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EBuzzMiller
Joined: 3/21/13 Posts: 1,194

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Can't stop smiling...
Posted Fri, Mar 19 4:56 am (Edited Fri, Mar 19 5:07 am)
Read a fair amount of doom-saying and predictions we would lose yesterday; by "experts" and allies. Yet here we are. What a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I sat down to watch my Bruins; cautiously optimistic, but then aren't I always? Much of the first half it felt like they were teetering on letting MSU blow the lid clean off the game, but a jumper to staunch the flow at the end was calming. They started the second half by punching MSU in the mouth; signaling "this ain't over".

MSU didn't relent, but you could feel the Bruins' determination. The UCLAns clawed and clawed, only to slide back: over and over. They even took a one point lead at the 5:46 mark, but MSU surged back up six. Yet, you never sensed panic by UCLA. Just kind of a "okay, let's keep going" feel. Then my beloved Bruins smothered MSU the last three minutes, and miraculously tied the game at 77. (Best missed free throw and rebound of it by the person who missed ever by who else but Jaime?) The overtime was all UCLA. What fun! Take that fate!

Hopin' Juzang can play Saturday night...

Go Bruins!!!

~EBuzz
“I'm guilty of smiling on a cloudy day!"
- Bill Walton
Flipper
Joined: 5/20/10 Posts: 3,216

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Its all those close games
Posted Fri, Mar 19 7:24 am
In response to Can't stop smiling... (EBuzzMiller)
If a team has heart and grit, theyll find ways to get it done...

GRIT is what CMC has instilled in these kids....

Way to go guys.....
BRUINS 1
Joined: 1/28/05 Posts: 19,758
RESOLUTE
Posted Fri, Mar 19 7:54 am
In response to Can't stop smiling... (EBuzzMiller)
Is the word that comes to my mind. Great summary Buzz, as you said, just when you thought that the buzz saw was coming, the Bruins dug in and fought back. Beautiful, the Bruin way!
70sDude
Joined: 11/04/08 Posts: 15,123
miraculously tied the game at 77 is right
Posted Fri, Mar 19 8:47 am
In response to Can't stop smiling... (EBuzzMiller)
It was a contested game throughout, a solid Bruin effort from all quarters, fine coaching, and an exciting come-from-behind OT win to boot. All I had hoped for came to pass - and a squidge more.

The guys can hold their heads up today, and rest rest rest. Their journey to meet a fine team has been reached.

Go Bruins
tysix
Joined: 1/20/11 Posts: 82
Jaime
Posted Fri, Mar 19 12:11 pm
In response to miraculously tied the game at 77 is right (70sDude)
Man oh man what a player. Thinking 2 steps ahead. Knew that he had a layup and knew that the defender was coming. VETERAN move with the pump fake. Absolutely beautiful!
sc hotos
Joined: 5/20/05 Posts: 1,409
He's a only a Soph. who will not back down
Posted Fri, Mar 19 12:39 pm
In response to Jaime (tysix)
next year with added strength should a treat to watch. Kenny Smith and Barkley sure noticed him.
70sDude
Joined: 11/04/08 Posts: 15,123
Looking forward to seeing his journey
Posted Fri, Mar 19 3:14 pm (Edited Fri, Mar 19 3:15 pm)
In response to He's a only a Soph. who will not back down (sc hotos)
I wonder if he can drop 5-10 pounds and on the whole, find benefit from newfound added lift and quickness. Potential exists in Jaime there for emergence of an unusual hybrid: college age sophomore George Lunch meets Andre miller style impact in Junior year. Not saying near that level of impact but stylistically, his impact.

Athletically, he has work ahead to get there. OTOH, there's risk in seeking weight loss too: his stamina, strength, timing make up a big part of his game. Could vrisk losing some of that.

He's a gem, a warrior, an instinctively good player, and easily my favorite guy on the team this year. Also, he's Camarillo's best player in a while.

