UCLA v Memphis Liveblog

Disclaimer: Ben Malley is a UCLA partisan

Rose abused Collison all night. He looks a top 2 pick in the draft. When Collison was taken out of the game UCLA actually started getting some stops with Westbrook moving up to guard Rose and Mbah a Moute coming out to guard CDR. But you aren't going to just bench your star point guard unless you are real ballsy. UCLA let Memphis play the game at their pace. They couldn't get the ball down low to Love and showed no persistence to do so. Memphis was the better team on the day. Will their reliance on Rose and CDR (53 of 78 points) hurt them in the final or was the unbalanced scoring simply a result of their favorable matchups?

Stat o' the game: Memphis 20-23 from the free throw line. 86 percent. Color me impressed.

5:16 - On the phone with my therapist Matt Smith crying into the phone. I'll be back with a conclusion.

5:00 - Memphis' ultimate success in this game was Dorsey's ability to deny Love the ball down low. Equal blame falls on Dorsey's defense and UCLA seemingly not making it a priority to get Love the ball down low.

4:58 - The defining moment of the game: I apologize for the imagery, CDR sticks his dick in Love's mouth, knocking him over and dunking over him putting the exclamation point on the game.

4:56 - UCLA with back-to-back open 3s from Keefe and Collison (his first attempt) both go in and out.

4:52 - The posts are getting more infrequent due to my rising anger. As a UCLA fan I'm calling ballgame right now. With 8 minutes left in the half and the Bruins down 59-49. Collison just picked up his 4th foul (which isn't even a factor because he has been neutralized. He is 1-7 from the floor and hasn't even attempted a 3.

4:40 - Memphis 9-10 from the free throw line today. Mbah a Moute scores again.

4:36 - UCLA goes on a little 4 point run after Mbah a Moute makes a nice rebound and off-balance 5 footer. With 13:32 to go in the half Jim Nantz points out that the current 50-45 score is the same score (albeit reversed) that UCLA beat Memphis by in the Elite 8 two years ago.

4:35 - Love takes another 3, they can't get the ball inside to him. So he gets frustrated and comes to the top of the key. Memphis ahead 14-2 on fastbreak points.

4:33 - Westbrook/Love and CDR/Rose all look NBA ready. Collison isn't doing himself any favors for the NBA scouts. His size just look like it will keep him from being as successful at the next level.

4:30 - After a beautiful pass from Love, Mbah a Moute misses a 1 foot layup. If it sounds like I am picking on poor kid, I am. Luckily, Love cleans up his mess. 48-41 at the 15 minute mark.

4:27 - I'm at a loss for words. With both the big men on 3 fouls Love decides on 3 straight possessions that he is going to stand at the top of the key. Mbah a Moute drops an uncontested rebound out of bounds much like Keefe did earlier.

4:21 - Mbah a Moute takes another illadvised 18 footer and bricks (1 for 6). Dorsey picks up his 3rd foul with 19:08 to go in the half. Taggart picks up his 3rd on the inbounds after the Dorsey foul. Both calls were soft, especially considering how the refs were letting the big guys slug it out in the first half. It's as if it is a new set of officials here in the second half.

4:12 - I'm really liking Billy Donovan at the desk on the halftime show. Florida will have to not make the Final Four more often.

Halftime (3:59) - As Dorsey and Taggart got into foul trouble towards the end of the half (2 each) Love started to control the boards a little better (he has 10 points and 4 rebounds). The two stats that stand out: Memphis outrebounding UCLA 21-14 (including 9-3 on the offensive end). And the previously mentioned turnovers: UCLA has 8, Memphis 3. Rose and CDR are having their way with UCLA driving at will (24 of Memphis' 38 points), but seemed to get away from that a little bit at the end of the half. Westbrook has been UCLA's best player and is having much more success putting the ball on the floor than Collison. Shipp hit a couple of shots early but has been invisible since. Mbah a Moute has been abysmal. Memphis are well on their way to their 80 ppg average. Howland will be telling his team to slow the pace to a crawl in the second half.

3:58 - UCLA gets a little momentum as the half comes to a close cutting the lead to 3.

3:53 - After another UCLA turnover (this time Collison who has 0 points by the way) CDR finally beats Westbrook, but Love blocks the layup.

3:50 - Packer is going on and on about how UCLA can't afford Collison guarding Rose. It's true, it's not a good matchup, but what is Howland supposed to do? CDR is 6-7, Anderson is 6-6. Collison is 6-1, at best.

3:45 - Very sloppy play from a usually fundamentally sound UCLA team. A number of traveling calls and an inbound pass that was dropped. Westbrook has 11 and is now keeping CDR relatively in check.

3:36 - Mbah a Moute misses yet another open look. Memphis is going to make him and Shipp beat them. UCLA has thus far down an abysmal job of making Love relevant on the offensive end.

3:31 - Mbah a Moute isn't looking like the same player on the offensive end that he did against Xavier. A bad sign for UCLA as Keefe drops an uncontested rebound out of bounds.

3:28 - Howland has put Mbah a Moute, a taller player than Westbrook, up against Douglas Roberts. CDR drives and throws up a horrible shot in his first possession with Mbah a Moute on him.

3:25 - Has UCLA ever given up 20 points in the first 6 minutes? One of our three readers should check, or I will.

3:24 - Waiting to see if Memphis' height advantage at the guard positions will be a key. Thus far it hasn't because the Bruins are being killed in the transition game.

3:16 - Great to see Shipp not afraid to shoot early. UCLA needs to take back control of the tempo. They are letting Memphis run too much.

3:10 - Chris Douglas Roberts' major is Sports & Leisure Management. I would make fun of him but he will actually have a job after he leaves school. Me on the other hand...