Kansas At UCLA Has Departed From It's Earlier Expectations

This afternoon, the nation's best college basketball team will be in Los Angeles to take on the UCLA Bruins. 

As far as college basketball tradition goes, these two teams are in an echelon that includes maybe two other programs (I'm thinking North Carolina and Kentucky). 

Not unlike most of college basketball's premier programs, these four teams have "down years" every so often, and it just so happens that this is one of those years for the Bruins, who sit at 2-4. 

UCLA has lost their last three contests, and will have to produce nothing short of a miraculous performance against the Jayhawks in the comfort of Pauley Pavillion this afternoon if they are to win.

Jrue Holiday's (in my opinion) poor decision to turn pro after just one year at UCLA both hurt the Bruin's chances this year and came as a surprise to coach Ben Howland. 

UCLA seems lost as a unit without Holiday. While Michael Roll and Malcom Lee have stepped in admirably production-wise, UCLA really lacks the quality of depth at the point guard position. 

While the Bruins have played OK defense this year (opponent average just under 68 points against them), they have yet to face an offense even close to as explosive as the Jayhawks possess.

The Jayhawks enter this game averaging over 91 points per contest, and concede just under 55 points to their opponents. That 36 point differential is one of the best in the nation.

Bill Self will certainly be looking to fully utilize his team's depth against the Bruins. If my hunch is correct, the Jayhawks will be looking to feed Cole Aldridge early and often as he possesses a four-inch size advantage over the Bruins starting center.

If UCLA can be patient on offense and use up most of the 35 second clock on each trip, they should keep the game respectable. Execution on both sides of the floor and the ability to stay out of foul trouble will also play big roles.

I don't see how Kansas could have any problem this afternoon. The Jayhawks should win this game comfortably and that is really too bad. I think I speak for many college basketball fans when I say that this should have been a much more competitive game on paper. 

The loss of Holiday and Collison to the NBA has negatively impacted the Bruins depth, something that would have come in handy facing the nation's deepest team.

Kansas should use that depth to its advantage this afternoon, and this game, which was once looked upon anxiously as a tougher game on the preseason schedule for the Jayhawks, now looks like a foregone conclusion.