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BY SCOTT M. REID / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER LOS ANGELES ? There is no way to sugarcoat a UCLA season in which the Bruins began as Pac-12 favorites but now find themselves a longshot to avoid the ignominy of having to play in the conference tournament's opening round. UCLA heads into the final two weeks of the regular season, having been embarrassed on network television by Big East bottom tier team over the weekend and sitting at No. 134 in the RPI. "As a team we've underachieved this year," Bruins guard Tyler Lamb said Tuesday. "I don't think anybody would disagree with that. But the season's still going." Which is why UCLA coach Ben Howland in recent days has tried to hammer home the importance of placing in the top four in the Pac-12's final regular-season standings and securing a first-round bye in the conference tournament, going over the track records of teams needing to win four games in four days to get into the NCAA Tournament. "And it's not very good," UCLA forward Travis Wear said. UCLA (15-12, 8-6) is a game in the loss column behind Oregon, currently tied for fourth place. Barring unlikely collapses by Cal (22-6, 12-3) and Washington (19-8, 12-3), five schools are battling for the final two spots in the top four and the first-round byes that come with them. Here's a look at what those five teams are facing down the regular season's home stretch: Colorado, 18-8, 10-4 ? Remaining schedule: Stanford, Thursday; Cal, Sunday; at Oregon, March 1; at Oregon State, March 3. Record against remaining opponents: 2-2. Oregon, 19-8, 10-5 ? Remaining schedule: at Oregon State, Sunday; Colorado, March 1; Utah, March 3. Record against remaining opponents: 1-2. Arizona, 19-9, 10-5 ? Remaining schedule: USC, Thursday; UCLA, Saturday; at Arizona State, March 4. Record against remaining opponents: 2-1. UCLA, 15-12, 8-6 ? Remaining schedule: at Arizona State, Thursday; at Arizona, Saturday; Washington State, March 1; Washington, March 3. Record against remaining opponents: 3-1. Stanford, 18-9, 8-7 ? Remaining schedule: at Colorado, Thursday; at Utah, Saturday; Cal, March 4. Record against remaining opponents: 2-1. "We still have the Pac-12 Tournament," Bruins center Joshua Smith said. "That season's not over." No saving stamina Although winning the Pac-12 Tournament is UCLA's only way into the NCAA Tournament, Howland said he would not consciously reduce key players' minutes in the next four games to potentially save their legs and energy for a conference tournament run. "We're just trying to win each game, one game at a time," Howland said. "I'm not even looking ahead." Contact the writer: sreid@ocregister.com SCPlaybook Scott Wolf Colin Cowherd usc football ucla football usc trojans ucla bruins
USC FOOTBALL A long tradition of USC football players running track in spring was put on hold during Pete Carroll's coaching tenure (2001-'09). Now it's been revived under Lane Kiffin, strengthening the track team, particularly in the sprints.  Running back D.J. Morgan is one of a handful of USC football players who are being allowed to compete on the school's track and field team. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times / 3) |
By Gary Klein USC receiver Marqise Lee and running back D.J. Morgan are accustomed to catching passes. Trojans defensive backs Nickell Robey and Tony Burnett have been trained to knock them down. On Saturday, the quartet will make passes ? by handing off a baton ? when they compete together in the 400-meter relay in the USC track team's season-opening outdoor competition at the Claremont Relays. It's the first time since the early 2000s that USC football players have migrated en masse to the track, restoring a tradition that once helped the Trojans win multiple conference championships in the spring sport. Burnett, Lee and Robey also will compete in the long jump. "The idea is to keep them healthy," said Ron Allice, USC's director of track and field. "Don't hurt anything and just let them have fun." With spring football practice set to begin March 6, the players could compete in two meets before focusing mainly on football. Their availability for the March 24 Trojan Invitational, featuring defending NCAA champion Texas A&M, is to be determined. But Allice and the players hope the foursome can establish qualifying marks for the Pac-12 championships in May and also help the Trojans in the April 28 dual meet against UCLA. "My main goal is football," said Morgan, a sophomore. "But I want to give 100% out there [on the track] too. I don't want to waste my time or others' time." Before the mid-2000s, USC had a long, successful tradition of players doubling in football and track and field. Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson and former NFL receivers Earl McCullouch and Curtis Conway are among the football players who also competed as sprinters. Olympic gold medalists Quincy Watts, Ken Carpenter and Fred Kelly were track athletes who also participated in football. When Allice came to USC in 1995, his office was next to the football offices and he said there was an unencumbered flow of athletes between the programs. Former football coach John Robinson embraced players' participation in track and Paul Hackett, his successor, allowed them to honor the commitment. Running back Sultan McCullough and defensive backs Darrell Rideaux and Marcell Almond were among the football players who ran track. When Pete Carroll arrived as football coach in 2001, however, migration from the football practice field to the track stadium across the street ebbed. "Verbally, Pete said 'no problem,'" Allice said, laughing, "But I never saw them anymore. I guess they'd get lost on their way over." Lane Kiffin, however, gave his blessing for the crossover, which requires coaches to apportion and document the total of 20 hours per week the NCAA allows for countable athletically related activities. "It keeps them competitive," said Kiffin, who replaced Carroll in 2010. "People worry about academics, but a lot of times our players do better academically during their season of competition because of the structure. Plus, it helps the university." It certainly helps Allice, who manages a men's track program that has only 12.6 scholarships for athletes competing in 21 events. "When we've been successful and won the [conference], it's because we had football help," he said.  Fight On SC WeAreSC SCPlaybook Scott Wolf Colin Cowherd usc football ucla football
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By MICHAEL LEV / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER LOS ANGELES ? USC is two losses away from setting the single-season school record. The way the 6-21 Trojans are going, they'll probably get there. That's not the sort of thing you want on your r鳵m鮠But even as the defeats have piled up, Kevin O'Neill hasn't lost his team. USC coach Kevin O'Neill and his team are in the midst of a historically bad season, but they've stuck together through one loss after another. GETTY IMAGES "The guys who want to be at 'SC and really care about the program and want to move forward with the program don't want to play for anybody else," said guard Jio Fontan, one of three starters and five players lost for the season to injury. "We all feel like K.O.'s the right guy to be here. We see the future. We've had a couple bumps in the road. You look at any team, you take away what we had taken away, everybody's going to have the same outcome. You could have brought the Zen Master, Phil Jackson, in here, and it wouldn't have been too much of a difference." USC's extreme injury outbreak hasn't stopped fans from blaming this historically unsuccessful season on O'Neill, whose team visits Arizona on Thursday. O'Neill's plan for restocking the roster included signing multiple transfers, which resulted in the Trojans having only 11 scholarship players available to start 2011-12. He also brought in the six players left standing who have struggled to compete. One of those transfers, forward Ari Stewart, believes blaming O'Neill is "100 percent unfair." "It's disappointing that people feel that way," said Stewart, who will be eligible next season. "I could see why. They want to win. We understand that. It's a business. When you're not getting wins, you're going to get bashed. But the thing is, you have to look at our situation." O'Neill said he hasn't thought about possibly breaking the school record for losses. But he has been on the front line for every one of them, including the team's current five-game skid. "I feel as frustrated or more frustrated than anybody," O'Neill said. "Naturally, nobody wants to be associated with that. But when it gets right down to it, I don't know if we could have done much more the way the circumstances came down." FONTAN UPDATE Fontan, who tore the ACL in his left knee Aug. 16, has begun running on the court and working on his jump shot. He received a favorable recovery report after visiting the doctor Monday. "So far, so good," Fontan said. Fontan's plan is to be 100 percent by summer. He has an invitation to play for the Uruguayan national team -- Fontan's father is of Uruguayan descent -- but plans to stay in Los Angeles to rehab and work out. "I've already had too many bad experiences with playing summer ball," said Fontan, who suffered the injury during an exhibition game in Brazil. Contact the writer: mlev@ocregister.com matt kalil kevin graf tyron smith dajohn harris wes horton nick perry chris galippo
