Ready for some Rock-Solid RUMORS? 4 UNIT | PAC-10 Play-of-the-Month

Saturday, February 26, 2011 | 4:08 PM. EDT
TV: FSN-Pittsburgh | Comcast-Chicago | MSG Network *PLUS*
Pauley Pavilion | Los Angeles, California

ARIZONA WILDCATS 23-5 | 12-3Conf (15-12 ATS)
UCLA BRUINS 20-8 | 11-4 Conf (13-14 ATS)

UCLA LOOKS TO PULL EVEN w/1st PLACE ARIZONA
IN A FIGHT FOR #1 SEED at
PACIFIC LIFE PAC-10 Tournament
March 9-12, 2011 | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California

So, OUT WITH IT...?  ONLY after this *DISCLAIMER*
....regarding Rumor/Conjecture/Factors

There are a lot of public knowledge mixed w/a few (possibly) lessor known, critical pieces of recent info, so bear w/me.....

I SINCERELY BELIEVE THEY ADD UP TO A CONSIDERABLE HANDICAPPING ADVANTAGE. 

UCLA

FACTOR #1: UCLA's PAULEY PAVILION PROJECT

i.  PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE

UCLA Athletic Dept has a $33-Million 'Shortfall' in Ongoing Renovations of Pauley Pavilion.
Backing up a step, a source very close to a PAC-10 Several weeks ago we'd heard this come down the pike, yet just wasn't able to be confirmed. 

Leave it to our good buddie, LA Times Columnist Bill Dwyre to Stir the Pot, by backhanded skewer:

FEB 11, 2011:  'HOWLAND KEEPS COOL ON HOT SEAT
'Who said he's on HOT-SEAT? 

ii. UCLA HC, BEN HOWLAND on "Hot Seat"

Real or Perceived, this is a factor here, that ties very specifically to this game.  Below is more backdrop:

Dwyer & many others in LA's Glass-¼-Empty Muckraking Media (Bleeds-Leads Journalism, ect) continually preface such articles w/Caption that continually read like the circuitous, tongue-in-cheek shadiness (Dwyer is known for):

"UCLA Coach Ben Howland has done an admirable job living up to the Bruins' storied past even if his current crop of players can't be compare to John Wooden's legendary teams"

The Lakers and the Clippers play in a Taj Mahal. The Bruins play in a construction site that leaves the impression that final renovation payments may have to come from students standing on corners with tin cups. When the Bruins played Oregon on Thursday night in once-lovely-but-now-lumpy Pauley Pavilion, there were two constants: basketball and begging. Pregame and halftime presentations, live and on the video board, quickly got to the point: Write your check now.

The Pauley renovation project will cost $100 million. The amount collected so far is $67 million.

So Howland coaches on, with a $33-million deficit and the memory of John Wooden hovering nearby. Ah, what a run to an NCAA title would do to bolster the Wooden tradition. Ah, what a nice incentive for donors.

An afterthought is this season's production of Bruins basketball, which could be a hit. This is not a great UCLA team, but it is interesting and entertaining. And these Bruins are playing in an era when parity has become the norm as young superstars — some real and some delusional — take the money and run.

So, long story long, Howland & UCLA Athletic Department are up against it. Leading us into The Conjecture

FACTOR #2 | RUMOR #1  

UCLA | BEN HOWLAND | PAULEY PROJECT

Ben Howland & UCLA Prez, AD & Board of Trustees in Mid-Jan when it was clear that at least verbal, high-donor level, "soft" fund streams would not materialize, & the "Pauley Project" was getting in deeper red ink.  A course of action was apparently delivered to Howland, with which Howland & his Representation offered a short-term proclamation in exchange for a longer-term assurance from the Dept:

HOWLAND APPARENTLY OFFERED/PLEDGED TO ASSIST PAULEY PROJECT
ONLY WAY HE KNEW HOW - WINNING GAME
BEN HOWLAND 'PLEDGED' A 3-0 HOME SWEEP   
   THREE MARQUEE/NAT'L TV GAMES
   ST JOHN'S | SO CAL | ARIZONA

As Reasonable 'COLATERAL'  for a 5 Year Extension once the Pauley Project is completed
In other words, Howland was/supremely confident in his group....Enough to 'Walk the Plank' w/em.  Vintage Howland...allegedly.  OBVIOUSLY (if true), Ben Howland's Bruins have 1 Game left to complete the 3-0 Sweep

On top of all this, the more than 1 recent NCAA Tourney Projections have #9-SEED UCLA in East Bracket vs #8-SEED (and sliding 2-5 ATS) Georgia.  The WINNER to FACE #1 SEED... PITTSBURGH (Irony of irony)

ARIZONA

#1 & #2 INVOLVE ARIZONA's DERRICK WILLIAMS
Again, forgive me if common-knowledge

FACTOR #1 WILLIAMS RE-INJURED/AGGRAVATED FINGER/INJURY(s)

Not surprising to hear today from AZ HC Sean Miller
Williams 'may' have re-injured/aggravated his hand injury
After Williams' Weakest Output of Season (3-11 | 8 Pts)
IN FACT, 2 factors lead us to conclude it's not only FACTUAL
(Not deflection from Williams poor showing)ALSO, Williams may have been injured far worse all along; w/injury a more serious than reportsMiller admitted today that Williams,

"Had 2 of THE 'INJURED FINGERS bent back again....
Aggravating breaks on the hand side of the knuckle"

MILLER (W/ESPN DOUG GOTLIEB/ESPN-RADIO INTERVIEW)
Also confirmed:
* Williams will keep cast ON tomorrow as a "PRECAUTION"
  (He was scheduled to go w/just taped fingers; 
1st time since occurrence, in 1st AZ/UCLA Gm/Tucson/Jan 27)
* CONFIRMATION that Williams' injured/broke MULTIPLE Fingers, also

We are even hearing whispers that Williams may not play.
FACTOR #2  WILLIAMS 'MENTIONED' AS POTENTIAL #1 PICK
(Highest till this Week was #2) 
_____________

All of this is the overall thought that this game is
underwhelmingly 'expendable' to Arizona
&, conversely. exceedingly valuable to UCLA

I am not the only one who is picking up on this.....
In multiple interviews this week, 
SEAN MILLER was heard uttering statements like:
"Who can name Regular Season Conference Champion Last Year?"

ECT. 

Body Language means a lot sometimes..
Miller's sound bites are starting to tell a story....
An astute guy, preparing for a Long-Distance War
Despite the LA-Battle in front of his team

Crazy thing is, Miller has always been a fearless never-admit-defeat Character
Unless he really sees the deck stacked

On the flip, BEN HOWLAND'S TEAMS HAVE BEEN SUPREMELY PREPARED
WHEN PRESENTED W/SUCH CHALLENGES IN PAST DECADE
   * LAST GM AT PAULEY
   * HOWLAND'S AFFIRMATION
   * WILLIAMS' INJURY
   * AZ's ASSURANCE:
        I.   AT WORST, BEING TIED FOR CONF LEAD, HEADING HM
        II.  CLOSING REG SEASON SAFE-AS-THEY-COME GMS vs ORE/ORST
   * UCLA, (just as SC Thu), IN REVENGE SPOT
   * UCLA EQUALLY HOT AS AZ
     (BRUINS 11-2 & 5-2 ATS RUN)
   * UCLA (Just as SC) CONSIDERABLE SIZE EDGE
     (Probably more significant - we'll add more to this w/time)

All adds up

  PAC-10 Play-of-the-Month  
  4 UNIT   
  ARIZONA
  UCLA -1