First, note that James Keefe and Michael Roll are both out injured until mid-December…You won’t see them…

Neither will you see DeAndre Robinson…until mop-up time. DeAndre is a walk-on who doesn’t get close to cracking the depth chart…

The starting 2-guard is Russell Westbrook…and he has been simply sensational. Rumor is he may be headed straight to the NBA after THIS (his sophomore) season. Last night against Chico State, Collison was out with a minor injury, so Russell ran the point…scored 22 points and simply blew past people…some incredible dunks that you won’t see from anyone else’s PG…or even off-guard…

Starting at the 2-guard last night, we had 6′ 7″ Nikola Dragovic…and he is a terror from behind the 3-point line…and difficult for any 2-guard to defend…and after him, we brought in 6′8″ Chase Stanback, last year’s LA City Player of the Year…who scored in double figures and played an all-around great game…

So, if you were expecting to have an advantage match-up over Roll and Robinson, forget it…The 3 guys playing the position will run rings around your guy…

What you will see is a starting five of Collison, Westbrook, Shipp, Mbah a Moute and Love…Which, in my thinking, gives the Bruins a substantial edge at EVERY position…That’s a complete starting five of likely future NBA players (unfortunately, a few leaving for the NBA sooner than we would like)…

BTW, whatever gave you the idea you had a “push” at the small forward spot with Shipp? Huff may be your best player…and he was a dangedgood JC player (But, we aren’t in JC land anymore)…but Shipp was a Top 50 national recruit out of high school, has a height and weight advantage over Huff and will likely be the Bruins’ leading scorer and “go-to” guy this year…

Anyway, back to the rotation…When Collison or Westbrook goes out, Howland is likely NOT putting in a back-up guard (Roll would have possibly come in, but, he’ll be out)…The Bruins will simply get BIGGER…either putting in Dragovic or Stanback at the 2-guard…or moving Shipp to the 2-guard and “super-sizing” the front line with Aboya or Mata and moving Mbah a Moute to the small forward slot (Luc, BTW, can defend or play ALL FIVE positions…He was a PG in high school, if you can picture that)…

I usually won’t go out on a limb like this…and don’t mean to disrespect your team–they are a very good team on the level of basketball you guys are at…BUT, in this case, I am expecting a ROUT…

Not only do I see a large advantage on each one-on-one match-up, I also know that basketball is not a one-on-one game…especially the way Howland’s Bruin teams play it…

The Bruin defense is the real key…and you guys have undersized, inconsistent guards…Collison and Westbrook are a pair of future NBA guards…they are incredibly quick and athletic…You will have trouble getting into your offense…

The other key to the Bruin defense is the rotation and double-teaming in the post…the traps are sufficating and the other team usually gets flustered into a high number of turnovers…and this year’s Bruin team has great height and size and depth inside…and Kevin Love is very agile fr a big guy…

And of course, the other issue is DEPTH…even with a couple of guys out injured, we’ve got reserves who would start at most other schools…We have walk-ons who some mid-majors would have considered top recruits…

I’ve just sat through the Bruins’ two “exhibition” games–111-61 over an Azusa Pacific team ranked in the top 10 in their division…and 93-55 over Chico State while playing the entire game without Collison, Shipp, Roll or Keefe…and neither game was THAT close…The Bruins cleared the bench and had a team of walk-ons playing with several minutes to go in each…

This team is primed for the season…picture last season’s Final Four team with everyone back except Arron Afflalo (and the guy replacing him is maybe just as good, but FASTER and more athletic)…and the addition of Love and Stanback–two extremely high level recruits…Now, picture last year’s defensive and perimeter-oriented offensive half court team…but suddenly able to RUN and with a scoring threat in the low post…

Sorry, Vikings…but, don’t worry, you’ll have better nights than this Friday…