NEWSWIRE Undercover police officers bust 17 Texas Christian students after a six-month investigation prompted by complaints from students, parents and others at the Fort Worth school.  Fort Worth Police Capt. Ken Dean talks at a news conference Wednesday about his department's involvement in the investigation and arrests of 17 students involved in an alleged drug dealing ring at TCU. (Paul Moseley / MCT / 15) |
Staff and wire reports Authorities arrested 17 students in a sweeping drug sting at Texas Christian University on Wednesday, a bust that included four members of the Horned Frogs football team who are accused of selling marijuana to undercover officers during the season and as recently as a few weeks ago. Police in Fort Worth said that the 17 people who were arrested were caught making "hand-to-hand" sales of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and prescription drugs to undercover officers. They said the bust followed a six-month investigation prompted by complaints from students, parents and others. The arrests stunned the campus community, coming one day after a thrilling overtime victory by the men's basketball team and less than 24 hours after TCU released its football schedule for next season, its first in the Big 12 Conference. TCU has an enrollment of about 9,500 students, but the involvement of the athletes drew the most scrutiny. "There are days people want to be a head football coach, but today is not one of those days," Coach Gary Patterson said. "As I heard the news this morning, I was first shocked, then hurt and now I'm mad." Three prominent defensive players on the team were arrested: linebacker Tanner Brock, the leading tackler two seasons ago, defensive tackle D.J. Yendrey and cornerback Devin Johnson. The other player is offensive lineman Ty Horn. Police said they had not determined whether the four were selling to their teammates or other athletes, though the arrest affidavits raise the possibility. ETC.Gwynn recovering from surgery for cancer Surgeons at UC San Diego Thornton Hospital said that cancer removal surgery performed on Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn "went extremely well," but it is too early to determine a long-term prognosis. It could take up to 18 months for Gwynn to regain movement and function on the right side of his face, Drs. Robert Weisman and Jeffrey Harris said in a statement. Weisman removed a cancerous growth and scar tissue from previous therapies that encased a nerve controlling movement on the right side of Gwynn's face. Harris then grafted a nerve from Gwynn's neck to the remainder of the nerve in the face and the skull. Initial indications are that the cancer has not spread, the doctors said. Gwynn, a former San Diego Padres star and now the baseball coach at San Diego State, remains in the hospital. ? Tony Perry After nearly four weeks on administrative leave, Harry Welch has been reinstated as football coach at Santa Margarita High, the school said in an email to families. Diocese of Orange spokesman Stephen Bohannon also confirmed Welch's return. Welch was put on administrative leave last month. Orange County Sheriff's investigators were at the school after receiving an anonymous tip that Welch had been accused of pushing or shoving a player in December. The Orange County district attorney's office declined to file charges. Santa Margarita, which won the Pac-5 Division championship and CIF state championship Division I bowl game, has faced scrutiny and controversy after three assistant coaches in the football program were dismissed since the bowl game because of drug possession charges. ? Eric SondheimerConnecticut basketball Coach Jim Calhoun will be out at least three more games while he receives treatment for his ailing back, the school said.  wes horton nick perry chris galippo devon kennard pac 12 champions Fight On SC WeAreSC
 by so.cal.native1952 on Feb 25, 2012 8:43 PM PST
