The
UCLA of the West beat the UCLA of the East so bad that the hangover may last
until next season - not to mention the jokes. CBS, in their relentless
pursuit of thrills, left one
of the great offensive performances of recent memory in order to show more
competitive games - a policy we usually appreciate, but in this case, it might
have been better to stick with the Bruins, as they were ridiculous. Half
court alleyoops? Why not! They
made Maryland look like a high school team. They also force a legitimate
question: can Gary Williams ever get Maryland past the Sweet 16?
It's a legitimate question to ask now, since Maryland has had some pretty good
teams under Williams, but, inevitably, they turn brittle when the heat turns up.
We thought this was a year for Maryland to do some damage, but as it turns
out, the damage was to them. This is possibly the worst butt-kicking anyone has
taken since Vegas ran Duke into the ground, and the kind of whipping which can
leave trauma for a long time.
On the other hand, with the way UCLA played, who was going to slow them down?
They have a tough draw in the Midwest - Iowa State is straight ahead, and
Michigan State is likely beyond the Cyclones, but UCLA looked like a Cyclone
themselves, and if they continue to play that way, they'll be impossible to
stop. And
when you look at their lineup, it's suddenly almost overwhelming - Moiso,
who showed at UNC he is as athletic a big man as there is in the country,
Gadzuric, who at times looks like a lot like Alvin Jones, at least offensively,
Rush, who, back from suspension is proving the perfect fit, and Earl Watson, who
has become, almost out of the blue, a much, much better point guard than Baron
Davis ever was. Can he keep it up? Can UCLA? Time will tell, but here's
one thing beyond dispute: UCLA, which was questioned, absolutely belongs in this
tournament. And here's another: Steve Lavin's job is safe, and Gary may get some
heat.
Things change fast sometimes, huh?