Beginning Monday, June 21st, 2004 CHN began unveiling 144 Team previews in 144 Days. CHN ranked the nations top 144 teams, and is unveiling one per day leading up until the opening day of the 2004-05 Season.

Bookmark the 144 Teams in 144 Days home page, and check back each day to see which team is previewed next.

#48 UCLA Bruins
Pac 10
2003-04: 11-17, 7-11, 8th
2003-04 postseason: none
 

By Joel Welser

If this was five-on-five streetball, I’d pick the Bruins.  They are an athletic group, but lack the frontcourt they need to compete in the Pac 10.  A lot will depend on the pair of seven-footers, Michael Fey and Ryan Hollins.  They have to play stronger and stay on the court in order for the Bruins to avoid three consecutive losing seasons.

Who’s Out: Trevor Ariza and T.J. Cummings will be missed.  Cummings led the team with 6.7 rebounds per game and added 12.8 points.  Ariza, who left after his freshman campaign, averaged 11.6 points and 6.5 boards.  Ariza’s unplanned departure will leave a gaping hole in the frontcourt that will have to be filled by unproven players. 

Who’s In: Head coach Ben Howland brings a great recruiting class into Westwood.  Power forward Lorenzo Mata will compete for minutes in the depleted frontcourt.  Mata is solid on the glass and, after losing the teams two leading rebounders, he will have to come in and help out on the boards.  Sophomore Matt McKinney was injured last year and could see some minutes off the bench.  Point guard Jordan Farmar is one of the best in the nation.  He’ll have to share minutes with senior Cedric Bozeman, but it wouldn’t be surprising if coach Howland found a spot for both of them in an already crowded perimeter.  Farmar is a great shooter and passer, which gives him a leg up on Bozeman, who is known more as a distributor.  Shooting guards Arron Afflalo, DeAndre Robinson and Josh Shipp will see some minutes as well.  Dijon Thompson will be starting in the backcourt, but the three newcomers will be competing for the other spot in the three guard lineup along with returnee Brian Morrison.  Afflalo has the best chance of starting.  He’s a strong 6-4 guard who can post up weaker opposition.  Afflalo’s outside shot is amazing and he’ll put up some big numbers if given the opportunity.  Shipp is athletic, quick and brings another solid outside shot to the lineup.  Robinson will probably be down a ways on the depth chart this year.  He’ll get some experience and be more of an impact later in the years to come.

Who to Watch: Dijon Thompson is the star of this team.  As a junior last year, he led the squad with 14.4 points per outing.  The 6-7 swingman is very versatile, which means Thompson could even play some power forward if the frontcourt runs into some depth problems or the backcourt develops too much talent to waste sitting on the bench.  Both are quite likely to happen.  Thompson can fill up the stat sheets, averaging 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and nearly 1.0 steal.  He’ll have to remain consistent and flexible to the team’s needs for the Bruins to go dancing. 

Projected Conference Rank: It’s getting better at UCLA.  The Bruins barely made the Pac 10 tourney last year.  The NIT shouldn’t be a problem this year with a relatively easy non-conference schedule.  That same easy schedule will keep the 5th place Bruins out of the big dance as well.


Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

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Email Joel Welser: jwelser_chn@ameritech.net

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