UCLA Falls To No.7 and No.8 In Weekly Polls
By Bruin Basketball Report
After losing to Texas on Sunday at home, 63-61, and falling from the ranks of undefeated teams, UCLA dropped to No.7 in the AP writer's poll and to No.8 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll this weak.
North Carolina, Memphis, and Kansas hold the top three spots in the rankings. After beating UCLA, Texas vaulted from No.8 to No.4 in the AP and No.5 in the Coaches polls.
Four Pac-10 teams are in the Coaches top 25; Washington St. #6, Oregon No.18, and Arizona No.24. While in the AP poll there are five Pac-10 teams; Washington St. #8, Oregon #19, Arizona #22, and USC #24.
UCLA's next game is against Davidson in the Wooden Classic on December 8 at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Davidson is led by high-scoring guard Stephen Curry.
Labels: Polls and Rankings
BBR :: Article Link :: 4:00 PM ::
14 comments
14 Comments:
WOW! Quite a fall for having lost by only two to the then #8 ranked team in the nation (AND HAVING A SHOT TO WIN THE GAME AT THE END - even with having not scored a field goal during a 12 min span in the first half). Also surprised as UCLA is the ONLY team in the nation that had played TWO top-10 teams. What do those that put the rankings together expect? Have those ranked above UCLA even played ONE team in the top-10?
We have to take care of business at home from now on. One loss at home is one too many.
We lost at home, elite teams DO NOT LOSE AT HOME. The drop is justified and should be a nice smack in the face to our lazy players who decided to take the first half of the game off.
Howland will make sure this never happens again.
A drop 5 spots is harsh, don't you think?? We lost by 2, granted it was at home, to a top 10 team. Anyways, watch out for Stephen Curry...I heard he can light it up....
Fortunately, in college basketball unlike college football rankings are not as important. UCLA's first goal is winning the PAC-10 league and then the PAC-10 tournament. Winning both will most likely result in a #1 seed in the west so it will all work out. In the end rankings are just a distraction. The only thing to be concerned about is playing well and winning the next game.
Texas has also played two top ten teams. We are not the only one.
I thought they were going to drop to 9/10. It's actually not that bad.
As someone said, we lost at home, which should not have happened.
At the end of the day, though, the ranking doesn't matter much. Besides, better to lose earlier in the season than late. More time to fix problems.
Bruins better come out and crush Davidson.
If they play another half-assed half with no effort it will be very disappointing.
Is it me or do Josh Shipp and Kevin Love not get along? Josh avoids dropping the ball into Love all the time when he is open. Does he not remember the easy dunks Love gives him on outlet passes?
WESTBROOK AND LOVE HAS THE CHEMISTRY...
LOOK BACK TO THE RECENT GAMES PLAYED WHEN WESTBROOK WAS RUNNING POINT GUARD..
The accusation that Josh Shipp is purposely avoiding passing the ball to Kevin Love in the low post is false and is simply a bad internet rumor that has grown out of proportions.
Love has had a total of ten shots in the last two games, and this is suppose to be because of Josh Shipp? There are three other players on the floor with them, are they freezing Love out too?
The main reasons why Love has not gotten touches the past two games is due to packed in zone defenses and Love or the coaches not adjusting and flashing him to the high post often enough or at the right time.
Yes, there have been a few examples of Josh not passing into Love the past two games, but you can say the same thing about his other teammates as well, but some are so focused on finding wrong in Josh's play that they're ready to immediately play the blame game.
Here's quote from starting point guard Darren Collison on the matter:
“I don’t think a team has played more than 10 minutes of man against us, but that’s no excuse. Teams are going to play zone against us, because we simply can’t break it down. We can’t execute as well against a zone.”
Collison doesn't single out a person but puts the blame on the entire team and coaching staff on this issue. Where it belongs.
Quite honestly, even regret posting this response as this non-issue has gained too much attention already.
UCLA will go far this season because Josh is the team's best outside shooter and a good leader while Love is a mature freshman who provides the Bruins with a great low post presence and solid rebounding. And yes, they will be seeing a lot of zone until they figure out how to attack it more effectively.
The Bruins have a special team this season. They have good skills and depth at all spots on the floor when healthy. Let's stick to the game.
- BBR
Well said, BBR.
It's the team that can't execute against zone defense, not Shipp deliberately keeping the ball away from Love. That is such an absurd idea that I am surprised people are even talking about it.
I understand BBR's comments about Shipp but I too had taken notice that Love was available more than once to receive a pass from Shipp but was never the recipient. I think the next game or two will tell a lot, not so much as Shipp deliberately not passing to Love, but how he and the rest of the team will respond to Coach Howland's demands...in this case, GET THE BALL INTO LOVE!
The way Coach Howland teaches these kids how to play defense, arguably the hardest skill to consistently apply, you can bet there will be NO excuses once Coach H has laid down the "pass to Love" command. I have a feeling we'll see the adjustment against Davidson or even turnovers trying to force it into Love!
Sorry BBR I saw it too. I sure hope Shipp isn't conceded or anything, but I could sort of see him feeling slighted by a Freshman when it is now suppose to be his team. Shipp needs to know his role though, and it is certainly not filling Afflalo's shoes! The intensity between the two is like night and day! Also, somebody tell Luc to drive his ass into the key where he shoots about 60% and not hang out on the wing and miss three pointers at the end of games against top ten teams when there are better shooters available to take the spot on the court! It was a big let down this weekend wearing my Bruin garb in public around Football and Basketball fans and hearing the jabs!
No doubt you saw Shipp not make some entry passes into Love when it was available, but its a symptom the ENTIRE team has - they are horrid in their post entry passing. Coach Howland has alluded to it as well.
Love has ten shots in two games? Sounds like the entire team is freezing him out - if you're going to make any accusations.
The entire team needs to make a concerted effort in getting the ball to Love, in addition, Love has to do a much better job getting himself open in the high post.
No, we don't buy into the Shipp-bashing that's going on.
- BBR
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