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Love, not Mayo, leaves us wanting more
As one Southland freshman ended his final fade, the other one began his final bloom.
As one Southland freshman waved a desultory good-bye, the other one grabbed us in a sweaty embrace.
On a night when the brief O.J. Mayo era ended in an Omaha stun, the final days of the brief Kevin Love era began with an Anaheim swat.
And another one. And another one.
Three blocked shots in the first three minutes, and he was just getting started, the kid using March to show us how he has become a man.
UCLA's 70-29 victory over Mississippi Valley State at the Honda Center was boring to some, but the bomb for Love, who treated his first NCAA tournament game like a toddler treats his first recognizable birthday cake.
He dug into it with both hands, made it all messy and sticky and wonderful.
"The atmosphere was different, you could sense there's a lot more on the line," Love said. "I like that."
Five days removed from painful back spasms, he didn't need to play, but he did.
"I wanted to test it," he said. "I was fine."
Two days removed from the Bruins' first tough tourney test against Texas A&M on Saturday, he could have left something on the court, but he didn't.
"He never gives less than everything," said teammate Darren Collison.
Love not only played, he played full court, he played full speed, he played full blown.
"No mercy," said Love.
While Mayo's USC team wilted on his shoulders in a first-round loss to Kansas State, Love's UCLA team jumped around his shoulders in a first-round victory both historic and hysterical.
With Love's four blocks setting the pace, the Bruins held the Delta Devils to the lowest NCAA tournament scoring total in 62 years, and the lowest since the shot clock was instituted in 1985.
"When your big man comes out and plays that hard, it's contagious," said James Keefe.
With Love's 20 points in 21 minutes filling the gym, the Bruins' 41-point victory margin was their biggest tourney blowout in 41 years.
"It doesn't matter who we're playing, he always brings his 'A' game," said Josh Shipp.
Then there was the hysterical, that being a creative Mississippi Valley State shot that became stuck high in the metal rods behind the basket.
As one Southland freshman waved a desultory good-bye, the other one grabbed us in a sweaty embrace.
And another one. And another one.
Three blocked shots in the first three minutes, and he was just getting started, the kid using March to show us how he has become a man.
UCLA's 70-29 victory over Mississippi Valley State at the Honda Center was boring to some, but the bomb for Love, who treated his first NCAA tournament game like a toddler treats his first recognizable birthday cake.
He dug into it with both hands, made it all messy and sticky and wonderful.
"The atmosphere was different, you could sense there's a lot more on the line," Love said. "I like that."
Five days removed from painful back spasms, he didn't need to play, but he did.
"I wanted to test it," he said. "I was fine."
Two days removed from the Bruins' first tough tourney test against Texas A&M on Saturday, he could have left something on the court, but he didn't.
"He never gives less than everything," said teammate Darren Collison.
Love not only played, he played full court, he played full speed, he played full blown.
"No mercy," said Love.
While Mayo's USC team wilted on his shoulders in a first-round loss to Kansas State, Love's UCLA team jumped around his shoulders in a first-round victory both historic and hysterical.
With Love's four blocks setting the pace, the Bruins held the Delta Devils to the lowest NCAA tournament scoring total in 62 years, and the lowest since the shot clock was instituted in 1985.
"When your big man comes out and plays that hard, it's contagious," said James Keefe.
With Love's 20 points in 21 minutes filling the gym, the Bruins' 41-point victory margin was their biggest tourney blowout in 41 years.
"It doesn't matter who we're playing, he always brings his 'A' game," said Josh Shipp.
Then there was the hysterical, that being a creative Mississippi Valley State shot that became stuck high in the metal rods behind the basket.
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With the WNBA season to begin May 17, the Los Angeles Sparks rookie stars in commercials that reach out to male sports fans.
