This game is so big, it needs its own zip code.
This game is so big, Oregon head coach Ernie Kent said he would buy doughnuts and coffee for those fans who camped out the night before, then decided to instead buy pizzas for those in line early because he didn’t want fans to brave the chilly elements.
This game is No. 13 UCLA playing Oregon for a piece of the Pacific-10 Conference lead. This game will set the tone for both teams for the rest of the season and on into the NCAA Tournament. It starts
at 7 p.m. tonight, both at McArthur Court and broadcast on Fox Sports Net.
“This is a big game in terms of the conference race,” Kent said. “Oregon has a chance to win the conference for the first time in a long time, so that’s why we’re putting so much emphasis on this game.”
The Ducks couldn’t stress enough the psychological importance of beating UCLA and USC at home this weekend.
“These are the biggest games of my career,” Oregon center Chris Christoffersen said. “If we can get two wins this weekend, then we’re in the driver’s seat for the Pac-10 championship.”
On the court, mismatches abound on both sides of the ball. Will Bruin freshman guard Cedric Bozeman be able to contain explosive Duck guards Luke Ridnour and Freddie Jones? Can Oregon’s forwards hang with the talented Jason Kapono and Matt Barnes? Will Christoffersen play with Bruin center Dan Gadzuric like he did last year? Can UCLA go as deep into its bench as Oregon?
Can the Bruins handle Mac Court?
“We need to bring Mac Court to another level because we need this team to go to another level,” Kent told radio station KUGN after last week’s win over Washington State. “We need this crowd just rocking at every free throw, every defensive stand, every time out. It should never die down in there.”
UCLA is also trying to go 2-0 in the second half of the conference after a first half that was anything but consistent. Three weeks ago, the Bruins handily defeated then-No. 1 Kansas, then struggled to beat Arizona State before falling to Arizona and Stanford in consecutive games. Earlier this season, UCLA beat Alabama and Georgetown, but lost to Pepperdine and struggled with California-Riverside.
The Bruins are led by Kapono’s 18.4 points per game, but get 15.4 from guard Billy Knight, 14.8 from Barnes, 10.3 from Gadzuric and 9.4 from sixth man T.J. Cummings.
The key matchup tonight could be Gadzuric and Christoffersen. The two big men average nearly the same amount of points and rebounds per game. Oregon’s big man said he feels he can better against Gadzuric than against smaller centers around the league.
“I don’t know why, but I feel like I match up better with bigger guys,” Christoffersen said. “I’m just more comfortable, defensively and offensively.”
But really, every matchup will be important tonight.
Because this game is as big as Christoffersen and Gadzuric piggybacking. This game is as big as… well, you get the idea.
Oregon and UCLA will tip off at 7 p.m., and the Ducks will face the Trojans, who are co-leading the conference with Oregon, at 3 p.m. Saturday.