An All-Star Weekend For UCLA Basketball – Bruins Win MVP, Slam Dunk Honors And Beat The Oregons

February 15, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Western Conference guard Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder (0) dunks the ball during the second quarter of the 2015 NBA All-Star Game against the Eastern Conference at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

What an unexpected turn of events this past weekend had turned out to be for the UCLA basketball program. First, UCLA basketball beat both Oregon schools in a 2-game home stand at Pauley Pavilion, which brought on some overwhelming love and recognition for the 1995 Championship team followed up by the some high-flying Bruins showing their flare at the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend.

It is enough to make any Bruin do an “8 clap” right where they stand, so why not do it now?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8…

U (clap clap clap), C (clap clap clap), LLLLLLLLLLL, A!!!

U – C – L – A! Fight Fight Fight!!!

See? That felt good. Anyway, let us quickly recap the eventful weekend that was.

UCLA Beats The Oregons

Starting last Thursday, the UCLA basketball team was on display to start their home stand against the Oregon State Beavers. After a disappointing loss up in Corvallis at the end of January, the Bruins bounced back with a whipping of the Beavers, 75-59.

The Bruins continued their home dominance Saturday when the Oregon Ducks came to town as the third best team in the conference. UCLA had a similar, albeit worse, outcome when they played up in Eugene, but that was a different story in LA. Though the Bruins had an early 10-2 lead, the Ducks battled back to make it a game. Fortunately for the Bruins, the Ducks fell apart at the end of the game leading to a 72-63 Bruin victory. And how about Norman Powell?

Remembering The 1995 UCLA Championship Team

As you may be well aware of, UCLA is the most decorated program in college basketball. Though it has been 20 years since the last National Championship, it is always something to celebrate. That is what happened during halftime of the Oregon/UCLA game on Saturday (and the week leading up to it) when the 1995 Championship team was honored. Key figures from the team including former coach Jim Harrick and Bruin greats Ed O’Bannon and Tyus Edney joined in the celebration of the last team to raise a banner at Pauley.

UCLA Basketball Repping At The All-Star Weekend

It was also a big weekend for Bruins in the NBA as the All-Star Weekend festivities took over the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Current Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Zach LaVine showed the world just how spectacular he can be with just a ball and a hoop during the Sprite Slam Dunk contest. Though UCLA fans already knew, LaVine was made for dunking and proved it by winning the 2015 Slam Dunk contest in superb fashion.

The Bruins continued to flex their muscles during the 2015 NBA All-Star Game as six-year veteran with the Oklahoma City Thunder Russell Westbrook showed that he was not just an All-Star, but in 2015 he is THE ALL-STAR! Westbrook took All-Star MVP honors with his 41-point performance that was one short of the all-time record held by Wilt Chamberlain. That feat was started with a 27-point performance in just 11 minutes in the first half.

There is one thing Bruin fans have always known, is that you get out of Westbrook’s way.

So there you have it! Just another great weekend for UCLA basketball, but then again, would you expect anything different?

UCLA – Champions Made Here! Go Bruins!