UCLA NOTEBOOK: BRUINS EYE NCAA BERTH.Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer As the games ticked by, 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 senior power forward Dijon Thompson Dijon Lynn Thompson (born February 23, 1983 in Los Angeles, California, USA) is an American professional basketball player for Alba Berlin of the German Bundesliga. checked off the goals he achieved. Two of the most important, can be realized today if the Bruins defeat Oregon on Senior Day at Pauley Pavilion Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, informally and commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, California. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams. The men's and women's volleyball teams also play here. . It would give Thompson a win in his last home game, and mark UCLA's 18th win, including 11 in the Pacific-10, and history suggests that would send the Bruins to the NCAA tournament NCAA Tournament can mean: Men's Sports
``I am a little sad about (the last game at Pauley), but life goes on,'' Thompson said. ``It would be a very good win. Not even to get an 18th win, but to get a W on my senior day. That's probably the most important thing. Thompson will be joined in the starting lineup For the line of action figures, see . A starting lineup in sports refers to the set of players actively participating in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes by Josiah Johnson and Brian Morrison as coach Ben Howland Ben Howland (born May 28, 1957 in Lebanon, Oregon) is an American college head coach of men's basketball. He has been the head coach of the University of California, Los Angeles since 2003, and recently signed a contract extension through 2013. honors UCLA's seniors. Freshmen Jordan Farmar and Arron Afflalo will start in the backcourt. There is more to this than the touchy-feely Senior Day stuff. At 17-9 overall, 10-7 in the Pac-10, UCLA could all but clinch its first NCAA Tournament bid in three years. Sixty of the last 61 teams to finish the Pac-10 season with at least 11 wins reached the NCAA Tournament. Since the league expanded from eight to 10 teams in 1978-79, just eight of the 23 teams to finish with 10 wins reached the tournament. Eleven went 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. . Since 1992-93, Arizona State is the only Pac-10 school to record 18 overall wins and not qualify for the NCAAs, something that likely will repeat this season given ASU's penchant for playing horrific non-conference schedules. ``I'll really cross that road (about the NCAAs) when it gets here,'' Howland said. ``Obviously, we all hope that comes to fruition and happens for us. But the main thing, what I've always preached as a coach, is to concentrate on the task at hand.'' The top three Pac-10 teams reach the NCAA Tournament the past 16 seasons. UCLA, tied for third with Stanford, would finish third if the Cardinal loses at home to Washington and the Bruins defeat Oregon. ``I think it's going to be a very emotional,'' Farmar said. ``It's Senior Day. Everybody's going to be hyped up and ready to get at it. It's the last home game of the year, and all that's riding on it for us. All we have to do is maintain our focus on one game at a time.'' -- Credit due: UCLA is on the cusp of reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002 partly because of the play of freshmen Josh Shipp, Afflalo and Farmar, but unquestionably un·ques·tion·a·ble adj. Beyond question or doubt. See Synonyms at authentic. un·ques  tion·a·bil because of the
leadership Thompson provided.
Thompson leads the Bruins in scoring (18.5 points per game), rebounding (8.0 rpg) and steals (37), but his value is well beyond that. He helped turn around the program after the two worst seasons (10-19 in '02-'03 and 11-7 last year) in six decades. ``(Thompson) has had a lot to do with the resurgence of the program,'' Howland said. ``He is, without question, been our best player, and most consistent. And has done all the little things. If you would have told me he would be able to handle the defense of a (power forward) going into this year the way he has, I would have been flabbergasted flab·ber·gast tr.v. flab·ber·gast·ed, flab·ber·gast·ing, flab·ber·gasts To cause to be overcome with astonishment; astound. See Synonyms at surprise. [Origin unknown. . Brian Dohn, (818) 713-3607 brian.dohn(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 3 boxes Box: (1) UCLA vs. OREGON - Brian Dohn (2) WOMEN'S TOP 25: TOP-RANKED LSU LSU Louisiana State University LSU Large Subunit LSU La Salle University (Philadelphia, PA) LSU La Sierra University LSU Link State Update (OSPF) LSU Learning Support Unit ESCAPES (3) WOMEN'S PAC-10 TOURNEY AT A GLANCE |
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