Hereafter

[Wayne23]

1/23: We score the first 8 and build a big early lead. Up 12 after 10. Up 20 at the half. Up 33 with 10 left. Time to empty the bench.

93-56. Coach says he hates this kind of game. “It does nothing to make us better.”

18, 11 for Udel, 17, 3, 5 for Shay, 14, 5 for Bond. Carr had a terrible night; every time he moved he fouled somebody. Played 14 minutes.

+17 RBs, 8 TOs to 23. +20 in the paint, +14 on 2nd chances.

We're 21-0, 7-0.

We're at #20 Cal, 15-4, 6-1, alone in 2nd place. Their best player is there C and Fox is still out. There very good inside, and a good team overall.

[Wayne23]

1/30: JW: Let's see how rusty Fox is.

Close early, and Fox commits 2 quick fouls, so he's rusty. Tied after 10. Down 3 at the half. What is it about this team! Down 6 with 10 to go. We're in trouble!

65-74. Coach called it the worst offensive performance he's seen in 5 years.

We shot 36.2%, 3-17 on threes. They won it at the line, 28-39 to 20-26.

“The refs were awful, but they didn't beat us. WE beat us!”

-1 RBs, both team had 11 TOs. They beat us up inside, 26 in the paint to our 20.

17, 4, 5, 3 steals for Shay. Carr had another mediocre game, and committed 3 fouls.

“Coach, any bright spots at all in this?”

“ … Tough question. Maybe the loss takes the pressure of being undefeated off our backs... And I get to use this loss for the rest of the season to remind them not to be so damn cocky. That's about it.”

2 teams are now 1 game back, Cal and Utah.

13-7, 6-3 Arizona is here. They beat #3 Oklahoma in OT and lost by only 5 to #7. Both were at home. We think we can turn them over but we need to contain their SG, who gets 20 a game.

Coach: The object in space is definitely a rest station. The probe is still too far away to communicate with it and I expect we'll need to overcome the translation issues we faced last time.

[Wayne23]

2/2: JW: Let's see how we respond to our first loss.

Early lead. Big early lead. Up 33-9 after 10. Shay is on fire! 53-25 at halftime; Shay has 23. Up 25 with 10 left.

87-69. We were in control all the way. Their big scorer got 20 but it didn't matter. Fox is not himself yet. He's having trouble getting into game shape after the injury. 4 fouls, and he played only 16 minutes.

31, 2, 5 for Shay. 11, 13 for Udel. Carr is still a little off his game, 14, 3 but 3 fouls again.

+7 RBs, only 6 TOs. We shot 10-19 on threes. They were 4-16. We took 15 more shots. +13 on 2nd chance points.

23-1, 9-1, #1, NET #1. +18.9 PPG, +4.4 RBs, -8.4 TOs (an excellent 9.3, #1 in the country).

Carr leads us with 18.6 PPG, but that's dropping. Shay gets 16.3. Great 1-2 punch! Udel gets 8.4 RBs, Bond gets 6.8. Fox gets only 4.9, not great for a C. Shay gets 5.6 assists.

Coach says that after a lot of thought, and after a lot of consultation with staff, Al Savo is going to start at C.

15-6, 8-2, tied for 2nd Utah is here. They're very good outside and not bad inside but they don't play D.

I'm here with Recruiting Assistant Gil Hale.

“Hi Coach Hale. Thanks for agreeing to talk with me.”

“My pleasure, Lucy.”

“So Coach, you spent 11 years at Villanova, then you came her with Coach Clark last season. Why the change?”

Hale: I'd known Jed Clark for a very long time and I admired his work. We had always been friendly and I felt like we'd get to be real friends. That was the main reason.
But moving to the program with the richest history in college basketball was a factor as well. And my wife always hated the cold. When I told her that Coach Clark offered me this job she made it clear that she really wanted to live in Southern California. I love my wife so that pretty much clinched it.

“(laughs) You're a wise man! So what does a recruiter do? Tell us about the job.”

Hale: I travel a lot, all over the country, and sometimes to other countries. I'm the main contact person for our recruits, sometimes dozens of potential recruits early in the process. I meet with them, watch their games, call and text them meet their coaches and their families- all of that.

“But isn't Coach Clark the biggest factor in their decision?”

Hale: In most cases, yes, but he doesn't have time to do all the legwork I do. He has too much else going on. He calls early in the process, maybe every couple of weeks or so if the kid is really interested and we're interested in him. Then, if we're really serious he'll go to visit the kid and watch him play, and he'll co-host with me if the recruit visits campus. But I'm doing most of the work, and Coach would attest to that.

