jump shot, ability to finish in the lane, and good passing vision for teammates. He's turned it over an alarming amount so far this year himself, but Texas fans shouldn't be fooled; Collison will be no easy target. Rather, I think Texas should force UCLA to beat the press. Collison's not as good a full-court point guard as he is all-around player, while Josh Shipp (only a competent ball handling guard) and Jrue Holiday (true freshman -- albeit a damn good one) might struggle with the pressure.
  • Big men play big. You wouldn't know it just yet, but this Texas' team's strength is its frontcourt. After back-to-back seasons with limited frontcourt contribution and superstar playmakers outside, Texas is for the first time since Lamarcus Aldridge was here a team that has the frontcourt personnel to have a high impact on the game. Texas is more than just rusty, however; of all the things Rick Barnes does well, scoring consistently and efficiently inside is not one of them. I suspect that this team will get there eventually, especially if Wingman continues to develop as I think he will. But the key in the short term is for Dexter Pittman to get himself under freaking control with his fouls. Texas was in great shape when Dexy was moving the Big East Player of the year around like a table shaker of salt; it was the four fouls -- all of them stupid, preventable, and the result of mental weakness -- that grounded his and our momentum. Who knows, maybe a team as strong and physical as UCLA will provide for Dexy the kind of banging, contact atmosphere in which he can play without fouling. He simply has to pull it all together for this team to reach its fullest potential. Why not start tonight, big fella?

#9 UCLA BRUINS AT #8 TEXAS LONGHORNS

8:00 p.m. CT  *  Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas

Televion:  ESPN2 (Dave O'Brien, Jay Bilas)

Radio:  98.1 FM / 1300 AM in Austin

Official UT Game Info:   TexasSports.com Game Preview

Bruins Hoops Coverage:  Bruins Nation.com

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Official prediciton:

Texas 25
UCLA 24

Abrams 1-25 from three, 15-16 from the line
Rest of Texas: 3-30 FT Dexter has two dunks before he fouls out.

Awiggo explodes halfway through the second half, causing a 30-minute delay as they clean him off the court.

Kidding. I think this will be a tough test for our offensive patience. I can see Abrams/James getting frustrated with the D and jacking us into oblivion. Then again, I know nothing about UCLA, so there you go.

by Horn Brain on Dec 4, 2008 4:50 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

Let's go Horns!

That place should be rocking tonight.

by stampchez on Dec 4, 2008 5:25 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

Last year vs kansas

I came about two hours early and there must have been 500 people there already. I’m here now at the game and there can’t be more than 75-100 people. I think finals are going to really impact turnout- hopefully more will come though.

by liveUT on Dec 4, 2008 5:58 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

Is it just me....

or does everyone want ou to get smashed by USC tonight. Not just for ranking purpose, but for pure enjoyment.

Hook'em

by TEXAS_FIGHT07 on Dec 4, 2008 6:04 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

crap, going to mute...

Damn ou band wont stop

Hook'em

by TEXAS_FIGHT07 on Dec 4, 2008 6:08 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

Amen

brotha. Can’t wait for tonight, drum’s gonna be a-rockin.

by UTexasCPA on Dec 4, 2008 6:45 PM CST to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I just will never understand

Giving the horns down when you are not even playing the Longhorns. It just does not make sense.

Adopt-a-recruit: Devon Kennard DE
Phoenix (AZ) Desert Vista 6'3" 257lbs

by blazzinken on Dec 4, 2008 6:12 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

Is it me...

… or are they just triple-teaming Griffin and daring the rest of the team to beat them?

by Horn Brain on Dec 4, 2008 6:38 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

Anyone see that Warren kid's headband?

Why must it be positioned so? It’s like 3 inches above his hair-line. I realize that headbands in basketball became useless and just a fashion statement years ago, but really…It’s almost slipping off the back of his head it’s so far back.

by HornPossessed on Dec 4, 2008 6:48 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

Sad to say....

I took a little pleasure in that from Washington

Hook'em

by TEXAS_FIGHT07 on Dec 4, 2008 7:17 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

What's with the ESPN merch?

Who the f wants to wear that? It should be about as cool as a CNN shirt if ESPN was being responsible.

by Horn Brain on Dec 4, 2008 7:49 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

I really hope that Abrams steps it up tonight.

We cannot have him jacking up threes towards the 2nd half.

We just need to take control of the paint, feed the ball to Pittman and control our possessions. It’ll be really nice to beat this talented UCLA team, and, yet, another great achievement by the Longhorns.

by longhornricky on Dec 4, 2008 7:59 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

did it matter to Texas...

…that OU just won? do we want them as high as possible for us to beat them later in the season?

by Heart of a Muschampion on Dec 4, 2008 8:06 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

No

We will never root for the Sooners to do anything well ever again. No matter what, how, or where. If they lost every game in every sport forever and ever, that would just make me that much happier.

by Horn Brain on Dec 4, 2008 8:07 PM CST to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Tisdale story

He’s a great bass player and amazingly upbeat after cancer but Toby Keith “the Biggest Sooner fan” is King of the talentless Dicks.

by shadyrock on Dec 4, 2008 8:07 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

You mean they went to UConn while our game was starting.

That kind of stuff gets a sorry motherf*ckers from me.

by whills on Dec 4, 2008 8:08 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

I'll take the threes anyway.

It will take the horns a while to adjust to ucla; hopefully, it will be quick.

by whills on Dec 4, 2008 8:12 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

Last year they came out quick

UCLA is doubling the post everytime, that could cause a problem

Adopt-a-recruit: Devon Kennard DE
Phoenix (AZ) Desert Vista 6'3" 257lbs

by blazzinken on Dec 4, 2008 8:13 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

rick barnes

where is his burnt orange tie? I thought he usually wore one on gamedays…

by 4th generation fan on Dec 4, 2008 8:16 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

Great D

Rare 5 second call

Adopt-a-recruit: Devon Kennard DE
Phoenix (AZ) Desert Vista 6'3" 257lbs

by blazzinken on Dec 4, 2008 8:18 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

i give AJ a hard time...

…but goddamn his 3-ball is sweet…

by Heart of a Muschampion on Dec 4, 2008 8:19 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

Haha that slow white guy was funny

Looks like me

Adopt-a-recruit: Devon Kennard DE
Phoenix (AZ) Desert Vista 6'3" 257lbs

by blazzinken on Dec 4, 2008 8:20 PM CST reply reply   0 recs

Three for AJ

but I have to say it’s pretty pathetic that UCLA’s PG is guarding Atchley and we’re still not posting up Connor. That says a lot about our inability to exploit the matchups, and how soft Connor is. He’s not even demanding the ball when Collison is guarding him.

by goingforthecorner on Dec 4, 2008 8:20 PM CST reply reply   0 recs