Men’s basketball ready for ‘big time’ matchup against USC
This season junior guard Isaac Hamilton has distinguished himself as one of the go-to scorers on UCLA. (Owen Emerson/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By Claire Fahy
Jan. 13, 2016 7:41 a.m.
Not every UCLA-USC men’s basketball matchup promises to be competitive. There was the Bruins 107-73 blowout of the Trojans on Jan. 5, 2014, and then there was UCLA’s 96-70 trouncing of USC on March 12, 2015. As much airtime as the rivalry receives, it doesn’t always guarantee high stakes.
Wednesday night, however, is a different story.
USC enters Pauley Pavilion 3-1 in Pac-12 play and 14-3 overall – the Trojans’ best opening record since 2010 when the NCAA hit the program with strict sanctions.
“They’re deeper and they’re scoring – they’re making shots,” said coach Steve Alford. “I think they were like 11th or 12th last year in 3-point goals made and they’re first in our league this year through 17 games.”
The entire Bruin basketball program has never seen a Trojan team this strong, but UCLA is on a roll of its own. Both USC and UCLA upset then-No. 7 Arizona last weekend – the Bruins’ with a late-game 3-pointer and the Trojans in four overtimes.
Alford pointed out the fact that neither team can focus only on one or two players, since each program features multiple weapons. One way in which USC can expose UCLA’s vulnerabilities is by playing small. The Bruins have spoken a lot this season about their big-big lineup of senior forward/center Tony Parker and sophomore center Thomas Welsh. The two have also made a statement on the court, averaging a combined 25.4 points and 18.5 rebounds.
The Trojans, in contrast, have the ability to go small by playing four guards in their rotation at any one time, spreading UCLA’s defense and forcing Parker to guard a smaller, more agile player.
“Teams who have gone small on us, maybe early in the season we didn’t take enough advantage at the offensive end,” Alford said. “I think our guys have learned that if (they) do go small, we’re going to make small guard in the post or we’re going to make a guard that’s not used to guarding a Bryce or an Isaac or an Aaron guard out on the floor.”
Guarding an Isaac is becoming increasingly difficult as the season progresses, with junior guard Isaac Hamilton stepping into a new role as a go-to scorer for the Bruins. Hamilton is averaging 20.5 points and four assists through four games of conference competition and has also never lost to a USC team.
“We’ve gotta protect home (and) keep the streak going,” Hamilton said. “It’s gonna be pretty tough, it’s gonna be a dogfight, but (we) just (have to) continue to get the win and continue to fight.”
On the other side of the court, USC has a new offensive weapon this year in freshman forward Bennie Boatwright, a major post presence for the Trojans who will look to battle Parker and Welsh down low.
“They really are the same (team), they’re just making shots,” Parker said, downplaying the Trojans’ newfound potency. “They’ve added great pieces and they’re making a lot of shots now, so it’s big time.”
“Big time” meets prime time Wednesday, as UCLA takes on USC at 8 p.m. One of four rivalry matchups the Bruins will face this season, the game could also provide a preview of how competitive the Pac-12 tournament will be.