Yeah that's right, the guys beat both SDSU and USD 7-0, with 5 freshman getting action in the matches on Friday at 1pm and later at 6pm. Typically Hanfmann and Roberto Quiroz get action at #5 and #6 singles, but coach Smith let Eric Johnson, Jordi Vives and Jonny Wang play Friday against the SD schools. Nice to see all of them won their matches and in straight sets, to help USC to more victories to stay undefeated. Coaching #24 ranked USD is former USC assistant Brent Masi who has done a fine job of building that program in the last year, to overtake SDSU for top ranking in the San Diego area. Next up is UCLA at the Plan B's courts at 3pm wed. #1 USC 7, #60 San Diego State 0 Feb. 24, 2012 -- Marks Stadium DOUBLES (1) Nguyen/Sarmiento (USC) def. Siddiqui/Bertsch (SDSU) -- 8-2 (2) Gomez/Quiroz (USC) def. Simon/Baylon (SDSU) -- 8-1 (3) E. Johnson/Vives (USC) def. Pulgar/Gelbrich (SDSU) -- 8-7 (5) USC wins doubles point. Order of finish: 2, 1, 3  SINGLES (1) #18 Ray Sarmiento (USC) def. Javier Pulgar (SDSU) -- 6-1, 6-2 (2) #36 Yannick Hanfmann (USC) def. Derek Siddiqui (SDSU) -- 6-4, 6-2 (3) #14 Daniel Nguyen (USC) def. Thorsten Bertsch (SDSU) -- 6-4, 7-6 (4) (4) #86 Roberto Quiroz (USC) def. Rickey Baylon (SDSU) -- 6-1, 6-3* (5) Eric Johnson (USC) def. Freddy Gelbrich (SDSU) -- 6-3, 6-2 (6) Jonny Wang (USC) def. Juan Florez (SDSU) -- 6-2, 6-4 Order of finish: 1, 5, 4, 2, 6, 3 #1 USC 7, #24 San Diego 0 Feb. 24, 2012 -- Marks Stadium DOUBLES (1) #28 Hanfmann/
 by Bellerophon on Feb 27, 2012 5:00 AM PST in News With baseball in full swing, we've decided to make a bit of a programing change, with Bruin Bites shifting out of its normal Sunday evening slot to early Monday morning. So, instead of skimming the various pieces of news from around the UCLA-iverse at the tail-end of your weekend, now you'll be getting these little morsels of UCLA information and news at the very beginning of your work week, so hopefully, it'll help you cope with the return to the office. You know what doesn't make your Monday any easier? Ben Howland and the complete disaster that is this basketball season. We have a clueless, tone-deaf athletic director who got us stuck in an antiquated venue that no one wants to pay to watch a game in, coupled with a stubborn coach who is on the fast-track to barely making the NIT. It really begs the question: what does Howland have to do for Chianti Dan to hold him accountable? This kind of season would not be acceptable at Kentucky (see: Tubby Smith, who actually won a national title, unlike Ben), North Carolina (see: Matt Doherty), or Kansas (see: Ted Owens). It certainly wouldn't fly in Durham (Duke has missed the tournament only once, the 1994-95 season when Coach K was on medical leave, since the 1983-84 season). At UCLA, since Harrick took over for the 1988-89 season, UCLA has missed the tournament only three times: two of those belong to Howland, and this year will certainly be his third. Watching this year's train-wreck every weekend certainly does not make the work week any easier, that's for sure. But with that, let's take a look at the bits and pieces of news from around the UCLA-iverse to start off the work week: - Jumping right into the complete and total disaster that is Dan Guerrero's and Ben Howland's dumpster fire basketball program, after yesterday's choke job in the Tucson desert against a pretty mediocre Arizona Wildcats Mildcats (especially compared to prior Arizona teams), the good folks at Bruin Ball project, using StatSheet, to go to the NIT as a seven seed. Ben Howland's sorry season is good enough to come in at #119 in the country, by StatSheet's ranking, giving UCLA an outside opportunity, as a freaking seven-seed in the freaking NIT, to finish as the nation's 69th best team. Here's some of the basketball giants </sarcasm> that StatSheet does project going to the real tournament: Colorado State, Akron, Long Island, Drexel, Texas-Arlington, Savannah State, SDSU, Oral Roberts, Stony Brook. All while UCLA, the program with 11 national titles and a truck-load of guys in the NBA (including two playing in yesterday's All-Star game) is going to the NIT. As a seven-seed. And apparently, this is acceptable to some people. Facepalm.
- Turning to the football program, which has some life thanks to Jim Mora and his staff's recruiting exploits (although ultimate judgment is reserved for when we see if this team can win games on the field), Athlon Sports ranks the Bruins' recruiting haul at #15 in the nation, behind fellow Pac-12 teams Stanford (#7) and U$C (#10). While Athlon doesn't give Ellis McCarthy the kind of love we think he should have (they rate him only the #4 DT prospect in the nation), it's just another data-point that UCLA has elite football talent on the roster, so there will be no excuse for Mora not to field a winning product.
- While UCLA's basketball program is in tatters, our women's softball team, which started strong before struggling this weekend, will hopefully return to the level of dominance we saw under former coach Sue Enquist, who was interviewed and profiled this past week by the Columbia Daily Tribune. The ten-time national champion (as either an assistant coach, co-head coach, or head coach) for UCLA, talked about her admiration for Coach Wooden, how low-budget the program was when she arrived, and the annual trip she would make with her squad to Encino to visit the legend in person.
