UCLA adjusts to shooting in cavernous NRG Stadium

UCLA arrived in Houston last night, and shot around for about an hour or so this morning at NRG Stadium. Formerly known as Reliant Stadium, the football venue can seat up to 80,000 people — absolutely dwarfing any other place the Bruins have played this season.

Will that set-up affect how players shoot?

“You get to go out there and you see how big the stadium is,” said point guard Bryce Alford. “The scoreboard is huge. The court is elevated. All that stuff. It’s what you dream of when you’re a kid, playing in a venue like this. …

“You got to get used to the shooting. It’s definitely different, but they’ve done a great job of making the background darker. There’s black (canvas) behind both hoops. So, I don’t think it will be too much different than shooting in a normal gym.”

In case you missed anything, here’s a roundup of our UCLA-Gonzaga coverage so far this week:

— Beating Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 tomorrow would solidify UCLA’s late-season transformation.
— A look back at UCLA’s win over the Bulldogs in the 2006 Sweet 16, one of the most memorable comebacks in the NCAA Tournament.
— Can Tony Parker build on his career performance against UAB when faced with Gonzaga’s frontline?
— UCLA’s lackluster 3-point defense doesn’t bode well given the Zags’ shooting prowess.
— Columnist Mark Whicker, on how Norman Powell left track and field to become a basketball standout.