26 thoughts on “USC 98, UCSB 87

  1. I don’t want to be a downer. But Metu hasn’t played well enough this season and he needs to get tough. At least mentally. He’s been consistent early in his freshman and sophomore seasons, but without Melton D-ing up the best player on the other team it allows them to work the ball inside more and he hasn’t rebounded or deflected like the way we expected.
    Still, I this could be him breaking out and getting things going.

    Our RPI can’t be good. We’re gonna have to beat Arizona, ASU, Ucla, and Oregon at least once to get any kind of respect later this season.

    • Metu has continued to improve year over year. He used to be a fouling machine but no more. He makes his free throws and is pretty good at 3’s. But, you are right about toughness especially on D. He gets pushed around maybe because he’s giving up about 40 lbs. Unfortunately I think he’s gone after this season.

      • He has came a long ways and improved. I agree.
        My friend was saying that you would think they would have worked with him in the training room on mass and strengthen him up by now. If he doesn’t then he better become Kevin Garnett with his dribbles because he won’t be effective inside and the only thing that will keep him around will be versatility, ball handling as a big man, and shooting. But I don’t see that happening soon.

      • Definitely, but Boatwright came out hot in some games where Metu was absent from a string of games, but the A&M game/score looks worse than it was.

        McLaughlin didn’t shoot attempt anything from long range when he had his best game in a while previously against Vandy.

        Boatwright only took there’s and not that many, if he’s off early and feels he’s cold then needs to work for production closer inside. He needs to be smarter than that and not waste possession.

        I haven’t seen Metu hold his own yet this season against big athletic opposition.

        The team needs a gut check.

      • I did think Bobby Hurley was a good hire and was hoping USC would have gotten him at the time.

      • The last few weeks I’ve missed all Basketball while my son’s travel ball team finished up and break until mid January. They played they’re best baseball I’d say the last three weeks of tournaments/games. Tough because my son was sick the last 7-8 days with a fever/sore throat and missed a big week and a win over a quality I.E. team. But I missed the last two SC losses. I watched a few minutes of Sports Center and ASU looked sharp and flashy against Vandy. And the Melton drama has took some wind out of our sail in my opinion because he was the lockdown guy and now teams can move around and relax a bit more.
        What’s your take on the everything this far?

        • I’ve been really busy with family stuff as well. Nothing as fun as my kid’s travel team. That being said, ASU has played a very good schedule and won every game so far. They don’t have the distractions of SC and Arizona, the youth and poor coaching at UCLA or the new roster at Oregon. Plus, Hurley is doing a fine job. He did a decent job last year but didn’t have any horses inside.

          • It was a matter of time before He started to make some noise. He’s old school but young enough to draw in his kind of players.

            How many kids do you have?

      • Rivalry and my ex,ex,ex,bruin girlfriend only went to Ucla because it had the letters LA in it.
        Quick story…
        2001 game, I picked her up with some friends, headed to the Coliseum, she talked the whole way and the whole time tailgating they were gonna stomp us.
        The result….
        27-0 USC
        Me and my best friend were barely rubbing it in he face for a few minutes and the tears are just coming down and my mom has to play Coliseum babysitter while our group of a out 20 are all celebrating.

        Beat the Bruins

        • LOL! I remember that shaming and how the ruin fans one by one made their exit in the 3rd quarter until the end zone was empty. I bet Owns, gray stool and Kissy 86er were among the first of those fair weather fans to leave.

          • That was the year of the infamous ♿♿♿ handicap drama. They just had to park those Honda Civic Hatchback’s the closest to school.

            One more quick story,
            I visited her for a few days during the season that year and when Joey Harrington beat them in that close game the whole entertainment/lounge room where all the freshman on her floor were watching the game all screamed like they were in a horror movie when the Ducks made the go ahead TD. Scared the **** out of me:)

          • Hey at least they’ll always have the Anthony Barr hit on Matt Barkley.
            They didn’t go to a New Year’s Day Bowl but it’s J-Meth’s version of O.J. beating Gary Beban and UCLA.

  2. scooter, you disappoint as usual. McLaughlin tied the PAC 12 record for assists with 19. he had a chance for the record, but it didn’t happen. Why did you not report that?

  3. That’s cool!

    I got one for ya. My uncle Sam bought me a ucla basketball for my 5th or 6th birthday. I remember playing with it that one day. My brothers kicked it over to the next block. Yes, as a little 5 or 6 year old I was balling because I didn’t care what was on the ball at the time. Ha! Any ball was special to me at that age. My uncle sober for around 15 or more years now was/still is a great guy, but in those days I don’t recall a day where he wasn’t drunk. He’s a big time Bruin fan. My dad also drank a lot also, and they probably had some rivalry smack talk that day.
    LOL! I am picturing them hammered.

    Uncle Sam-“We whoop SC in Basketball all the time”
    Dad-“I don’t care about anything but Dodger baseball and SC Football Sam!”

    Only it sounded more like Dudley Moore tanked.

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