**Jesse Newell:** Welcome back to the GameDay Cram Session. Tom, what are you looking for in this game, KU against UCLA?
**Tom Keegan:** This one should be a high-energy, electric game with UCLA, Kansas and the crowd jacked for the first big-name opponent to visit Allen Fieldhouse this season. Kansas has played with great unselfishness and with pretty remarkable precision for so early in the season. If they don’t fall in love with themselves — and nothing suggests they would — I would expect a double-digit victory against the Bruins.
**JN:** If you’re looking at UCLA, this is probably a team not quite as good as Arizona, but better than any other team KU has played this season. The Bruins’ offensive star so far has been 6-foot-8 sophomore forward Reeves Nelson (No. 22). He’s made 62 percent of his field goals this season (76th nationally) while also pulling down at least 10 rebounds in each of the last four games.
KU also faced an extremely gifted forward in Arizona’s Derrick Williams last game. Tom, was there anything in particular that you learned about the Jayhawks from last game that you didn’t know before?
http://www2.kusports.com/videos/2010/nov/28/33551/
**TK:** I learned this is a deeper team than I thought, with a more talented, more confident bench than I would have guessed. If Travis Releford continues to progress as a defender, using those long arms and quick feet to his advantage, and he keeps the ball moving on offense, he could become an important player. He obviously made the most of his red-shirt season. I like the idea of red-shirting guys in their second season, instead of their first, because it gives athletes a more clear idea of where they need to get better and how much better they need to get.
**JN:** OK, Tom, what’s your prediction for this game?
**TK:** Kansas 90, UCLA 73.
**JN:** I’ll go KU by 22.
The Jayhawks have played awfully well at home so far, so it’s hard to predict that KU will struggle tonight, even against an improving UCLA team.
All right, Tom, who’s your Hawk to Rock?
**TK:** Tyshawn Taylor.
UCLA’s ball-handling can be shaky and Taylor knows how to capitalize on that. He’s playing great at both ends and in transition in both directions.
**JN:** I’ll go with Markieff Morris.
He battled foul trouble and wasn’t as active as he normally is against Arizona. I think we’ll see the junior forward excel against UCLA, especially on the glass. Remember, his breakout performance last year was his 19-point effort against the Bruins.
Kansas guard Tyrel Reed pressures UCLA guard Malcolm Lee during the second half, Sunday, Dec 6, 2009 at Pauley Pavilion.
Tracking the picks
——————
**Predictions tally (through six games)**
Tom: 5-1 record, 116 points off (19.3 points off/game)
Jesse: 6-0 record, 103 points off (17.2 points off/game)
Hawk to Rock
————
**Tom Keegan**
Longwood: Tyrel Reed (6th in Keegan ratings)
Valparaiso: Marcus Morris (1st in Keegan ratings)
North Texas: Tyrel Reed (6th in Keegan ratings)
Texas A&M-CC: Marcus Morris (5th in Keegan ratings)
Ohio: Markieff Morris (3rd in Keegan ratings)
Arizona: Marcus Morris (1st in Keegan ratings)
**Average Hawk to Rock: 3.6th in Keegan ratings**
**Jesse Newell**
Longwood: Markieff Morris (1st in Keegan ratings)
Valparaiso: Brady Morningstar (8th in Keegan ratings)
North Texas: Tyrel Reed (6th in Keegan ratings)
Texas A&M-CC: Thomas Robinson (2nd in Keegan ratings)
Ohio: Tyshawn Taylor (4th in Keegan ratings)
Arizona: Brady Morningstar (8th in Keegan ratings)
**Average Hawk to Rock: 4.8th in Keegan ratings**
Kansas forward Markieff Morris puts in a bucket over Arizona's Solomon Hill during the second half of the Las Vegas Invitational, Saturday, Nov. 27, at the Orleans Arena.
