By Don MacLean
FOX Sports West and PRIME TICKET
MACLEAN ARCHIVE
January 7, 2011
Here we go again, the next installment of the USC-UCLA rivalry.
The Trojans beat the Bruins on the football field and now it's time to see if UCLA can flip it around on the basketball court. These games have been immensely entertaining of late especially the games held at the Galen Center, where this one is. In the last five years of the SC-UCLA game at Galen, UCLA has won three and USC two and all five games have been decided by four points or less, except for the game in 2008 when UCLA won by 10.
This year should be no different. Both of these programs are on the uptick from last season and are improved in a lot of areas. Both of these teams are good enough to be in the thick of the conference race come March so even though it is early, this is an important game for both teams.
Let's take a look at how these teams stack up against one another from a matchup standpoint, and while these matchups are important and will be a big factor, a lot of what ultimately decides these rivalry games is emotion. Who can harness it and who can execute come Sunday night?
Here's the breakdown.
FRONTLINE
USC starts three guards so right off the bat you want to give the edge to the Bruins. Tyler Honeycutt, UCLA's starting small forward is big for his position to begin with and is UCLA's second-leading rebounder. Who is going to check him for USC? Once you get past that though, you have to give the edge to USC. They have the two leading rebounders in the conference in Nikola Vucevic and Alex Stepheson and if they do their job on the glass, it may negate the matchup problem with Honeycutt. USC wants to play a possession game and a big key in playing that way is not giving the other team second chances. Vucevic is a really good pick and pop guy and you wonder if big Joshua Smith, UCLA's talented freshman center, will be able to get out there and bother Vucevic on those jumpers. On the flip side, Reeves Nelson is UCLA's leading scorer and he has to score for UCLA to win, but is going up against a much bigger Stepheson. Interesting matchups and I think we'll see some interesting strategy from both coaches.
EDGE: Even
GUARDS
Transfer Jio Fontan has been back for five games after sitting out the first 10 and he has had a big impact for the Trojans. Second on the team in scoring at just over 14 per game, he will see one of the better on-ball defenders in the conference in Malcom Lee. Lee is coming on late offensively averaging just under 18 a game in his last four. Big time matchup between these two. The point guard position is interesting. On one side, Maurice Jones, a freshman who leads the conference in in minutes played and is fifth in assists, is a freshman but isn't playing like one. On the other side, JC transfer Lazeric Jones is a junior but is new to the program. So two new point guards in their first SC-UCLA game. Which guy can settle their team down, get 'em into offense and not turn it over? That will be a big factor in this one. Marcus Simmons is USC's third guard but he is the guy you will probably see on Honeycutt. He is terrific on the ball but is he big enough to bother him.
EDGE: Even
BENCH
Neither team has a real deep bench. UCLA has gotten better production from Jerime Anderson backing up Zeke Jones at the point guard position. Brendan Lane is much improved this year and provides quality minutes backing up Nelson and Smith on the frontline. True freshman Tyler Lamb is the only other Bruin who gets significant minutes. The Trojans bench is even shorter with head coach Kevin O'Neil going to basically a seven-man rotation this year and has even gone with just six. Senior Dante Smith and freshman Bryce Jones have been the two main guys coming off the bench for the Trojans with another freshman Garrett Jackson seeing a little bit of action. I don't think the benches are going to play a huge role in this one but it is a rivalry game and sometimes you get a huge contribution from where you least expect it.
EDGE: UCLA
As you can see, the teams are pretty evenly matched. When you have teams that are evenly matched it comes down to execution. Who can execute offense, make shots, make free throws and who can effectively execute the defensive game plan usually wins. But in this game it is more than that because emotions are running high.
I loved being a part of these games when I played and I love it just as much now as a broadcaster, because of the emotion and the fact that the intensity level with which these games are played at are through the roof.
I'm looking forward to it again this year and it should be a good game like always.
