Jan. 14
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
UCLA's Jason Kapono gets the nod over Missouri's Clarence Gilbert. You have to admire Kapono's 3-point shooting ability plus his recent performance on the glass.
He was one of the Bruins who responded in big-time style with big wins over arch-rival USC and Big East representative Villanova. Against the Trojans, he finished with 20 points and nine rebounds. Kapono hit nine-of-14 shots for a career-high 28 points and eight boards against the Wildcats.
Kapono has great touch and he's really getting into the flow of the UCLA offense. That's great news for Steve Lavin's team.
COACH OF THE WEEK
Steve Lavin of UCLA went through a pressure cooker week. When UCLA athletics director Peter Dalis contacted Rick Pitino, it happened during the middle of the season while Lavin was under contract. To me, that was unprofessional, creating loads of tension within the school's athletic offices.
Lavin responded in a positive way, getting his kids ready to play. The Bruins are on a real run right now, demonstrating the ability to battle adversity. They responded with big wins over USC and Villanova. The victory over the Wildcats gave Lavin 100 career Ws. UCLA now has a five-game win streak and Lavin has Coach of the Week honors.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Wow, think about the message Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt is sending! His Ramblin' Wreck are showing that big victories are no longer shock-city upsets.
It was shock, shock, shock over Kentucky and UCLA earlier in the season. Then came the upset over Virginia and then the OT thriller over a terrific Wake Forest club. It's becoming a regular thing for Tech! The Yellow Jackets beat a pair of Top 10 teams back-to-back for the first time since 1985.
SHOCK OF THE WEEK
Normally this would not be shock city, but when you think about the records...
Massachusetts came into Xavier with a 3-9 record. The Musketeers were 7-0 at home and knocking on the door for a Top 25 berth.
Bruiser Flint's team came up with an outstanding effort. Monty Mack scored 26 points and the Minutemen not only won, but did it easily, 75-64.
DIAPER DANDY OF THE WEEK
Do you remember the name Halston Lane? Everyone was wondering who he was when came in for Georgia Tech against Kentucky. He banged in 3-pointer after 3-pointer against the Wildcats.
Lane came back and showed that performance wasn't an accident in back-to-back efforts against ranked teams. If you don't believe in Mr. Lane, call up Dave Odom and Pete Gillen.
Tech earned two big ACC Ws. Lane hit seven-of-10 shots, finishing with 21 points in 25 minutes in the victory over Wake Forest. Earlier in the week, he connected on four-of-five shots, scoring 10 points in just 16 minutes against Virginia.
Lane provides instant offense, earning him Diaper Dandy of the Week honors.
