UCLA ventured into the land of the big biceps Saturday, the rib-cracking screens, the battles for every inch of hardwood. It thought it was ready for that land last year, when it won 11 of its final 14 games and stormed into the NCAA’s theoretical brackets. In that scenario the Bruins might well have played Ohio State in a first-weekend game. The virus intervened, but they got their chance, in Cleveland, to show they belong in that league. They did that, but then they learned that belonging is not the same as winning. UCLA led the 20th-ranked Buckeyes by five early in the second half, and the two were tied 63-63 with six minutes to go. Then the Bruins scored seven more points the rest of the way, missed seven of their final 10 shots, and lost 77-70. It would have been their first win over a ranked, non-conference opponent…
Continue Reading: Whicker: Ohio State shows UCLA what last March could have been, and what this March might demand