- On the subject of former UCLA head coaches, Rick Neuheisel has officially put his Bel-Air pad (about 10 minutes from campus) on the market. The selling price? $4.995 million, which will get you 6,000 square feet in Bel-freakin'-Air. The best part of this story? His real estate agent is Cindy Ambuehl. Who is she? She's the actress who played Jerry Seinfeld's girlfriend who thought she got gonorrhea from a tractor. Classic episode.
- Finally, flipping back to football news, another professional athlete "Jr." is taking a look at Westwood: Torii Hunter, Jr., the son of the former Twins' (and current Angels') outfielder, is planning on making an unofficial visit to UCLA. The Texas WR has already received offers from Arkansas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State, and with Noel Mazzone and the spread offense coming to Westwood, UCLA is now attracting his attention as well.
Alright folks, those are your bits and pieces of news from around the UCLA-iverse. Fire away in the comment threads with your thoughts, additions, and other interesting UCLA-related notes. GO BRUINS UCLA Bruins
The USC football team's new receivers coach made comments critical of Lane Kiffin when Kiffin left Tennessee to become the Trojans' coach, but Martin now says that's all in the past.  Then Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin loses his helmet but hangs on to the ball in a 41-0 victory over Vanderbilt. (Christopher Berkey / Associated Press / 29) |
By Gary Klein New USC receivers coach Tee Martin and the man who hired him, Lane Kiffin, laughed when asked about comments Martin made two years ago after Kiffin bolted from Tennessee to USC. Kiffin's exit, after 14 months in Knoxville, sent Volunteers alumni and fans into an uproar. Martin, the quarterback for Tennessee's 1998 national championship team, told the Sporting News at the time that he was "embarrassed by the timing of it all" and that Kiffin "wanted everyone to buy into what he was selling, and then he left after one year." Kiffin said this week that he was unaware of Martin's comments until Martin brought them up during a daylong interview on campus Feb. 13. "He said, 'I want to let you know that was kind of out of context,'" Kiffin said. "But really, I could care less about what he said back then." Martin, 33, said it was difficult to leave his job as receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Kentucky, but the chance to work at USC under Kiffin was too attractive. "I remember when Coach Kiffin did his first interview in Tennessee ? I was one of the first people he called once he got off the podium," Martin said. "I respected that. So when he left, I was upset about the move. It was just about the timing. "He was doing good things. ? If he had stayed, then my alma mater was going to be good. At the time everybody was emotional around the Tennessee family and I made emotional comments. Now we're grown men and I have an opportunity to work for him. He's my boss now and all is good." Martin said that although he is from Southeastern Conference territory, he grew up watching former Trojans stars Rodney Peete, Keyshawn Johnson and Curtis Conway on television. "When you grow up in the South," he said, "USC is the one school in the West you know about." Still, he was wavering about whether to move his family to California after Kiffin offered him a job. That was until Kiffin's wife, Layla, closed the deal by calling Martin's wife, Toya, a recording artist who had a 2001 hit titled "I Do" and was familiar with Los Angeles from recording and touring. "Once Layla called my wife," Martin said, laughing, "it was over." gary.klein@latimes.comtwitter.com/latimesklein  ucla bruins matt barkley lane kiffin robert woods rich neuheisel marc tyler datone jones
With sanctions looming against the quacks, and supposing that the zeroes end up forfeiting all marc tyler datone jones Jesse Scroggins max wittek cody kessler markeith ambles kyle prater
"Well, the NCAA thought we had to," Carroll replied, drawing immediate laughter from assembled reporters. "They didn't quite understand how you could have this much fun playing football. I'm serious about that. They could not figure it out and thought something must be wrong." Pete Carroll gets laughs at NCAA's expense - ESPN When you look back on it you can see that it was never about extra benefits for Bush or Mayo. It wasn't about a tennis players extra telephone calls or dinners at the Taverna or an extra coach. USC was dominant under Pete Carroll and overtly had fun doing it. He opened it up to the masses for all to see and celebrate. The NCAA didn't like that. The NCAA let tOSU off, They will let the Carolina schools off and they will let Miami and Oregon off...all because they showed or will show some fake contrition. I am not saying that USC was squeaky clean, but it is clear the NCAA cares far less about players doing wrong when it comes to NCAA bylaws than the image they want to portray. An image that is a sham.... More from Conquest Chronicles Around SB Nation Read More: pete carroll
