Pac-10: Love, Bruins prepared for postseason run

LOS ANGELES — He has been as precise and straightforward as that thin line of a beard that masks his face like a basketball rim. He has been spit on, leaned on and heavily counted on. He has responded to each challenge with an unshakable demeanor and a sophisticated style of play that has exceeded all expectations.

He is the ultimate Love story.

As the 11th Pac-10 Tournament unfolds Wednesday through Saturday at the Staples Center, UCLA has won its third consecutive regular-season conference championship, is heavily favored to capture its third postseason league title among the 11 events held and is readily counted on to advance to the Final Four for the third time in as many trips – largely because of the efforts of one man, if you can even call him that.

Kevin Love, all of 19, has given the Bruins a high-powered inside presence, the one element found lacking as they made their way to Indianapolis and Atlanta, only to come home without another national championship banner to hang among the Pauley Pavilion collection originally pieced together by the efforts of illustrious big men Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton.

Love, the league’s sixth-best scorer (17.4) and second-best rebounder (10.9) while leading the current Bruins to a 28-3 record and 16-2 Pac-10 ledger, made a clean sweep of the league’s individual honors, chosen as both player and freshman of the year by a vote of the coaches. He is the first rookie in a dozen years to double up on these accolades since California’s Shareef Abdur-Rahim proved too precocious for the rest of the league.

“He’s the best freshman I’ve ever had, and I’ve had (Arron) Afflalo, (Jordan) Farmer and Luc Richard (Mbah a Moute),” Bruins coach Ben Howland said. “This kid is really, really good.”

Said Stanford’s Trent Johnson, the Pac-10 coach of the year, “Love is extremely good with a high basketball IQ, and you didn’t need to see him in person to see that. If he gets you in certain spots, he’s going to make you pay.”

The UCLA post player is surrounded by an exemplary supporting cast but remains the primary reason the league’s other nine entries will be hard-pressed to keep the Bruins from packing off more hardware this week while using the tourney as a postseason primer.

Love was joined on the All-Pac-10 first team by two other freshmen, USC guard O.J. Mayo and Arizona State guard James Harden, and a couple of ancient guys, California sophomore forward Ryan Anderson and Stanford sophomore forward Brook Lopez.

So advanced are the basketball skills of this quintet, each member is fully expected to turn up in an NBA uniform next season and command a stipend considerably higher than the monthly scholarship check.

The All-Pac-10 second team is a little more seasoned, consisting of Washington State senior guard Kyle Weaver, Oregon senior forward Maarty Leunen, Washington junior forward Jon Brockman, UCLA junior guard Darren Collison and yet another freshman, Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless.

Composing the all-league third five were Washington State senior guard Derrick Low, Arizona State junior forward Jeff Pendergraph, Arizona sophomore forward Chase Budinger, USC sophomore forward Taj Gibson and UCLA sophomore guard Russell Westbrook.

While taking a backseat to a host of backcourt players, Westbrook was still able to separate himself from the others by being chosen Pac-10 defensive player of the year.

UCLA’s other starters, junior forwards Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Josh 
Shipp, received All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors.

No wonder the Bruins are expected in San Antonio by the end of the month.

Howland’s team wrapped up the league championship by sweeping the Bay Area schools at home on the final weekend of regular season play, beating Stanford 77-67 in overtime and rushing back to edge Cal 81-80 on a Shipp H-O-R-S-E shot, a last-second, over-the-backboard offering that dropped.

Love headed the Pac-10 all-freshman team, standing alongside Mayo, Harden and Bayless, and USC’s Davon Jefferson. The UCLA center was merely an honorable mention selection when associated with the league’s all-defensive team, which consisted of a first five of teammates Westbrook and Collison, plus Weaver, Gibson and Stanford’s Robin Lopez.

As everyone gathers at Staples Center, two freeways away from the UCLA campus, the Bruins enter with a decided edge and the league’s marquee player in Love, but no guarantee the conference title will be theirs. Howland’s recruiting efforts and defensive emphasis have only served to make the other league teams work harder and aim higher, though it will be a chore to knock this Love romance novel off of the best-seller list.

Here’s a breakdown of each Pac-10 tourney entry, listed in order by seed:

1) UCLA — The acronym forever has been synonymous with success, but in reality the Bruins have won just two of 10 of these tournaments, which is surprising considering all but three of the events have been held in Los Angeles. Love is the wildcard player that not only makes this particular Westwood team the league regular season leader and a heavy favorite at Staples, but also a solid bet to make it an even dozen national titles in San Antonio, which would be the school’s first breakthrough in 13 seasons. The Bruins await the Washington-California winner on the tourney’s second day, probably favoring the Huskies, who are one of just two league teams to topple UCLA this season. Pac-10 tourney titles: 1987, 2006.

