Get used to the bifurcation in UCLA hoops.
Or, should I say, get used to the bifurcation in CMC hoops.
Elite D and unimaginative O halfcourt sets.
As a partial aside, I was impressed with UDub's pressure D, albeit UCLA's O isn't exactly much of a standard to measure top O's by.
Bilodeau put on an early show but most of that was solo effort with no one really "diming" him under CMC's iso O (a grand total of only 11 assists by both teams in the 1H).
But, then there's that D, as holding a 6-1 B10 team to only 24 points is something to tip your hat to, as Mick has his team snarling and sniping on D.
For whatever pace you want to point to, UCLA is dictating it by speeding up the Dawgs. In addition, UCLA is pressing its height advantage by extending Mara's minutes (1st in game blocks with 2 and 2nd in rebounds with 3).
All that said, you've got to return to the donut, as UCLA stakes its claim with the schedule tightening up. 29 pts in their own house on 35% shooting, with 1/3 of their shots from beyond the arc at a "prodigious" 18%. The FT shooting is awful at 50%, but what's auful-er is getting to the line for only 6 FTs, as CMC's O schemes are as vanilla as vanilla can get. UCLA's starting guards are 1-9, and resuscitation is badly needed there.
GO BRUINS!