Any RB the Trojans offer, I am sure is worthy of the offer. However, the most fluid, most cody kessler markeith ambles kyle prater george farmer xavier grimble jalen grimble matt kalil
USC FOOTBALL A long tradition of USC football players running track in spring was put on hold during Pete Carroll's coaching tenure (2001-'09). Now it's been revived under Lane Kiffin, strengthening the track team, particularly in the sprints. | Running back D.J. Morgan is one of a handful of USC football players who are being allowed to compete on the school's track and field team. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times / 3) |
By Gary Klein USC receiver Marqise Lee and running back D.J. Morgan are accustomed to catching passes. Trojans defensive backs Nickell Robey and Tony Burnett have been trained to knock them down. On Saturday, the quartet will make passes ? by handing off a baton ? when they compete together in the 400-meter relay in the USC track team's season-opening outdoor competition at the Claremont Relays. It's the first time since the early 2000s that USC football players have migrated en masse to the track, restoring a tradition that once helped the Trojans win multiple conference championships in the spring sport. Burnett, Lee and Robey also will compete in the long jump. "The idea is to keep them healthy," said Ron Allice, USC's director of track and field. "Don't hurt anything and just let them have fun." With spring football practice set to begin March 6, the players could compete in two meets before focusing mainly on football. Their availability for the March 24 Trojan Invitational, featuring defending NCAA champion Texas A&M, is to be determined. But Allice and the players hope the foursome can establish qualifying marks for the Pac-12 championships in May and also help the Trojans in the April 28 dual meet against UCLA. "My main goal is football," said Morgan, a sophomore. "But I want to give 100% out there [on the track] too. I don't want to waste my time or others' time." Before the mid-2000s, USC had a long, successful tradition of players doubling in football and track and field. Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson and former NFL receivers Earl McCullouch and Curtis Conway are among the football players who also competed as sprinters. Olympic gold medalists Quincy Watts, Ken Carpenter and Fred Kelly were track athletes who also participated in football. When Allice came to USC in 1995, his office was next to the football offices and he said there was an unencumbered flow of athletes between the programs. Former football coach John Robinson embraced players' participation in track and Paul Hackett, his successor, allowed them to honor the commitment. Running back Sultan McCullough and defensive backs Darrell Rideaux and Marcell Almond were among the football players who ran track. When Pete Carroll arrived as football coach in 2001, however, migration from the football practice field to the track stadium across the street ebbed. "Verbally, Pete said 'no problem,'" Allice said, laughing, "But I never saw them anymore. I guess they'd get lost on their way over." Lane Kiffin, however, gave his blessing for the crossover, which requires coaches to apportion and document the total of 20 hours per week the NCAA allows for countable athletically related activities. "It keeps them competitive," said Kiffin, who replaced Carroll in 2010. "People worry about academics, but a lot of times our players do better academically during their season of competition because of the structure. Plus, it helps the university." It certainly helps Allice, who manages a men's track program that has only 12.6 scholarships for athletes competing in 21 events. "When we've been successful and won the [conference], it's because we had football help," he said. markeith ambles kyle prater george farmer xavier grimble jalen grimble matt kalil kevin graf
by so.cal.native1952 on Feb 25, 2012 8:43 PM PST
