UCLA’s Edge May Be History

On a congratulatory phone call to Belmont University basketball Coach Rick Byrd, Mike McGinnis tried to express his feelings after the school qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time.

McGinnis, once an assistant to Byrd at another school and the father of a former Belmont player, finally had to hang up. He was too choked up to talk.

Others avoided the problem by using e-mail. Byrd received 150 by the time he and his team left their Nashville campus to come here, where today they’ll face UCLA at San Diego State’s Cox Arena in a first-round game that will tip off at around 2 p.m.

“There’s so much pride for people who have somehow been touched by Belmont,” Byrd said. “But it’s all about it being a first-time thing. It’s not happening with Duke. They get excited if they get to the championship game.”

It’s not only the well-wishers who are emotional.

“We were a little geeked at the situation,” Belmont senior guard Brian Collins said. “But we’re over our wide eyes. We know it’s time to get down to business.”

However, Collins conceded that his little-known Bruins playing the Bruin program that once ruled college basketball has added additional awe to Belmont’s historic trip.

“Since I’ve been little,” Collins said, “I’ve always looked at UCLA as being the basketball mecca. My dad always used to tell me about Lew Alcindor, all the great teams they had, about how great a coach John Wooden was. I remember Tyus Edney, Toby Bailey. I remember watching them play in the tournament and thinking, ‘Wow, I’d love to be there one day.’ ”

Dealing with the wow factor might be a formidable task for Byrd. But if his team, seeded 15th, is to have a chance against UCLA, seeded No. 2, Byrd must convince his players to forget their pioneering role, forget the national spotlight in which they must perform, and forget the past glory of the team they will face.

Then, if he can get his players past all that, Byrd will still have to cope with the matchup on the floor, which pits one of the best shooting teams in the nation against one of the best defensive teams in the tournament.

Both sides have numbers to bolster their hopes. Belmont, the Atlantic Sun Conference champion, is 20-10, winner of 16 of its last 19, and is coming off an overtime victory over Lipscomb in the conference tournament championship game.

Belmont is averaging 81.8 points a game, seventh in the nation, and shooting 50%, fourth-best in the nation. Belmont has been successful on 38.2% of its attempts from three-point range and has four starters averaging in double figures, led by sophomore guard Justin Hare (15.9) and 6-foot-11, 260-pound junior center Boomer Herndon (14.9).

However, Belmont’s sharpshooters will be facing a team that has focused on shutting down the opposition with a tight, unyielding, man-to-man defense, which varies only by the use of a double team on the post man.

Compare UCLA’s defensive numbers and those of Belmont on the offensive side and it seems they are not even playing the same game.

UCLA, 27-6 and a winner of seven straight, has held opponents to averages of 59.1 points and 42.1% shooting, including 35.1% from three-point range. In winning the Pacific 10 Conference tournament, UCLA held all three opponents under 60 points.

“I haven’t seen a team like UCLA where nobody takes any time off on defense,” Byrd said.

For that, Byrd was quick to heap praise on UCLA Coach Ben Howland.

“UCLA has really good players and a really good coach,” Byrd said, “which is a bad combination for us.”

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Bruin matchups

STARTERS

*--* UCLA Ht. Wt. Stats Pos Belmont Ht. Wt. Stats L.R. Mbah a 6-7 215 8.1 rpg F Dan Oliver 6-6 215 2.8 rpg Moute Ryan Hollins 7-0 225 4.4 rpg C Boomer 6-11 260 14.9 ppg Herndon Jordan Farmar 6-2 180 13.6 ppg G Justin Hare 6-3 185 15.9 ppg Arron Afflalo 6-5 210 16.6 ppg G Josh Goodwin 6-2 200 12.5 ppg Cedric Bozeman 6-6 207 2.2 apg G Brian 6-4 175 4.4 apg Collins

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RESERVES

*--* Darren 6-0 155 5.7 ppg Andy Wicke, G 6-3 185 8.6 ppg Collison, G Michael Roll, 6-5 205 3.8 ppg Matthew 6-8 215 2.8 rpg G Dotson, F Alfred Aboya, 6-8 242 2.6 rpg Andrew 6-10 210 6.3 ppg F Preston, C

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HOW THEY MATCH UP

* ON OFFENSE -- Belmont is at its best when the ball is in its hands, averaging 81.8 points, and hitting 50% of its shots from the floor, including 38.2% from three-point range. The offensive load for UCLA is carried by guards Afflalo and Farmer with big assists from Roll and Collison. Up front, there is not a lot of offensive firepower for UCLA. Edge: Belmont.

* ON DEFENSE -- This is core of UCLA’s strength. With Afflalo assigned to shadow the other team’s top backcourt scorer and a solid man-to-man front, UCLA was able to hold the opposition to 59.1 points a game. Belmont likes to mix it up, offering several zone formations and an occasional press, but opponents were still able to average 75.9 points against Belmont. Edge: UCLA.

* COACHING -- UCLA’s Ben Howland has been here before. The Pacific 10 Conference coach of the year, Howland will be making his fifth appearance in the NCAA tournament with his third team. He previously led Northern Arizona and Pittsburgh to the tournament, before adding a tournament bid for UCLA last season. Rick Byrd, in his 19th season as Belmont’s coach, is leading the school into the NCAA tournament for the first time in this, Belmont’s ninth season as a full Division I team. Edge: UCLA.

* KEY TO THE GAME -- The final score. If it’s in the 80s, it means Belmont has lured UCLA into a high-scoring game, the kind Belmont has a chance to win. If it its in the low 70s or lower, it means UCLA is playing the tight defense at which it excels. Edge: UCLA.

* PREDICTION -- UCLA 74, Belmont 57

-- STEVE SPRINGER