LOS ANGELES —
Even when UCLA men’s basketball shone the brightest, there was always a simple charm to the Bruins’ Pauley Pavilion home when you watched a game there from afar.
There was nothing particularly special about the arena as seen on TV. It had a simple blue color scheme on the sidelines, baselines and in the lanes. And the familiar interlocking dual U-C-L-A wrapped around the center circle.
It was no frills, which belies the splendor of UCLA’s campus in the ritzy Bel-Air section of Los Angeles.
The frills were saved for the players on the floor. From Walt Hazzard to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Lew Alcindor in his UCLA days) to Bill Walton to Reggie Miller and so many more, the Bruins are the standard-bearers of college basketball. With 11 national championships, 10 won by iconic coach John Wooden, Pauley Pavilion is where most of the magic happened.
And now, it will have the bells and whistles befitting a program of UCLA’s stature.
UCLA has spent $136 million to renovate the facility, which opened in 1965 and which is named after former University of California regent Edwin W. Pauley. Capacity was increased by 1,000 to 13,800 and there are fancy new video boards, a 154-percent increase in rest rooms, 100 television monitors and an atrium honoring UCLA’s storied history.
UCLA has not played in the building since the last home game of the 2011 season. The Bruins decamped to the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena and the Honda Center in Anaheim for the 2011-12 season.
But for all of the modern enhancements, UCLA saw fit to turn to the past when it choose its opponent to open the building. Wooden came to UCLA by way of Indiana State, and in a nod to both schools’ past, the Sycamores were chosen to open the building.
“Mr. Prettyman [Ron Prettyman, ISU director of athletics] knew the A.D. out there [Dan Guerrero], but it’s more along the lines of they have the Wooden statue, they named the court after John and Nell Wooden, which we’ve done here. It’s an honor,” ISU coach Greg Lansing said.
Lansing is an admirer of Wooden, as most coaches are. He has a portrait of Wooden in his ISU office.
It was not your average season-opening game.
Private ceremonies were to begin two hours before game time. Doors opened to the public 90 minutes before tipoff and UCLA encouraged ticket holders — the game is sold out — to be in their seats 30 minutes prior to tipoff. Several UCLA icons were expected to take part.
“I obviously followed them and know tons about all of [UCLA’s legendary players]. I hope a bunch of them are there, which I think they will be,” Lansing said.
Through all of this, ISU still had a game to play. The current 13th-ranked Bruins — with super freshmen Kyle Anderson, Tony Parker and possibly Shabazz Muhammad (if cleared by the NCAA) — make the game hard enough.
“You look at the history of things and, yeah, it’s an honor to play in this game, but we have to go into it with focus and control what we can control,” Lansing said.
ISU has lost its last three games against ranked teams — two to Creighton and one to Wichita State last season — but the Sycamores won their last game against a ranked nonconference opponent. The Sycamores defeated No. 25 Vanderbilt 72-64 on Dec. 17, 2011.
Sports
ISU men first visitors to see glitz of renovated Pauley Pavilion
- Sports
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Got it: Rex first baseman #29 Kurt Kudrecki fields a ball hit down the first base line during game action against the Quincy Gems Monday night at Bob Warn Field.
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Loss drops Rex into first-place tie
In a battle for first place in the West Division of the Prospect League baseball standings, the Terre Haute Rex fell just short Monday night at Bob Warn Field.
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Seven players from Terre Haute Rex taken in Major League draft
Seven players who are alumni of the Terre Haute Rex in the past four years achieved their dream of becoming professional baseball players when taken in the Major League Baseball draft earlier this month.
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RAMBLIN’ RECK: Catching up on some things
Catching up — on all-state softball honors and a new basketball coach in Illinois.
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METRO ROUNDUP: Hutson comes home, has personal best
Kylie Hutson returned to her home town Saturday to set a personal outdoor record, clearing 15-feet-5 in highlighting the Sycamore Open pole vault competition at Marks Field.
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Checking in with cancer survivor
The last time the Tribune-Star visited with Amy Bagnoche, July of 2012, she was fighting back tears talking about her own battle with breast cancer and the battles that others were facing.