Yeah that's right, the guys beat both SDSU and USD 7-0, with 5 freshman getting action in the matches on Friday at 1pm and later at 6pm. Typically Hanfmann and Roberto Quiroz get action at #5 and #6 singles, but coach Smith let Eric Johnson, Jordi Vives and Jonny Wang play Friday against the SD schools. Nice to see all of them won their matches and in straight sets, to help USC to more victories to stay undefeated. Coaching #24 ranked USD is former USC assistant Brent Masi who has done a fine job of building that program in the last year, to overtake SDSU for top ranking in the San Diego area. Next up is UCLA at the Plan B's courts at 3pm wed. #1 USC 7, #60 San Diego State 0 Feb. 24, 2012 -- Marks Stadium DOUBLES (1) Nguyen/Sarmiento (USC) def. Siddiqui/Bertsch (SDSU) -- 8-2 (2) Gomez/Quiroz (USC) def. Simon/Baylon (SDSU) -- 8-1 (3) E. Johnson/Vives (USC) def. Pulgar/Gelbrich (SDSU) -- 8-7 (5) USC wins doubles point. Order of finish: 2, 1, 3 SINGLES (1) #18 Ray Sarmiento (USC) def. Javier Pulgar (SDSU) -- 6-1, 6-2 (2) #36 Yannick Hanfmann (USC) def. Derek Siddiqui (SDSU) -- 6-4, 6-2 (3) #14 Daniel Nguyen (USC) def. Thorsten Bertsch (SDSU) -- 6-4, 7-6 (4) (4) #86 Roberto Quiroz (USC) def. Rickey Baylon (SDSU) -- 6-1, 6-3* (5) Eric Johnson (USC) def. Freddy Gelbrich (SDSU) -- 6-3, 6-2 (6) Jonny Wang (USC) def. Juan Florez (SDSU) -- 6-2, 6-4 Order of finish: 1, 5, 4, 2, 6, 3 #1 USC 7, #24 San Diego 0 Feb. 24, 2012 -- Marks Stadium DOUBLES (1) #28 Hanfmann/
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BY SCOTT M. REID / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER LOS ANGELES ? There is no way to sugarcoat a UCLA season in which the Bruins began as Pac-12 favorites but now find themselves a longshot to avoid the ignominy of having to play in the conference tournament's opening round. UCLA heads into the final two weeks of the regular season, having been embarrassed on network television by Big East bottom tier team over the weekend and sitting at No. 134 in the RPI. "As a team we've underachieved this year," Bruins guard Tyler Lamb said Tuesday. "I don't think anybody would disagree with that. But the season's still going." Which is why UCLA coach Ben Howland in recent days has tried to hammer home the importance of placing in the top four in the Pac-12's final regular-season standings and securing a first-round bye in the conference tournament, going over the track records of teams needing to win four games in four days to get into the NCAA Tournament. "And it's not very good," UCLA forward Travis Wear said. UCLA (15-12, 8-6) is a game in the loss column behind Oregon, currently tied for fourth place. Barring unlikely collapses by Cal (22-6, 12-3) and Washington (19-8, 12-3), five schools are battling for the final two spots in the top four and the first-round byes that come with them. Here's a look at what those five teams are facing down the regular season's home stretch: Colorado, 18-8, 10-4 ? Remaining schedule: Stanford, Thursday; Cal, Sunday; at Oregon, March 1; at Oregon State, March 3. Record against remaining opponents: 2-2. Oregon, 19-8, 10-5 ? Remaining schedule: at Oregon State, Sunday; Colorado, March 1; Utah, March 3. Record against remaining opponents: 1-2. Arizona, 19-9, 10-5 ? Remaining schedule: USC, Thursday; UCLA, Saturday; at Arizona State, March 4. Record against remaining opponents: 2-1. UCLA, 15-12, 8-6 ? Remaining schedule: at Arizona State, Thursday; at Arizona, Saturday; Washington State, March 1; Washington, March 3. Record against remaining opponents: 3-1. Stanford, 18-9, 8-7 ? Remaining schedule: at Colorado, Thursday; at Utah, Saturday; Cal, March 4. Record against remaining opponents: 2-1. "We still have the Pac-12 Tournament," Bruins center Joshua Smith said. "That season's not over." No saving stamina Although winning the Pac-12 Tournament is UCLA's only way into the NCAA Tournament, Howland said he would not consciously reduce key players' minutes in the next four games to potentially save their legs and energy for a conference tournament run. "We're just trying to win each game, one game at a time," Howland said. "I'm not even looking ahead." Contact the writer: sreid@ocregister.com tyron smith dajohn harris wes horton nick perry chris galippo devon kennard pac 12 champions