“Does all that travel get to you?”

Hale: I've been doing it a long time and I'm used to it. It keeps me away from home more than I'd like because it limits the time I spend with my family for a few months every year, but it's a good job, and I like almost all of it.

“What about when it's not recruiting season?”

Hale: It's ALWAYS recruiting season, especially at a program like ours. We've signed our recruits but we're still after a few guys because there's now ay to know if anyone will go pro. We'll want to fill the spots with good players if anyone does.

“But aren't all the good recruits already signed?”

Hale: Actually, no. We have some guys we're chasing who could definitely help the program.

“I see you on the bench for most of the games.”

Hale: When I'm not traveling I help coach at games and practices, yes.

“Do you want to move up to the top spot at some point?”

Hale: I think about it, but right now I'm happy with what I'm doing.

“Thanks Coach.”

[Wayne23]

2/6: JW: This could be another challe4nge.

Early lead. Up 7 after 10. Carr got 2 early fouls again. Up 24 at the break; no challenge so far. Save is playing great ball. Up 31 with 10 left.

102-75. Coach wasn't happy with the D.

20 and 10 for Savo in his first start. 19, 5, 14 for Shay, 14 assists! 21, 1, 3 for Carr. +7 RBs. We shot 56.9% to 39.1%. +12 in the paint.

Fox reinjured his back. Out a week.

At 9-13, 3-8 USC. We won by 37 at our place. It would be tough for us to lose this one!

[Wayne23]

2/9: JW: It takes awhile but we build a lead. Up 11 after 10. Up 19 at the midway point; Carr and Shay are scoring. Up 18 with 10 left.

83-64. Coach says we weren't as energized as he'd like but it's really hard to get up for a game like this.

23, 3 6 for Carr, 21, 3, 4 for Shay. 10, 12, 3 for Udel, who is becoming a terrific player.

10 TOs to 20. +20 from the line.

Utah lost so only #16 Cal is one back of us.

Scot Shay is #3, Lex Carr #5 on the Norton list. We could have 2 1st team All Americans.

6 left, 3 at home. Next is 8-15, 5-7 Washington ST, here. We won by 22 there so this probably won't be very exciting.

I'm talking with Scouting assistant Jam Kane.

“Jam, thanks for doing this. You've been with the Bruins for 11 years now.”

Kane: I'm the veteran. Been here longer than Coach Clark, longer than the A. D.

“So you've found a home?”

Kane: I'm happy here and I like my job. I mean if the right offer came along I'd listen, but if it doesn't, that's perfectly fine.

“Tell us a little bit about what a scout does.”

Kane: Well, the minor part is helping with recruiting, and another minor part is being on the bench for games when I can, but mostly I travel to watch other teams play, and even more than that, I look at video.

“What do you look for?”

Kane: In order to best prepare for a team we're going to play we need to know how they play, what sets they employ on offense and how much they just go loose vs. how often they run set plays. What do they do especially well on O, how fast paced is their O, do they hit the offensive boards- really everything.

On defense what D do they use. These days most teams shift between 2 or even 3 defenses. I look to see which ones they play best. Do they look to rebound and set up a fast break? Are they good at switched off a pick? Do they have a weak defender or two that we want to go at?

How's their transition game? In short I look at everything.

“And then you meet with Coach?”

Kane: I meet with Coach and break it all down for him and bench coach Dan Vuhl. I show clips of the the team showing their strengths and weaknesses. I submit a detailed written report- well, written on the computer. Coach and Coach Vuhl usually have lots of questions. I can usually answer all of them. If I can't I go back through the video, find the answer and email or text it to them.

“Sounds like a lot of work.”

Kane: I'm usually up late at night looking at film or writing reports.

“What about long range?”

Kane: Good question. I look at video of games for teams we might play in the NCAA tournament, all of the best teams in the country. I keep a library of about a half dozen of their games.

“That's a lot of games!”

Kane. It is. We usually have a couple hundred in the bank, plus I keep a file on coaches- what they like to do on O, D, and in transition, their personalities, their trick plays, if any- you name it.

“Wow! Thanks Coach, I really learned a lot today.”

[Wayne23]

12/13: JW: Early lead, as expected. Up 19 after 10, 26-7. 7! Up 55-33 at the half; Carr has 22 so far. Up 20 with 10 to go.

84-56. Carr had 32, 3, 5. 17, 4, 8 for Shay, 15, 8 for Bond.

