Kentucky vs. UCLA Pre-View

After what seems like a month off, Kentucky is finally back in action tomorrow afternoon when they take on UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic in Chicago, Il. Their opponent in the Sports Classic is arguably the most storied college basketball team of all-time, UCLA.

If you're a college basketball fan whether it be a casual fan or a die hard fan, you need no introduction to UCLA. They have the most championships (11), some of the most famous college basketball players in the history of the game, and probably the most famous coach in John Wooden who was responsible for 10 of the 11 championships. From 1964 to 1970, the Bruins won 7 straight championships, a record that will never be broken. Also, from 1971 to 1974, UCLA won 88 straight game, another feat that will never be matched. So to say that they are the most storied program is an understatement.

Now, it's 2014 and the UCLA that you will see tomorrow is nowhere near what they were throughout the 70's and thank God for that. The Bruins come into the game with an 8-3 record with their three losses coming at the hands of Oklahoma (75-65), North Carolina (78-56) and Gonzaga (87-74). 

Here's a look at what the Cats will be matched up against tomorrow in Chi-Town...

The one stat that stands out is UCLA's 42 rebounds per game. Even though Kentucky is one of if not the tallest team in the country, they struggle to rebound the ball on the defensive end of the floor. They have to keep the Bruins off the offensive glass and limit their second chance points.  Also, as it is in every game, they will have to guard the perimeter because if you have followed Kentucky at all during lifetime you know there is always some random guy who comes in and gets hot from deep and sets a career high in points.

Now that the stats are out of the way, let's take a look at UCLA's roster....

UCLA has some size down low so it will be interesting to watch Kentucky's bigs and see how they battle on the inside. It  also looks as if they have some size at the guard position as well so this could be a pretty decent match-up.

Here's a look at the history between two of college basketballs greatest traditions...

(history facts provided by BigBlueHistory.com it's a GREAT website so, check it out.)

Tomorrow should be a good game, a game Kentucky should win fairly convincingly. So, tune in tomorrow at 3:30 on CBS to watch the Cats battle the Bruins, it should be a good one...