KU/UCLA: Howland serious about defense?

Home » Jayhawks » KU/UCLA: Howland serious about defense?

A chessboard has 64 squares.
There are 64 sexual positions in the Kama Sutra.
64 is a superperfect number – a number such that σ(σ(n))=2n, whatever the heck that means.

It is also the number of consecutive wins at Allen Fieldhouse that the Jayhawks hope to achieve against beleaguered UCLA tonight. The Bruins are no strangers to losing big games in historic places. UCLA played its’ last two games in Madison Square Garden, which Coach Ben Howland calls “by far, the greatest venue in the history of basketball,” probably not an intentional slight to Allen Fieldhouse, but annoying just the same. UCLA lost both games, the first to #12 Villanova (82-70), and the second to Virginia Commonwealth (89-85).

Howland and the 5-2 Bruins spent nearly three hours the other day going over film of their loss to VCU (4-2, with losses to #24Tennessee and a 60-59 overtime thriller with USF). Howland seems to be belatedly concentrating on defense, and even broke out old tapes of some of his better defensive teams. “We’re not a very good defensive team right now, and I’m not sure if we weren’t trying the transition, that would be any different,” Howland said, referring to his installment of a new up-tempo offense this season.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 26: Joshua Smith of the UCLA Bruins shoots against the Virginia Commonwealth Rams during their consolation game at Madison Square Garden on November 26, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

UCLA’s success in keeping tonight’s game close may hinge on the play of its’ freshmen big men. Starter Joshua Smith, who Howland says needs to be more of an offensive focus, is foul-prone and has been averaging only 16 minutes a game, opening the way for fellow-freshman Anthony Stover to get more playing time. Stover leads the PAC-10 with 5 blocked shots, while averaging only 9 minutes. If Howland is actually serious about playing defense, instead of paying lip service, Stover will play an extended role tonight, regardless of Smith’s foul trouble.

Sophomore forward Tyler Honeycutt admits the Bruins have lapses on defense, “It looks like everybody is kind of spaced out, so we just need to be on that same page, everybody communicating.”