HUSKIES SEEK HISTORIC 4TH IN ROW OVER BRUINS

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Washington has taken three in a row from UCLA, but hasn?t beaten the Bruins four consecutive times since the early 1950s, when the teams began playing on an annual basis. The Pac-12 co-leader (with California) as the second half of the conference schedule begins, the Huskies get a chance to make a little bit of history at UCLA?s expense in what will also be Lorenzo Romar?s 500th game as a college head coach.


UW is 7-2 in league play for the third time in four years. The Huskies opened the 2009 and 2011 seasons 7-2 in conference action before losing the next game. The last time UW started 8-2 was 2005 when the Huskies began 10-2.

Washington has won three in a row, six of seven and nine of 11. In UCLA, preseason media pick to win the Pac-12 regular-season title, Washington faces a club that has run off wins in 10 of its past 14 to improve to 12-9 and 5-4.

UCLA?s best player is Lazeric Jones, who averages 13.4 ppg, but the Bruin most likely to interest Husky fans is former Kentwood All-Stater Joshua Smith who, as a part-time starter (eight starts in 20 games) is averaging 9.7 points and 5.0 rebounds.

Romar confirmed earlier this week that C.J. Wilcox will be available to play against UCLA and USC (Saturday), even though Wilcox hasn?t practiced this week in order to give the stress fracture to his femur more of a chance to heal.

Wilcox logged 10 minutes against Arizona State last Thursday and 26 minutes against Arizona Saturday and came up big in both. Against the Wildcats, his two free throws with 5.3 seconds remaining accounted for the winning points in a 69-67 triumph.

SERIES: Dates to Dec. 30, 1936, when Washington defeated UCLA 52-31 at Los Angeles. The Huskies have defeated UCLA three consecutive times (last time on March 3, 2011, 70-63), matching a similar streak during the 2005-06 seasons. C.J. Wilcox had 24 points in Washington?s last win, all in the second half. If the Huskies win, it will mark Washington?s longest streak against the Bruins since it took five in a row in the years spanning 1937-52. Lorenzo Romar is 10-9 against UCLA while Ben Howland is 7-10 vs. UW.

LAST GAME (Washington, Jan. 29): C.J. Wilcox, playing limited minutes in his second game back after missing three games, hit two free throws with 5.3 seconds left, lifting Washington to a 69-67 victory over Arizona at McHale Center. Tony Wroten, who led Washington with 17 points, blocked Arizona?s final, frantic shot with a tick remaining as the Huskies won two in Arizona for the first time since 2006. Aziz N?Diaye

LAST GAME (UCLA, Jan. 29): Lazeric Jones had 17 points and nine assists to help UCLA beat Colorado 77-60, dropping the Buffaloes out of a first-place tie in the Pac-12. Tyler Lamb had 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals for the Bruins. David Wear chipped in 11 points, and Travis Wear had 14 points and seven rebounds for the Bruins (12-9, 5-4). Jerime Anderson had eight of UCLA?s 26 assists, its highest total in nearly five years.

UW STATS/NOTES: Washington remains the Pac-12′s No. 2 scoring team at 76.7 ppg and the 11th-rated scoring defense at 71.1 . . . Huskies are also the second-worst foul shooting team in the conference, making just 61.1 percent, despite featuring the league?s best free throw shooter, C.J. Wilcox (89.4 percent) . . . Washington leads the conference in rebounds per game (40.3) and offensive rebounds (14.52) . . . Tony Wroten trails Oregon State?s Jared Cunningham in the Pac-12 scoring race. Wroten is averaging 17.1 ppg to Cunningham?s 18.2 . . . Terrence Ross (15.1) and Wilcox (14.8) rank sixth and seventh in the Pac-12 in scoring.

UCLA STATS/NOTES: The Bruins are ranked sixth in the Pac-12 in both scoring (70.2) and scoring defense (63.3) . . . UCLA is one of the better shooting teams in the conference, hitting 47.1 percent overall and 38.2 percent of its 3-pointers . . . UCLA does not do a good job of defending 3-pointers, allowing opponents to hit 38.6 percent . . . The Bruins lead the Pac-12 in blocked shots, averaging 4.71 per game and rank No. 2 in assists (7.38) and No. 3 in assists (14.81) . . . UCLA does not have a scorer ranked among the conference?s top 10 . . . Only one Bruin, Jerime Anderson, leads a Pac-12 statistical category. Anderson has an assist/turnover ratio of 2.55, slightly ahead of Abdul Gaddy?s 2.26 . . . Joshua Smith is UCLA?s fourth leading scorer at 9.7 ppg and second-leading rebounder (5.0). Smith has scored a season-high 18 twice this season, vs. UC Davis Dec. 17 and against Arizona State Jan. 7.

COACHES: Romar is in his 10th season as Washington?s head coach. Romar has taken the Huskies to the NCAA Tournament six times, and has won three Pac-10 Tournament titles (2005, 2010, 2011). Romar, who signed a 10-year contract extension in April 2011, won his his 200th game at Washington Dec. 16, 2011, when the Huskies defeated UC Santa Barbara. He had his 300th career victory and his 100th as a conference coach when the Huskies 76-63 Jan. 21.

Howland, in his ninth season, is the first UCLA head coach since John Wooden to win three consecutive conference titles (2008-10) and make three trips to the Final Four (2006-08). Howland took UCLA to the NCAA Tournament in six of his first eight seasons. Howland has been a coach of the year in three leagues ? 2006, UCLA; 2002, Big East at Pittsburgh; 1997, Big Sky at Northern Arizona.


