Basketball edition looking back on the 2008 season

The 2008 Bruins saw Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute leave for the NBA. But they were able to get the commitment for returning senior in Darren Collison and then also Josh Shipp. Pairing that with getting one of the best recruits in the country in Jrue Holiday. It wasn’t as talented of a team as 2007 but one that could still make some noise. Their offense got better as they averaged 75.5 points per game. But their defense regressed as Westbrook and Mbah a Moute were their best.

Still, the Bruins had very high odds to win a title. As they were +1200 as the season began and were a veteran team. Holiday was seen as a player who was NBA ready but needed that one bridge gap year for the one and done. They went on a 10-game win streak in the middle of the year that put them at 14-2. Fluctuating in the rankings. They started the season No. 4 in the polls and then dropped to No. 16 before going back up to No. 9. After that win streak they played very inconsistent basketball.

They would ultimately finish the season at 24-7 going into the Pac-10 tournament. They would lose in the second round to USC, setting them up as the No. 6 seed in the East bracket for March. They would squeak by in the first round 65-64 versus VCU before getting pummeled by 20 to Villanova. Ending their up-and-down season and watching Holiday, Collison and Shipp all head out and leaving more questions than answers to Howland’s next team.

Holiday was the 17th pick in the draft and Collison was the 21st pick in the draft. Each went on to have nice NBA careers. Holiday still playing is one of the best defenders in basketball and a two-time NBA champion. Shipp who battled injuries quite a bit in college finished out his career as a guy who could score the basketball. Averaging 12.4 points per game in his UCLA career while playing in 140 games. Every member of the team that made a title run was now gone.