2) Stanford — Anyone with two mobile 7-footers playing side by side has a chance to do serious damage in the postseason, starting at Staples. Lots of height can be an intimidating sight, and the Cardinal (24-6) have plenty of that in the Lopez twins, Brook and Robin. These guys even had UCLA on the run last weekend before tailing off down the stretch, giving the Bruins an overtime reprieve and letting them completely off the hook. If only 6-8 forward Lawrence Hill, an All-Pac-10 pick last year but a sub now, could pull out of his season-long funk, Stanford would be downright scary. The Cardinal open against the Oregon State-Arizona winner, both teams they swept during the season. Pac-10 tourney titles: 2004.

3) Washington State — The Cougars (23-7) dropped a spot in the standings after their glorious turnaround of 2007, going from last place to second, but haven’t disappointed anyone. They remain a bothersome team, extra patient on offense and extra bothersome on defense. They follow the lead of seasoned four-year starters in guards Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver and forward Robbie Cowgill. These guys have beaten up on everyone except UCLA, finding the Bruins unwilling to give in to the match-up problem usually presented most opponents. The Cougars open against Oregon, a team they swept in the season series, albeit by close margins each time, but a ballclub that also beat them in the semifinals a year ago. Pac-10 tourney titles: None.

4) USC — The team located closest to the Staples Center still seeks its first Pac-10 tourney title, but this could be the year it happens. O.J. Mayo has the same effect on his team that LeBron James has on the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kobe Bryant has on the Los Angeles Lakers. The freshman guard possesses a natural court presence that makes things happens in a hurry and usually draws all eyes his way. The Trojans (20-10) open against Arizona State, a team they split with during the regular season, winning by 14 at home and losing by the same amount on the road. USC, lest anyone forget, also owns a victory over UCLA. Pac-10 tourney titles: None.

5) Arizona State — The Sun Devils (19-11) have developed rapidly under the direction of former North Carolina State coach Herb Sendek, shooting from last place to the league’s upper division in one season. Upgraded personnel that answers to the coach’s demands has been responsible. This team starts three freshmen, guards James Harden and Ty Abbott and forward Rihards Kuksiks, which leaves it vulnerable at times but refreshingly good at others. They get maybe the first round’s most competitive match-up, seeking the rubber game after splitting with USC. Pac-10 tourney titles: None.

6) Oregon — The Pac-10 tourney defending champions were the fourth seed when they ran the table at Staples a year ago, and have dropped a couple of slots since. With four starters returning, a dip wasn’t necessarily expected. Coach Ernie Kent is hoping his Ducks (18-12) can locate the same postseason momentum they discovered last season, advancing all the way to the NCAA’s Elite Eight, starting with Washington State. Pac-10 tourney titles: 2003, 2007.

7) Arizona — The Wildcats have announced that Lute Olson is returning as coach next season after taking a one-year sabbatical to deal with a divorce and health issues, and that bit of news couldn’t come a moment too soon. His team (18-13) is on the verge of its worst season since Olson’s first year at Arizona in 1984, and of missing out on the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 23 seasons, which is unforgivable to the Tucson fan base. At least Arizona draws a gimme game by opening against woebegone Oregon State. Pac-10 tourney titles: 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002.

8) Washington — The Huskies (16-15) had a difficult season turn impossible when program cornerstone, junior forward Jon Brockman, was lost to a severely sprained ankle last Saturday at Washington State, likely knocking him out of the tournament. It has to be a fairly ominous injury to level this guy. His importance to the Huskies is immeasurable. Brockman is the league’s leading rebounder this year and last, and the UW’s leading scorer and emotional leader. Drawing Cal in their opener, a team they split with this season, Lorenzo Romar’s huskies might not last long. Pac-10 tourney titles: 2005.

9) California — Much more was expected from the Golden Bears, especially with the return of 6’11” senior center DeVon Hardin from a foot fracture, but they were mediocre all season. Wasted was an all-conference season by 6’10” sophomore forward Ryan Anderson, the league’s scoring leader (21.5). Cal coach Ben Braun might lose his job over this. At least he should get two games at Staples before the plug is pulled. Pac-10 tourney titles: None.

10) Oregon State — It’s been the season from Hell for the Beavers (6-24), who bring a 20-game losing streak into the tourney. They fired their coach, Jay John, after dropping the first eight in a row. They lost any semblance to competitiveness by changing leaders, becoming the first Pac-10 team to lose all 18 league encounters. Nothing should change against Arizona in the first round. Pac-10 tourney titles: None.

Dan Raley has covered the Washington Huskies and the Pac-10 for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer for nearly three decades.

Del.icio.us | Digg it | Athlon Sports RSS Feeds