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 by Ryan Rosenblatt on Feb 25, 2012 6:08 PM PST in Baseball Nothing went right for UCLA on Friday night. They were completely manhandled by Baylor and saw their record drop below .500, but good teams are measured by how they handle tough times. On Saturday, they handled everything just fine. The offense had a big day against a Bears pitching staff that had been nearly unhittable all season and the bullpen locked things down late as the Bruins bounced back from Friday's defeat in a big way to hand Baylor their first loss of the season, 9-3. The Bruins' nine runs and 12 hits will draw headlines, but most impressive was the discipline that they showed at the dish. UCLA went down on strikes just twice all game, while walking eight times to keep consistent pressure on the Baylor pitchers. Beau Amaral looked like he broke out of his early season slump with three hits, two RBI and two runs, while Cody Keefer added two RBI of his own. Meanwhile, Jeff Gelalich continued to emerge as the big power bat in the UCLA lineup with his third home run in as many games as part of a 2-3, two RBI effort that also included a pair of walks as the Bears pitched around him. On the mound, it was the bullpen that shone on for the second consecutive Saturday. Nick Vander Tuig tossed a solid 5.2 innings, allowed three runs on five hits and striking out four before the relievers locked things down behind him. David Berg inherited a couple runners when he entered and got out of the jam as part of his 1.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit ball. Ryan Deeter struck out a pair in his one inning of work and Scott Griggs put a bow on things with a scoreless ninth. It was actually the Bears who jumped out to the early lead. A single, walk and hit by pitch got Vander Tuig into trouble with just one out in the first. The right-hander then got a ground ball to shortstop that could have been an inning-ending double play, but Pat Valaika rolled his ankle and fell to the dirt as a man came across to score without an out made. Vander Tuig was able to get a fly out and ground out to end the frame, but the Bears were up, 1-0. UCLA had a quick answer for Baylor, though. Amaral led things off with a single and Tyler Heineman added one of his own to put men at the corners. Keefer then hit into a fielder's choice that erased Heineman at second, but Amaral scored on the play and the game was all even again, not that it would be even for long. Gelalich gave the Bruins the lead just one batter later when he jumped all over a 3-1 pitch and hit it way out to right-center for his third round round-tripper of the campaign. Vander Tuig settled down in the second and third innings, but the Bears got to him in the fourth. Baylor got a single and walk to start the inning and while Heineman continued his fantastic defensive play when he threw out the lead runner on a double steal, it didn't hold the Bears. The third strike to the next batter bounced well in front of the plate and then to the backstop, allowing the man to reach before a walk loaded the bags. All it took then was a base hit and two runs came home to even the game at 3-3. The Bruin bullpen would finally be called upon in the sixth inning and it wasn't in the easiest of situations. With two men on and two out, Vander Tuig made his exit and Berg came in. The freshman showed no nerves, though, even once the count went to 3-2 as he got a fly ball to end the frame and keep the game tied. That tie game lasted until the sixth, but that's when the Bruins broke the game wide open with a big inning. Brian Carroll pinch hit with one out and walked before stealing second to put a man in scoring position. Valaika followed with a single through the left side and not only did Carroll score to give UCLA the lead, but Valaika was able to take second on the play. The Bruins then put on a bunting clinic as Kevin Williams laid down a perfect one for a single, only to be followed by an even better bunt by Amaral that scored Valaika and put two men on with still only one out. Heineman was then able to dump one into left for a RBI double that made it a 6-3 ballgame and Keefer hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track in center to make it 7-3. Finally, a passed ball scored Heineman and by the time the Bruins were retired in the sixth they had batted around and scored five to give themselves an 8-3 advantage. Berg had a bit of trouble in the seventh, but a double play helped him get out of danger and the a RBI double by Amaral in the seventh just gave the bullpen a little bit more of a cushion. Deeter had no problem with the eighth and while Griggs to fight some control issues in the ninth, he got through it without a run across as the Bruins evened up the series at a game apiece with a convincing six-run victory over the previously undefeated Bears. UCLA's win sets the stage for a Sunday rubber game with a key series win on the line. Zack Weiss will go the bump for the Bruins, while the Bears will counter with Brad Kuntz in a 2 pm PT game at Jackie Robinson Stadium More from Bruins Nation Around SB Nation ucla baseball, kevin williams, scott griggs, beau amaral, trevor brown, tyler heineman, cody keefer, jeff gelalich, ryan deeter, BlogThis!Share to FacebookShare to Pinterest
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