UCLA 2010 Preview & Predictions

UCLA Bruins Basketball 2010-2011 Preview, Predictions, Picks & Odds

With the College Basketball 2010-2011 Season just around the corner, we are providing season previews & predictions for all NCAA basketball teams to give you the betting edge this year. Follow the best College Basketball Handicappers as they analyze their teams in this 2010-2011 basketball season preview. Be sure to bookmark SportsbookBuzz.com your source for Sportsbook Reviews. Use our comprehensive and insider info to bet successfully on the College Basketball in our recommend online sportsbooks.View the rest of our 2010-2011 NCAA Basketball Season Previews here.

UCLA Preview Picks, & Odds.

UCLA 2009-2010 Record: 14-18 overall; 8-10 Pac-10 (Tie/5th)

UCLA Coach: Ben Howland – At UCLA: 166-72, 7 years; overall: 334-171, 16 years

UCLA Players to Watch: Tyler Honeycutt’s early season development was slowed because of avariety of injuries, but he came on strong to earn conference All-Freshman honors. After steady improvement over his first two seasons, Malcolm Lee is now clearly one of the better all-around guards on the West Coast.

UCLA Key Losses: Nikola Dragovic, F, 6-9, 216 (12.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg); Drew Gordon, F, 6-8, 235 (11.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg in six games); James Keefe, F, 6-8, 238 (2.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg); J’mison Morgan, C, 6-10, 248 (1.9 PPQ, 1.3 rpg); Michael Roll, G, 6-5, 200 (14.1 ppg, 3.6 apg)

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2010-2011 UCLA Season Preview

Ben Howland had never endured anything quite like his seventh season at UCLA. The last time the Bruins had a record approaching the 14-18 they had last season, they fired Steve Lavin, whose seventh team was 10-19 during the 2002-03 season. UCLA then hired Howland from Pittsburgh. Howland – a little more than two years removed from taking the Bruins to a third consecutive Final Four – absorbed more pain after last season. Following a long walk, Howland slipped on the front porch of his home on a June evening, suffering what he initially believed was a painful sprain of his right ankle. A few days later he was told his Achilles’ tendon had been ruptured. It was surgically repaired but, with the foot in a walking boot, he couldn’t drive, and he limped along or used crutches while getting around during stops in Indianapolis, Cleveland, Milwaukee and Las Vegas during the July recruiting circuit. He hopes his program’s recovery period is a little shorter and less painful. One thing appears certain: The zone defense he used for large portions of conference action will be retired, he hopes, along with his crutches.

UCLA Backcourt

Jerime Anderson and Malcolm Lee split time as the team’s primary plaYmakers – Lee taking over more of the role as Anderson struggled with turnovers and defense. Howland said Lee put in a lot of work on his jump shot during spring individual workouts and is likely to be primarily a shooting guard as a junior. Anderson also had a good spring, Howland added, but he is again expected to be challenged for the starting job – this time by junior college transfer Lazeric “Zeke” Jones, a teammate of the Bulls’ Derrick Rose at Chicago’s Simeon High. Tyler Lamb – who committed to the Bruins nearly two years ago – should get considerable playing time immediately at either wing position. Another freshman who could impact the backcourt rotation is left-hander Matt Carlino, who was “committed” to Indiana for about a year.

UCLA Frontcourt

Each had to overcome a variety of injuries but, as freshmen, Tyler Honeycutt and Reeves Nelson provided a lot of the highlights for the team. Nelson has a bevy of low-post moves and converts regularly with either hand. Honeycutt impacts games in a variety of ways at both ends of the floor. The play of either or both of two freshmen centers – Anthony Stover (who redshirted last season) and Joshua Smith (a McDonald’s AllAmerica by way of Kent, Wash) – could enable Nelson to play at the high post and to keep Honeycutt mostly on a wing. The year in waiting helped Stover get stronger and polish his offense.

2010-2011 UCLA Predictions

There are a considerable number of “ifs” involved, but there are enough elements in place to support the belief that this should be a bounce-back season of sorts for the Bruins. If Anderson and/or Jones provide stability at the point and Lee, Honeycutt and Nelson continue to improve at a reasonable rate, the Bruins are more likely to sprint than limp to the end of Pac-10 play. And, after all, Howland has had about as much limping as he cares to endure.

UCLA Finish in the PAC-10: 3rd

UCLA Betting Odds

UCLA Odds to Win 2010-2011 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament: +6000
UCLA Odds to Win the PAC-10: +350

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UCLA Basketball Handicapping Picks

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