UCLA - Kansas

[NotAnAlum]

After watching this game I can see the type of team Crean has been trying to build at Marquette.  Both teams are very quick but not particularly big.  This game was a steal fest.  Evertime someone drove everyone they went by swiped at the ball.  Guys were all over the passing lanes.  ULCA in particular did a great job of turning steals into baskets.  The defense was intense.  That said we have a long, long way to go before we can compete with either of these teams.  We'll see next year.   

[ChicosBailBonds]

The irony of it is that most of UCLA's players were not highly regarded in high school.  Only Affalo was ranked near James, McNeal or Matthews.

They play incredible defense and that is the biggest difference I see between their club and ours.

Nevertheless, they are proving (as is Oregon) that you don't need a dominant big man or big men to get the job done.

[bma725]

The irony of it is that most of UCLA's players were not highly regarded in high school.  Only Affalo was ranked near James, McNeal or Matthews.

Not true at all.   UCLA had back to back top 20 recruiting classes, with 2004 being ranked #11 by Rivals and  2005 being ranked #18.(ahead of MU btw)

Besides Afflalo they had a lot of highly regarded guys, just check the RSCI:
Ryan Wright-46th(ahead of both Matthews and McNeal that year)
Alfred Aboya-81st
Darren Collison-98th
Josh Shipp-57th(same level that McNeal was at, and higher than Matthews)
Lorenzo Mata-80th
James Keefe-38th(again, higher than Matthews or McNeal were)

And that's not counting Michael Roll, who Scout had as a 4-star, top 90 guy and the best SG in the west the year he came out.  Or Russell Westbrook, who was a 4-star, top-80 guy according to Scout.

On the entire UCLA roster, the only regular contributor who wasn't highly regarded is Mbah a Moute.  In fact, of scholarship players, only he and Nikola Dragovic weren't top 100 guys....and Dragovic was considered one of the better players in Europe for his age group, and there  was even some though of his turning pro before the NBA age limit.

[ChicosBailBonds]

BMA, when I say not highly regarded I'm using "UCLA" expectation levels. Yes, they are top 100 kids but lots of schools get top 100 kids.

The last few years people here have been upset at Howland isn't bringing in top 10 guys but "settling" for guys barely between 75 and 100.  Similar to complaints about some of Jim Tressel's kids at OSU.

I had forgotten about Wright (because he's such a stiff right now) and Keefe, but every other player you mention was ranked below our big three guys.

My bigger point was that UCLA is going to Final Fours without top 25 ranked guys by and large.  Yes they have had top 20 recruiting classes as a whole, but take a look at KU's roster.

I think KU's top 8 guys on the court today were four 5 star guys and 3 guys with 4 stars if I remember correctly.  UNC, Duke, etc all seem to land bigger, better classes yet Howland is just an incredible coach that does recruit well, but ultimately his system is the difference.

I love the guy.  I hired him to be our spokesperson for our Mega March product a few weeks ago.  Just a basketball encyclopedia.  He is so basketball smart it is sick.  Never seen anyone like him at this level....it's like basketball rainman.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6422836.html?display=Breaking+News

But yes, I concede they've had top 20 classes, just not a bunch of top 25 guys you would expect from them.  That changes next year, however, when Kevin Love comes to town.  Saw him play 2 months ago at a tournament here in O.C. as his Oregon club demolished top 10 Mater Dei in Mater Dei's gym.  He's going to be special.

[4everwarriors]

between UCLA and us is talent, offensive and defensive schemes, and the coach. Other than that, we're talking a horse a piece.

[ecompt]

I didn't see anything out of UCLA's offensive schemes that I didn't see from Marquette when we were winning Vs. Duke, at Pitt, at Louisville, or home against West Virginia. They drained some threes, some out of desperation, and got a lot of baskets off transition. Defensively was another story. I have never seen a team quicker on 'D', especially on the perimeter. 

[Murffieus]

IMO, UCLA played over their head last night---the emotional factor !

[Pardner]

Or is this more that Self can recruit but cannot game coach a lick?  UCLA had like 12 or 13 turnovers in the first half and Kansas was down.  Weber taking it in the Chicago papers--can coach like no other, can't recruit like Self.