Go Bruins
uclanumber1
Joined: 3/23/15 Posts: 2,069
I think losing a little weight would help him...
Posted Fri, Mar 19 3:48 pm
In response to Looking forward to seeing his journey (70sDude)
but he had to put on some weight because he's playing out of position. He just ate up and spit out those big bad Big 10 boyz from Mich St... Izzo scrambling to find answers, lol, then our 2 other wing men (Johnny J and Jules) hits em... luv it. I was listening to the game on radio but much credit to Tyger who really rose to the challenge in our 2nd half comeback- he dropped a sweet dime to Jaime for the and-1... heeheehee, yeah boooyyy!
Woochifer
Joined: 12/15/11 Posts: 9,132
Surprised to see UCLA with the favorable matchup
Posted Fri, Mar 19 6:44 pm
In response to I think losing a little weight would help him... (uclanumber1)
Juzang especially kept beating his man off the dribble. MSU looked a step slow, and if Jaquez is suddenly an even matchup against his man, then his skill will prevail. Tyger and Jules were outsized by a big margin, but they clearly benefited from being able to outquick MSU.

The Bruins' swarming the post seemed to rattle the Spartan bigs. Lot of uncharacteristic mental mistakes down the stretch for MSU. This is not what I expect to see from a Tom Izzo-coached team.

The Bruins remain short-handed, but they've played a LOT of tight games this season and the NCAA tournament is where that kind of calm in a storm comes in handy.
gusto
Joined: 2/09/05 Posts: 259

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Pump Fake
Posted Fri, Mar 19 12:16 pm
In response to miraculously tied the game at 77 is right (70sDude)
Play of the Game
Woochifer
Joined: 12/15/11 Posts: 9,132
Did not see the Bruin defenders bite
Posted Fri, Mar 19 6:58 pm
In response to Pump Fake (gusto)
At the defensive end, I notice that a lot of the Bruin defenders all season long will bite on the pump fake. This is where Cronin's teams defensively differ a lot from Howland's FF teams. Those teams never bit on the pump fake and stood their ground and waited for the double team.

Last night, UCLA played with a lot more discipline in the 2nd half. Hope to see that carry over for the rest of the tournament. Also, the games no longer feature P12 refs, so a lot of the ticky tack stuff no longer gets called (like that MSU shot at the end of regulation that on replay got reversed and awarded to the Bruins -- in the P12, that would have been a foul).
GOBRUINS
Joined: 1/27/05 Posts: 9,225
Those so-called "experts" are wrong about 99.9% of the
Posted Fri, Mar 19 12:03 pm
In response to Can't stop smiling... (EBuzzMiller)
time. I stopped listening to those "experts" along time ago.
uclanumber1
Joined: 3/23/15 Posts: 2,069
The NBA TNT dudes don't know squat...
Posted Fri, Mar 19 3:52 pm
In response to Can't stop smiling... (EBuzzMiller)
I like Ernie a ton, of course Shaq (did he pick us? but ya know he's pulling for LSU). Kenny (North Carolina) is jealous of us, yeah we beat him; and Chuck, seriously... where's Auburn maaannn??? Lol, hahahaha!
tomodach
Joined: 12/27/14 Posts: 5,454
Chuck's has no shame
Posted Fri, Mar 19 4:02 pm
In response to The NBA TNT dudes don't know squat... (uclanumber1)
In his yearly embarrassment doing CB analysis. No one studies about teams less. On the other hand, Jimmy Jackson is great.
Crispy
Joined: 1/13/14 Posts: 6,730
Kenny picked us over BYU
Posted Fri, Mar 19 4:30 pm
In response to The NBA TNT dudes don't know squat... (uclanumber1)
He mentioned growing up in Harlem where everyone loved UCLA
tomodach
Joined: 12/27/14 Posts: 5,454
Well, you never doubted us
Posted Fri, Mar 19 5:05 pm (Edited Fri, Mar 19 5:05 pm)
In response to Kenny picked us over BYU (Crispy)
Thanks for the positive motivation.
uclanumber1
Joined: 3/23/15 Posts: 2,069
I think I may have him confused w/ Hubert Davis... yes,
Posted Fri, Mar 19 5:51 pm
In response to Kenny picked us over BYU (Crispy)
my bad and thanks, Kenny, for giving us some love out there! Go Bruins!!!
jcbruin
Joined: 1/13/14 Posts: 850

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Kenny gave a big shout out to LA ballers
Posted Fri, Mar 19 6:12 pm
In response to The NBA TNT dudes don't know squat... (uclanumber1)
He made a point of saying UCLA has talent, that many people don’t know that the LA kids made up the team.

He’s all good.