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Post 346 rebounds to win Terre Haute Invitational
It’s an interesting dance that Wayne Newton Post 346 and Evansville Pate Post 265 have developed in American Legion baseball’s Terre Haute Invitational, and the last waltz was saved for the host team Sunday.
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DeNato proves IU can pitch too
Joey DeNato dispelled the notion that College World Series newcomer Indiana is all about offense.
The junior left-hander threw a four-hitter and the Hoosiers looked mighty comfortable at TD Ameritrade Park while beating Louisville 2-0 on Saturday night. -
Metro roundup: Givens, Mundy win two-man golf tournament
Scott Givens and Tim Mundy maintained their first-day lead to win the Show-Me’s Two-Man golf tournament concluded Sunday at Rea Park
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Goatee, Bertoli ran away with Spring Athlete of the Year
When honoring athletes after a season of excellence, the phrase “what might have been” doesn’t usually come up.
But in the case of Terre Haute South’s Jackson Bertoli and Terre Haute North’s TaPring Goatee – the Tribune-Star’s Athletes of the Year for spring sports – there’s an air of unfinished business despite obvious recent successes.
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TODD GOLDEN: Golf ... the beast within?
Like many sports fans, my interest in professional golf is confined to the four major tournaments. Many prefer the Masters, some like the back-to-roots British Open, but I’ve always liked the U.S. Open the best.
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Loss drops Rex into first-place tie
- Local Interest
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Score: Post 346 runner #6 Jacob Johnson scores after a collision with the Pate catcher in the fourth inning Sunday afternoon.
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Post 346 rebounds to win Terre Haute Invitational
It’s an interesting dance that Wayne Newton Post 346 and Evansville Pate Post 265 have developed in American Legion baseball’s Terre Haute Invitational, and the last waltz was saved for the host team Sunday.
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METRO ROUNDUP: Wayne Newton 2-1 on young season
Wayne Newton Post 346 improved to 2-1 in American Legion baseball with a late 8-3 victory over Effingham on Thursday night.
Craig Peters was winning pitcher for Post 346 and T.J. Decker and Cody Thornton led a 16-hit attack with three hits each. -
Rex looking to return to pitching dominance Sunday against Springfield
During a 7-1 start and franchise-best seven-game winning streak, Terre Haute Rex pitching was the catalyst. Through eight games, the Rex led the Prospect League with an earned-run average of 1.11.
Even after giving up 10 runs Friday night in a 10-6 loss to the Quincy Gems, the Rex (7-2) are still the league leader in ERA at 2.09. -
FROM TERRE HAUTE TO THE MAJOR LEAGUES: Former Scamore hurlers doing well in White Sox system
Brian Omogrosso was promoted to Chicago and appeared in 11 games. The big right-hander compiled a 5.14 earned-run average in 14 innings of relief. He struck out 14 and walked seven.
- COLLEGE REPORT: Wabash College All-American relay team has TH flavor
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Post 346 rebounds to win Terre Haute Invitational
- High School
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Goatee, Bertoli ran away with Spring Athlete of the Year
When honoring athletes after a season of excellence, the phrase “what might have been” doesn’t usually come up.
But in the case of Terre Haute South’s Jackson Bertoli and Terre Haute North’s TaPring Goatee – the Tribune-Star’s Athletes of the Year for spring sports – there’s an air of unfinished business despite obvious recent successes.
- Post 346 opens tournament with two victories
- North boys move up to 13th in golf state finals
- Big hill to climb for North golf
- Top of her game
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- College
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Indiana starting pitcher Joey DeNato (23) celebrates throwing out Louisville's Coco Johnson (20) at first for the second out in the bottom of the ninth inning in an NCAA College World Series game in Omaha, Neb., Saturday, June 15, 2013 (AP Photo/The World-Herald, Ryan Soderlin) MAGS OUT; ALL NEBRASKA LOCAL BROADCAST TV OUT
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DeNato proves IU can pitch too
Joey DeNato dispelled the notion that College World Series newcomer Indiana is all about offense.