+14 RBs. They shot 34%.

At 143-11, 5-8 Oregon ST. We won by 25 at our place, holding them to 49 points.

Coach said, “Yet another game that we have to play but will gain nothing from playing. I wish this conference would toughen up.”

We now have a 2 game lead in the PAC 12.

Coach: It's a rest station. They contacted the probe and after only a few sentences of communication the translator was working as well as it ever does (90+% accuracy). It seems the various rest areas, and I have no idea how many there are, are all in contact and so this one knew our language almost immediately.

The station will rendezvous with our ship within a couple of months. It says it cannot say why the other station left, or where it went.

[Wayne23]

2/16: (Computer foul up. Didn't lose the game but lost my report.)

JW: 81-62. An easy win in which we led all the way. 28, 6, 4 for Carr, 20, 8 for Bond. 8 TOs, +18 at the line.

12-15, 2-12 Washington is here. We won by 15 there and Coach doesn't think they can score enough points to be competitive.

[Wayne23]

2/20: We jump out to a big early lead. Up 11 after 10. Up only 11 at the half. Up 10 with 10 to play.

75-60. We were going through the motions on O tonight.

27, 8 for Carr, who has had a hot hand lately. 11, 3, 5 for Shay, 12, 7 for Bond.

+8 RBs. Both teams shot poorly, 35.5% for us, 34.7% for them. We took 13 more shots.

Only #14 Cal is 2 back.

At 16-11, 8-7, Oregon. We won by only 10 at home. They play a tough inside game, which gave us some trouble last time. We think we can turn them over.

[Wayne23]

2/23: Back and forth early. Up 2 after 10. Down 10 at the break. They're shooting 60%. Up 2 with 10 le3ft after going to a man-to-man.

89-82. They got it to 3 twice in the last minute but we made our free throws. We had to work for it, which is good.

26, 1, 5 for Shay, 19, 3 for Carr. 10, 5, 3, 3 steals for Udel. Good bench play.+7 RBs but 16 TOs. We shot 50.9% to 49%. They made 5 more threes but we were +8 from the line.

+14 in the paint.

18-11, 8-8 Stanford is here. We won by 18 there. They don't score easily and they turn it over.

I'm with bench coach Dan Vuhl.

“Hi Dan. You're a fairly new college level coach.”

Vuhl: Yes, I coached high school hoops for a long time before I got an invitation to coach here three years ago.

“Coach Clark decided to keep you when he came here. Did that surprise you?”

Vuhl: I don't know if it surprised me but it pleased me. I had a feeling we were moving up in the world and I was very happy to be part of it.

“So what does a bench coach do?”

Vuhl: I do a little bit of recruiting and scouting but mostly I help Coach to design strategies for our opponents, help to plan practices, run part of most practices, and advise Coach during games.

“So you're about the games.”

Vuhl: Yes, but in lots of ways practices are even more important. If you can teach the kids the things they need to learn and keep getting them to practice those things, there's a good chance that they'll do all of that stuff in the games.

“Coach has a reputation for running tough practices.”

Vuhl: The toughest I've ever seen. He never wants us to lose a game because the kids got tired at the end so he makes sure they're in absolutely top shape.

“Is he a yeller?”

Vuhl: Actually that's rare for him. He explains things and he's pretty patient when the guys are trying. He gets quietly but clearly upset if they're dogging it, or if they make mental mistakes. He rarely yells, which means when he does it is usually very effective.

“So how do you like your job?”

Vuhl: I love it. Coach has taught me so much in the short time we've been together. We've got a great team, Southern California is beautiful. It's all good, really.

“Any ambitions to get a head coaching job somewhere?”

Vuhl: That would be great but I'm happy here.

“Thanks Coach.”

[Wayne23]

2/27: Close early. Up 6 after 10.Up 16 at the half. No contest. Up 11 with 10 to go.

95-86. We didn't play D tonight. 24, 3, 2, 4 steals for Carr. 18, 1, 9 for Shay. 15, 8 for Savo, 16 each for Udel and Bond.

We let them shoot 57.1%. Coach says that is totally unacceptable, even though the game was never in doubt. We won it at the line, +10.

We were an astonishing -16 on the boards. 7 TOs to 27.

'Coach said, “This is not the kind of play I want to see this close to the post season. Practice won't be fun for the next couple of days!”

We clinched the PAC 12 with 1 left to play.

We end the regular season at 12-16, 7-10 Colorado. Coach says he doesn't think they can beat us.