DELIGHTED BRUINS SEEDED NO. 2 IN MIDWEST.Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer Last season they were shipped out and full of pouts. This year the UCLA Bruins The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I-A as part of the Pacific Ten Conference. Athletic alumni Jackie Robinson, Rafer Johnson, Yang Chuan-kwang (C.K. were sent packing again - and thrilled about it. ``I love the seeding,'' guard Toby Bailey John Garfield "Toby" Bailey (born November 19 1975 in Los Angeles, California, United States) is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball at UCLA and was one of the stars of their 1995 National Championship team. said of the Bruins' No. 2 slot in the Midwest Regional, where they'll play No. 15 seed Charleston Southern on Thursday at the Palace of Auburn Hills (Mich.). ``I tried not to think about where we'd go, but after looking at it again, I'm excited.'' From the Southeast Regional to the Midwest, from Indianapolis to Auburn Hills and Princeton to Charleston Southern - the difference is in their attitude. ``Last year we were frowning that we got sent to the Southeast and everybody was mad we were a No. 4 seed,'' Kris Johnson said. ``But this is a totally different team. When we saw it was the Midwest it wasn't, `Aw, we're being shipped out of the West.' It was, `This is sweet! Now let's go Let's Go may refer to: Television
``There's a sense of appreciation because at one point we were 3-3 and there was talk about going to the NIT A measurement of luminance. One nit is equal to one candela per square meter (1cd/m2). Ten thousand nits are equal to one stilb. See candela. . Now we're in the tournament. We're a 2 seed. It's like, `Thank you.''' And with Minnesota as the Midwest's top seed, the Bruins believe they got the best No. 2 slot available. ``No bracket is easy,'' Bailey said. ``But we won't have to deal with Kentucky, Kansas and North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. until the (Final Four).'' If the Bruins (21-7) defeat Charleston Southern, they'll play the winner of No. 7 Xavier and No. 10 Vanderbilt on Saturday. The Midwest Regional is in the Alamo Alamo Eighteenth-century mission in San Antonio, Texas, site of a historic siege of a small group of Texans by a Mexican army (1836) during the Texas war for independence from Mexico. Dome in San Antonio San Antonio (săn ăntō`nēō, əntōn`), city (1990 pop. 935,933), seat of Bexar co., S central Tex., at the source of the San Antonio River; inc. 1837. - a few hours from former teammate Ed O'Bannon Edward Charles O'Bannon, Jr. (born August 14, 1972 in Los Angeles, California) is a former basketball player, who was a star small forward for the UCLA Bruins, where he was known as "Ed-O," but had a less-than-illustrious career as a professional basketball player. , who makes his new home with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks To comply with Wikipedia's lead section guidelines, it should be expanded. . ``I've checked out some of the teams that we have a chance of playing, and I like our chances,'' Charles O'Bannon said. ``I'm not looking ahead, but I'd like to get to Texas.'' If the seeds hold, UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX will play No. 3 Cincinnati in the Sweet 16 and Minnesota in the regional finals. That seems an easier draw than the West Regional, with No. 3 Wake Forest and No. 1 Kentucky, or the Southeast, with No. 3 Georgia and No. 1 Kansas. ``I think the West is harder than what we got,'' J.R. Henderson said. ``It's better that we're a higher seed and got shipped out than being a 3 or 4 and staying in the West.'' Charleston Southern (17-12), which defeated South Carolina South Carolina, state of the SE United States. It is bordered by North Carolina (N), the Atlantic Ocean (SE), and Georgia (SW). Facts and Figures Area, 31,055 sq mi (80,432 sq km). Pop. (2000) 4,012,012, a 15. in December, received an automatic bid by winning the Big South tournament title. The Buccaneers Buccaneers can refer to:
They won't be confused with Princeton. ``We know they beat South Carolina at South Carolina,'' O'Bannon said. ``We've had two first-round losses (Tulsa and Princeton). We're learned from the past that we're not going to overlook anyone. We're ready to play.'' As Selection Sunday approached, the Bruins seemed slotted for a No. 3 seed. (They were 12th in last week's power ratings.) But with nine straight wins and a poor finish by Wake Forest, they probably moved ahead of the Demon Deacons. ``If you had told me in November that we'd be a 2 seed, I'd have said we'd make one hell of a run,'' O'Bannon said. ``We weren't playing good ball at the time. We weren't together. We weren't doing anything right.'' Ironically, UCLA played itself out of its preferred region, the West, where Utah claimed the No. 2 seed. ``We figured (entering the Washington roadtrip) that if we won out, we'd be at least a 3 and on the high side a 2,'' coach Steve Lavin said. ``I told the players not to be concerned about the region. We knew that if we won out, we'd get a favorable seed. ``Anytime you're a 1 or 2, you have to be very, very happy.'' They were excited about the timing, as well. Brimming with confidence and eager for their next challenge, the Bruins hoped for a Thursday-Saturday subregional. They got it in Auburn Hills, and if they win, they'll play Thursday-Saturday in San Antonio, too. ``The sooner the better,'' Cameron Dollar said. CHARLESTON SOUTHERN Nickname: Buccaneers Conference: Big South Record: 17-12 How they qualified: won conference tournament Best win: at South Carolina, 85-81 Best player: senior guard Brett Larrick (19.6 points per game) Fast fact: Buccaneers coach Tom Conrad is in his first year as a head coach after 17 years as an assistant at various schools. CAPTION(S): Box Box: CHARLESTON SOUTHERN (see text) |
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