UCLA gets set to knock wind out of Justin Reed

Ole Miss Sports Info Ole Miss sophomore forward Justin
Reed enters the tourney with a reputation for providing
tough inside game, averaging 14.6 ppg.

By Greg Schain
Daily Bruin Reporter

Mississippi is known for three things: magnolias, bug zappers,
and this year, basketball.

Despite being in a locale where going to church is the most
exciting activity in town, Ole Miss has managed to turn heads by
staying competitive in the tough SEC conference.

The Rebels went 9-7 in the conference, and 20-9 overall,
including big wins over Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama.

Their main propellant has been sophomore forward Justin Reed,
who has emerged as one of the top talents in the SEC.

Reed, last season’s SEC Freshman of the Year and a
preseason Top 50 Wooden Award candidate, put up big numbers for Ole
Miss this season.

He averaged 14.6 points per game, and pulled down 6.7 rebounds.
His 6-foot, 8-inch frame has allowed him to dominate in the paint
and lead one of the most potent defenses in the country.

“We are a defensive minded team,” Ole Miss head
coach Rod Barnes said. “That is why we are here.”

The numbers back up Barnes’ contention. On average, the
Rebels give up less than 64 points per game.

The Rebels like to control tempo and force turnovers, similar to
that of Cal’s game style.

That doesn’t bode well for UCLA, considering they lost two
of three games to Cal this season.

But UCLA has been trying to speed up the game and running more
motion lately, which should give Ole Miss a challenge.

“UCLA likes to take it out quick and get down and
score,” Reed said. “We like to get into our sets and
make the game five on five. It is going to be a hard challenge for
us.”

The Bruins have never played Ole Miss in their history, but that
doesn’t mean there is no familiarity among the players.

Junior forward Jason Kapono knows Reed from the World University
Games, a travelling team that went to Beijing, China, last
summer.

Other members of that 12-member squad included Troy Bell of
Boston College, Carlos Boozer of Duke, and Nic Collison of
Kansas.

“Some of those guys were great basketball players and most
of them were older than him,” Barnes said. “Being
around them all the time and learning a whole lot from them was a
great opportunity for him.”

The team won the bronze medal, losing to China by one point in
the semifinal game.

But Reed came back to the United States with more than just a
medal. He came back with added basketball and leadership skills
that have been evident all season.

“He is really coming into his own and trying to lead our
basketball team,” Barnes said. “He is a power player
who can do things both inside and outside.”

Reed’s prowess, along with Ole Miss’ staunch
defense, scares UCLA head coach Steve Lavin. Lavin had nothing but
compliments for Ole Miss when he saw the draw.

“They’re a tough, hard-nosed basketball team,”
Lavin said. “We have a tough first round matchup.”

The one good piece of news for the Bruins is that the Rebels are
awful away from home. They went just 1-7 on the road in the SEC,
compared with 8-0 at home.

But Barnes doesn’t think the travelling will be a problem
for his team.

“It’s not like we’re playing in UCLA’s
backyard either,” he said. “These are two teams that
are travelling. I’m glad we’re not playing them in
Sacramento. Pittsburgh is as neutral as you can possibly
get.”