ART THIEL?S TAKE: For a team that lost to South Dakota State, it is hard to believe that Romar?s biggest fear right now is overconfidence, or as he put it this week, ?bored with success.? But after 499 games as a college head coach, he has seen enough to know how intoxicated young men get with a whiff of winning.

Despite the booting of their top returning rebounder and scorer, 6-9 Reeves Nelson (he was fired from his pro team in Lithuania this week), UCLA remains big, long and capable of getting Washington in foul trouble. This may be the game where Austin Seferian-Jenkins contributes a little more than nasty ruggdness.

STEVE RUDMAN?S TAKE: Given the recent successes ? UW has won nine of 11 and UCLA 10 of 14 ? this shapes up as the best game of the year at home.

I really like what Romar has done with his team. Six weeks ago, the Huskies looked hopeless after losing to South Dakota State at home.

That team would have lost to Arizona by 15 to 20 points. The team Romar has now has a real shot at a Pac-12 regular season title.

 

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Washington Scouting report: UCLA



PLAYERS TO WATCH:

--- Former Kentwood High star Joshua Smith was named to the preseason Naismith Trophy watch list. In UCLA's last game against UW, he finished with 16 rebounds and 12 points in 31 minutes. His averages in points (10.9 to 9.7), rebounding (6.3-5.0) and minutes (21.7-17.6) are down from last season when he was named to the Pac-10's All-freshman team. Smith leads UCLA in charges taken (four), dunks (14), three-point plays made (four) and bench points (124). He's started eight games, but has come off the bench in the last six games. He sat out Jan. 5 due to a concussion. Smith was recruited by Washington. He played alongside Tony Wroten Jr. on AAU summer teams and against Austin Seferian-Jenkins in high school.

--- Junior Lazeric Jones began the season at point guard, but moved to shooting guard after a few games has become more effective. He's scored in double figures in 13 of the last 16 games. In the last 16 games, he's averaged 14.8 points, 4.9 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals while shooting 50 percent from the field (85 of 170) and 43.1 percent (25 of 58) from three-point range. The Bruins are 11-5 during that span. Jones has started every game. He tallied a personal best 26 points on Dec. 29, 2011 against Stanford. Jones leads the Bruins in scoring (13.4 points per game), minutes (33.0). field goal attempts (219), three-point attempts (76), assists (96), turnovers (52) and steals (40).

--- Travis Wear sat out last season after transferring from North Carolina along with his twin brother David. Travis is a better scorer who averages 12.0 points and David is a stronger rebounder at 6.2 per game. They have scored in double figures eight games, including six of the last 10 contests. There's a theory that the twins are not productive as a tandem. Travis leads Pac-12 with a 65.8 percent shooting from the field in conference games. In league play, he leads the Bruins in scoring at 13.7 points per game. Travis missed two games due to a toe infection. He replaced Smith in the starting lineup. David has started 18 games. At 225 pounds, he five pounds heavier than his brother and is playing in the post. He injured his knee Jan. 21, but has not sat out.


OVERVIEW:

--- Sophomore guard Tyler Lamb has started every game. He's taken 76 three-pointers, which is tied with Jones for the most on the team.

--- Jerime Anderson is a pass-first point guard who ranks second among the Bruins and seventh in the Pac-12 with 79 assists. He's also UCLA best three-pointer shooter who shoots 44.2 percent behind the arc. Anderson has played in 118 career games, which is tops among the Bruins.

--- UCLA has not won a game outside of California against a Division I team. The Bruins' best wins are a 17-point victory at home against Colorado and a 65-58 win at home against Arizona.

--- The Bruins are shooting a Pac-12 best 50.4 percent in conference games. They also lead the league in three-point shooting at 44.0 percent.

--- UCLA dismissed junior forward Reeves Nelson on Dec. 9. He led the Bruins in scoring (13.9 ppg.) and rebounding (9.1 rpg.) last season.

--- Junior guard De'End Parker (patellar tendinitis), who missed 18 games, is out for the rest of the season due to injury. He will apply for a medical hardship.

--- UCLA has four McDonald's All-Americans (Smith, the Wear twins and Larry Drew II).

--- The Bruins have started the lineup (below) in the last seven games and they are 5-2.

STARTING LINEUP:

C - David Wear, 6-10, 225, So., 10.0 ppg., 6.2 rpg., 1.0 apg.
F - Travis Wear, 6-10, 220, So., 12.0, 5.0, 1.1 bpg.
G - Tyler Lamb, 6-5, 200, So., 9.1, 3.5, 2.9 apg.
G - Jerime Anderson, 6-2, 183, Sr., 8.5, 3.0, 3.5
G - Lazeric Jones 6-1, 187, Sr., 13.4, 3.6, 4.6

KEY MATCHUP:

--- Last season it was interesting how the Huskies attacked Smith, the local product who spurned the home town team. They isolated him in pick-n-roll situations in the game at UCLA and he fouled out. In the rematch, Smith got his revenge but UW won the game. The matchup is a little watered down this season because Smith has battled weight issues and averages just 17.6 minutes. Aziz N'Diaye is the polar opposite to Smith. The UW center is tall, lean, muscular and runs like a sprinter while the UCLA big man is less mobile with soft hands and has an array of low-post moves. Lamb is often the X-factor for the Bruins and he'll likely be paired against Terrence Ross. Still the key may be how UCLA plans to slow down Tony Wroten Jr. At 6-5 and 205 pounds, he'll have a size advantage against Anderson and Jones and should be able to muscle his way into the lane.