Basketball players strive to excel as substitutes
By Daily Bruin Staff
Dec. 1, 2005 9:00 p.m.
The storyline for the UCLA men’s basketball team’s
game against Coppin State will be as much about the players who
aren’t playing as the ones who are. The No. 16 Bruins (5-1)
will take on the Eagles on Sunday without several of their top
players, who will once again be watching the game from the
sidelines. Although that may be the case, the Bruins have been able
to win games in which freshmen Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Darren
Collison have played crucial offensive roles. “I’ve
been in this position before, and I want to take advantage of
it,” Collison said of his new role on the team in the absence
of sophomore point guard Jordan Farmar. Farmar, who has been
suffering an ankle injury that was initially diagnosed as a stress
fracture but later called sprained, did not play and will be in
street clothes on Sunday as well. In Wednesday’s 73-65 win
over Albany, Mbah a Moute recorded a double-double with 13 points
and 13 rebounds, and Collison, who filled in for Farmar, improved
over the course of the game after struggling in the opening half.
“When Jordan’s out, I know I have to step my game
up,” Collison said. The player who has stepped his game up
most this season has been sophomore shooting guard Arron Afflalo,
who leads the team in scoring with an average of 17.8 points per
game. “We have to stay focused for the entire 40
minutes,” Afflalo said of what needs to be done in order to
remain successful without the likes of Farmar, sophomore small
forward Josh Shipp, and senior center Michael Fey. He also
acknowledges the presence of Mbah a Moute and Collison on the
roster as being beneficial to the Bruins in terms of rebounding and
presenting another option at the guard position.
“They’re two freshmen players and they do a lot for us,
and rebounding is one of those things,” Afflalo said.
“(Mbah a Moute) puts in so much effort, you know, sometimes I
find myself fighting Luc for a rebound.” The same will be
expected of the two when they face Coppin State. The Eagles will
come into Pauley Pavilion winless (0-5), and the Bruins hope to
send them off in a similar fashion, as they have yet to record a
loss at home this season. The Bruins are the first of several
high-caliber, non-conference opponents that the Eagles will take on
this season. Sunday’s game precedes games against teams such
as Illinois, Pittsburgh, Michigan and Michigan State, all of which
will give Coppin State more than enough preparation for their
conference match-ups.
DREW MAKES TEAM: Maurice Drew, UCLA’s junior running back,
was named to the AFCA Coaches’ All-America Team, which was
announced on Thursday. However, he was not selected as a running
back, but as the team’s punt returner, a position in which he
has excelled this year with nation-leading numbers. Drew leads the
nation in punt return average with 29.07 and is on pace to set the
NCAA record with that mark. He has also returned three punts for
touchdowns this year, for 66, 72, and 81 yards, while also
mustering returns of 59 and 65 yards on which he was stopped just
before crossing into the endzone. His three touchdowns on returns
not only set the UCLA record, but the Pac-10 single-season record.
Drew also set the UCLA record for return yards with 407.
INJURIES: Offensive tackle Brian Abraham, hampered by a
right-ankle sprain, is still questionable for Saturday’s game
at USC. Whether or not he plays will be a game-time decision.
“We believe it’s scar tissue in his knee,”
offensive coordinator Tom Cable said. “We will have to wait
24 to 48 hours after the tests are done for a decision.”
Sophomore offensive lineman Noah Sutherland will be starting in
Abraham’s spot.
NOTES: About 150-200 former Bruin football
players were on-hand for the end of practice on Sunday. Those
included former All-Pac-10 performers quarterback Cade McNown, wide
receiver Danny Farmar, quarterback Cory Paus, wide receiver Mike
Sherrard, and offensive lineman Kris Farris. … The starting
position at free safety between sophomores Chris Horton and Dennis
Keyes will be decided today.
Compiled by Bruin Sports senior staff.