The junior left-hander threw a four-hitter and the Hoosiers looked mighty comfortable at TD Ameritrade Park while beating Louisville 2-0 on Saturday night. -
Etherington, Moore happy to be with ISU basketball
Not even two weeks into their college experience, Indiana State freshmen men’s basketball players Alex Etherington and Demetrius Moore stood sentinel as 115 kids ran around them collecting basketballs and getting autographs at the Greg Lansing Basketball Camp on Thursday.
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ISU's Johnson invited to World University Games
Indiana State senior Felisha Johnson will be traveling the world this summer after being named to represent the United States in the women’s shot put at the World University Games in Kazan, Russia.
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FROM THE PRESS BOX: Close, but no cigar, theme for ISU sports in 2012-13
When I covered my first event of Indiana State’s 2012-13 season — ISU’s opening football game at Indiana — I was the first one in the press box at IU’s Memorial Stadium. I’m never the first one in the press box.
Maybe the prospect of ISU’s season had me so pumped that I decided to get it started close to three hours early? (Or more truthfully, maybe I was over-vigilent about predicted traffic horrors on the Indiana 46 bypass that never came to pass.) -
Q&A: ISU football coach Mike Sanford ready for fall
It’s hard to believe, but Mike Sanford has already been Indiana State’s football coach for six months.
Time flies, but Sanford’s task of preparing for his first season in charge of the Sycamores comes with few breaks.
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DeNato proves IU can pitch too
- Sports Columns
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RAMBLIN’ RECK: Catching up on some things
Catching up — on all-state softball honors and a new basketball coach in Illinois.
- TODD GOLDEN: Golf ... the beast within?
- Trackside: Midgets could be on rise in Wabash Valley
- RAMBLIN’ RECK: South grad helps VU to national golf title
- FROM THE PRESS BOX: Close, but no cigar, theme for ISU sports in 2012-13
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RAMBLIN’ RECK: Catching up on some things
- Pro Sports
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Colts not standing pat in looking toward 2013 season
Indianapolis Colts second-year general manager Ryan Grigson has quickly earned a reputation as someone who isn’t afraid to shake things up a bit.
- Deacon Jones of famed Fearsome Foursome dead at 74
- Seeking elite status
- Luck having fun with his first OTAs
- Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
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Colts not standing pat in looking toward 2013 season
- Terre Haute Rex
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Got it: Rex first baseman #29 Kurt Kudrecki fields a ball hit down the first base line during game action against the Quincy Gems Monday night at Bob Warn Field.
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Loss drops Rex into first-place tie
In a battle for first place in the West Division of the Prospect League baseball standings, the Terre Haute Rex fell just short Monday night at Bob Warn Field.
- Sliders’ frustration against Rex continues
- Sanchez stays hot to lead Rex to victory
- Rex fall at home to Sliders
- Rex looking to return to pitching dominance Sunday against Springfield
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Loss drops Rex into first-place tie
- Colts
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Colts not standing pat in looking toward 2013 season
Indianapolis Colts second-year general manager Ryan Grigson has quickly earned a reputation as someone who isn’t afraid to shake things up a bit.
- Landry believes he'll acclimate to Colts system
- Colts in harmony with new coordinator Hamilton
- Pagano amazed by collection of veterans
- Opening Day: Terre Haute Rex host Quincy
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Colts not standing pat in looking toward 2013 season
- Auto Racing
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Winner's kiss: Tony Kanaan of KV Racing Technology kisses the yard of bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Kanaan won his first Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on Sunday and kissed the bricks as part of a tradition at the Motor Speedway.
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Kanaan can: Tony Kanaan finally wins Indy 500, ends heartbreak
Tony Kanaan had been so close so many times in the Indianapolis 500 until Sunday. Now he’s a winner.
- Crowd, competitors erupt in celebration for Brazilian driver
- Rookies fare well in 97th running of the Indy 500
- Top guns, again
- Looking for Indy breakthrough, Kanaan enjoying role as team mentor
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Kanaan can: Tony Kanaan finally wins Indy 500, ends heartbreak
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