2012 NCAA Basketball Previews — UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are coming off a disappointing 2011-12 college basketball season, but a top-quality recruiting class has helped propel them into the top 25 to begin the season.
Odds to Win (By bovada.lv)
2013 NCAA Tournament: 15 to 1
2013 Pac-12 Tournament: 3 to 1
The Bruins’ legendary venue, Pauley Pavilion, has gone through recent renovations, and while the arena and the team both have a rich history behind them, they’re both looking for fresh looks in 2013.
Last Year’s Results
UCLA went just 19-14 overall last year (11-7 in the Pac-12) and tied for fifth in the conference with the Colorado Buffaloes. They didn’t have a win against a ranked opponent at all last season, but that’s only partly their own fault, as they only played two ranked teams in total. Still, their showing against both No. 14 Kansas and No. 15 Michigan weren’t worth celebrating.
The team lost in a quarterfinal matchup of the Pac-12 tournament against the Arizona Wildcats, ending their mediocre season.
Roster Changes
UCLA may have had an underwhelming regular season in 2012, but their incoming recruiting class is going to make up for any lost enthusiasm. With the No. 1 class in the entire country (according to ESPN), the team is set to bring in four fresh faces who should all prove to be big-time players.
Small forwards Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson are both five-star recruits and center Tony Parker and small forward Jordan Adams are right behind them with four stars. They are all graded between 95 and 98 according to ESPN.
Unfortunately, eligibility issues could send this team’s high hopes back down to reality. Lazeric Jones, Jerime Anderson and Reeves Nelson are all gone, and if the freshmen can’t step in and produce, it could be a long rebuilding process in L.A.
Key Players
Incoming freshman Shabazz Muhammad has the potential to be the best player on this UCLA squad, but a preseason shoulder injury and ongoing NCAA investigations regarding his eligibility make him a major question mark to start the season. If the kid is allowed to play, his athleticism will propel him to success, and he’ll be a sure-fire one-and-done lottery pick next season.[ad-6571516]
Behind Muhammad, the rest of the class should be able to perform on an individual level, but the success of this team will come down to how well they work as a unit.
Larry Drew, a transfer point guard from North Carolina, will likely be the starter, but after watching how much the Tar Heels improved when he was benched, you have to wonder if he’ll step up his game following a move to the West Coast. The Wear brothers, Travis and David, are also expected to jump into the starting lineup this season.
Key Games
The Bruins don’t have the most difficult schedule in the nation, as they enter as the only team in the Pac-12 other than Arizona with a top-25 ranking. The No. 12 Arizona Wildcats will likely prove to be the team’s toughest competition all season, as they play them twice in Pac-12 play in the second half of the year.
Their first major contest on paper looks like No. 20 San Diego State, but games against unranked Georgetown and unranked Texas (both on a neutral court) will be entertaining at the very least.
This team doesn’t play a true road contest until Jan. 10 against the Utah Utes, so a young team should look to take advantage early.
2013 Prediction
This UCLA team is a tough one to put your finger on. They’re going to be talented, and they have the potential to make some noise in the Pac-12, but their maturity level is questionable without having seen them on the court before the season begins; not to mention we still don’t know who will and will not be deemed able to play once the year starts.
This team is young. If they put it together, their talent will win them a decent amount of games. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things up in the air about this roster, which makes them a tough bet heading into the year. A Pac-12 title will likely be their only shot at an NCAA tournament berth, and while a fourth place finish—should they improve upon last season—in the conference would help, it may not be enough.
