Charles Barkley picks Kent State over UCLA because of LaVar Ball

Also, his dad head coach Steve Alford has been here before as well.

No. 14 seed Kent State (22-13) vs. Mr. Ball, the one who can’t play, who averaged two whole points per game. UCLA took the 82-79 victory against the Ducks and the Bruins went on to win their remaining six games. And even though they scored only 12 points on the fast break, they wound up shooting 62.7 percent and almost scoring 100. “It was a battle”. To get ready for those games they, as they have had to do all year, need to improve their defense. Prior to UCLA’s first-round matchup against Kent State, Barkley donned a Golden Flashes jersey as a direct shot at LaVar.

Leaf, the freshman forward, led UCLA with 23 points and had several emphatic dunks. Aaron Holliday added 15 points and 11 assists for the Bruins, who face No. 6 seed Cincinnati in the second round on Sunday in what should be a pressure-packed and entertaining game.

Ball reportedly bruised his right hip but was back on the floor in the second half, though limping a bit and rubbing his hip.

“I’m fine”, Ball said afterward. He didn’t have the basketball very often, although Alford said it was “because of the different sets we were running”. That’s what’s gotten us to where we are so far, and our offense speaks for itself. He has been projected as the No. 1 pick in this year’s National Basketball Association draft.

It’s also highly unlikely that Ball will go on to break the all-time assists record for the Bruins.

The Bruins closed this season with a 9-0 run to finish 15-3 and in third place in the Pac-12.

“It’s just a blessing”, sophomore guard Jaylin Walker said after open workouts Thursday. “Can’t get the assists without them scoring”.

He didn’t mince words when asked why all of a sudden he was showing such strong support for the Golden Flashes.

Since winning the MAC Championship, several former Kent State athletes, namely Super Bowl champion Julian Edelman of the New England Patriots and multi-time Pro Bowl kick returner Joshua Cribbs, formerly of the Cleveland Browns, have reached out through social media to express their support for the program. I don’t think it’s helping his kids. And you’d have to consider it a good sign that the Bruins did all of this despite another poor night from Bryce Alford, the 5th most prolific scorer in UCLA history. “As the game went on he was obviously a little sore, but he worked it out at the end”.