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Shorthanded UCLA takes on Maryland

Nov 19, 2007 - 6:28 PM No. 1 UCLA (3-0) vs. Maryland (3-0) 7:00 pm EST

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) - Something has to give when No. 1 UCLA faces Maryland in the semifinals of the CBE Classic on Monday.

The two unbeatens will face off for the eighth time, with the Bruins holding a 5-2 advantage, but it will be the first meeting since the UCLA's 105-70 victory over the Terrapins in the 2000 NCAA tournament.

The Bruins will only dress eight scholarship players due to injuries to junior guard Darren Collison (sprained left knee), junior guard Michael Roll (ruptured plantar fascia in left foot) and sophomore forward James Keefe (left shoulder surgery).

UCLA has been paced by freshman Kevin Love as the 6-foot-10, 270-pound center leads the team in scoring (20.7 points per game) and rebounds (10.3 per contst). Junior guard Josh Shipp (15.0 ppg) and sophomore guard Russell Westbrook (11 ppg) also are averaging in double figures for the Bruins.

It will be the first game of the season against a ranked team for Maryland, which has 66 victories over ranked opponents under coach Gary Williams. The Terrapins have beaten 17 teams ranked in the top five under Williams and have defeated either the No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 ranked team in six of the last eight seasons.

Four of Maryland's five starters are averaging in double figures, led by senior forward James Gist at 21.5 points per game. Gist, coming off a career-high 27 points in the Terrapins' 74-72 overtime victory over Northeastern, also averages a team-high 8.5 rebounds. Sophomore guard Greivis Vasquez (16.0 ppg), senior center Bambale Osby (12.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg) and sophomore guard Eric Hayes (11.0 ppg) are also averaging double figures for Maryland.

The winner faces either Michigan State or Missouri in Tuesday's championship game.