‘The Drive’ down the lane
After the rousing success of the Pac-12 Networks’ “The Drive,” conference commissioner Larry Scott announced on Thursday the creation of a basketball version of the show. While the football show focuses on one program — this year UCLA — the basketball program will include a behind-the-scenes look at all 12 teams.
This is what Scott hoped for when the Pac-12 Networks was announced.
“We’ve gotten a great reaction to this type of programming,” Scott said, “which is really the hallmark of why the conference network exists and the types of things that we can do.”
Buffed up
When is the loss of a player a good thing? When it happens at the right time, or, at least, when the timing of it can lead to a positive.
Spencer Dinwiddie’s devastating injury last season may have temporarily derailed Colorado, but now the Buffaloes return with the conference’s most experienced roster. That, combined with multi-dimensional players, could lead to good things for the Buffaloes, who were picked third in the preseason Pac-12 media poll.
“It’s nice having everyone come back who played at the end of last year,” Colorado coach Tad Boyle said. “The thing I love is our versatility — we have lots of guys who can guard multiple positions.”
Mighty Joe Young
One guy who enters the season a bit overlooked is Oregon’s sensational scorer Joseph Young. Can he become more of an overall talent this year, though? That’s the question the Ducks need to discover.
“Joe knows defense has to get better,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said. “His rebounding numbers are going to have to go up. But we think he’s very capable of that. … He’s going to have to play the complete game he did at times last year.”
Clash of the titans
There might not be a tougher – or more prestigious – college basketball matchup this season than UCLA’s Dec. 20 game with Kentucky in Chicago. If only it ended there for the Bruins.
But the Wildcats are just Game 2 in a brutal stretch that includes Gonzaga at home, a road tilt at Alabama and two more road games to open up the conference in Boulder and Salt Lake City. Bad news: The Buffaloes and Utes are ranked second and third, respectively, in the Pac-12, ahead of No. 4 UCLA.
“Are we ready to play the likes of Kentucky today? No,” coach Steve Alford said. “I hope we’re a little bit better ready for that when we get to mid-December.”
Not in the cards?
Speaking of brutal contests against dangerous opponents, Stanford has the dubious honor of playing defending national champion UConn this season. One problem for the Cardinal: The game does not take place in the preseason, but two weeks into the Pac-12 slate, on Jan. 17. Not the best timing.
Booker’s got his back
If Nick “Swaggy P” Young needs help dealing with that bully Snoop Lion in their beef about Young’s girlfriend, rapper Iggy Azalea, he’s got a friend in Colorado guard Askia Booker. The two became close after Booker’s older brother, a high school teammate of Young’s, introduced the two.
They’ve talked ever since, with Young giving the younger Booker advice on pro hoops.
We got jokes
“Coach, what does your brother-in-law do?”
Asking 11 of the conference coaches this question may not mean much.
But Oregon State’s Wayne Tinkle got the Q from a media member, and the room erupted in laughter. Why? Former Beavers coach Craig Robinson is the brother-in-law of President Obama.
Basketball bloodlines
It seems like the Gilling family in Copenhagen knows more than teeth.
The Gillings, who own a dental practice in Denmark, have sent three children overseas — Mathilde and Caroling, who play women’s basketball for Washington and Cal State-Northridge, respectively, and son Jonathan, one of two returning starters for Arizona State.
“My oldest sister just started the trend of coming over here,” Gilling said. “We’re taking over the West Coast.”
Jon Gold
