Big Men Finally Shine Together

The impressive win over DePaul on Saturday came with personal victories for center Dan Gadzuric and power forward Jerome Moiso, who both played well a week after being criticized by Coach Steve Lavin for poor interior defense that contributed greatly to the Gonzaga loss.

Gadzuric and Moiso both started against DePaul, the first time that has happened since Feb. 4. But not only that, both had major impacts, albeit in at least one unexpected way.

Gadzuric tied a career high with 14 rebounds and also had three blocks, one shy of his UCLA best. Eight of the rebounds and two of the blocks came in the second half and served as key components in the Bruins turning a two-point deficit into an easy victory.

“I figured I had to step it up,” said Gadzuric, who had just five rebounds in 20 minutes against Gonzaga. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be playing. That wouldn’t be good.”

Moiso, meanwhile, had 17 points on six-of-10 shooting and added six rebounds. But his perimeter defense early in the game against DePaul sophomore Quentin Richardson turned out to be a major factor. Richardson made just three of his first eight shots and finished eight of 23 from the field.

Moiso drew the unenviable assignment not because he wanted it--”Not really,” he said, laughing--but because he was defending one of the wings in the Bruins’ successful matchup zone. The agility and athleticism that sets Moiso apart from most other big men was a big help in slowing Richardson, an All-America candidate.

Even if he didn’t see that matchup coming.

“I was surprised too,” Moiso said.

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The Bruins traveled to Hawaii on Sunday. They practice today before opening the Pearl Harbor Classic--which actually is on the North Shore, about an hour away from Pearl Harbor--Tuesday against Maine.