Tyus Edney recently made an appearance on the Petros & Money Show on local Los Angeles radio station AM 570 KLAC. The hosts of the show, Petros Papadakis and Matt "Money" Smith, asked the former UCLA star about his current activities, his career in Europe, and other related topics.

Highlights of the interview include:

• Tyus has retired and is living back in the U.S.
• He is interested in coaching, and he has been involved in basketball clinics and related activities.
• While asking Edney about his famous shot against Missouri in 1995, Petros did his best Jim Harrick impression, which Edney found entertaining.
• Tyus went through the 1995 shot and what he saw as the play unfolded.
• Edney still keeps in touch with other Bruin teammates, including Ed O'Bannon, Kris Johnson, Toby Bailey, and Bob Myers. Tyus finds it easier to see everyone now that he is back in the states.
• In one of the funnier moments of the interview, Tyus shared that while playing in a championship game for the Greek club Olympiakos, his coach got hit with an unusual food item during a team huddle on the sideline.

Here is a media player that should allow you to listen to the interview. If it doesn't work, click here to access the mp3 directly (right-click the link to download).



If you didn't follow Edney's career in Europe, he spent most of his years in Italy with clubs like Benetton Treviso, Lottomatica Roma, and Climamio Bologna. His teams won a lot of games, and his individual honors include the Euroleague Final Four MVP in 1999. He was considered by many to be the best point guard in Europe during his prime. According to Jerry Crowe, Edney is now living in Las Vegas with his wife and three children. For more on his life and career in Europe, see this 4-page LA Times article, this UCLA Magazine piece, and his Euroleague web page.

And of course, this always puts me in a good mood:

(Tyus Edney of the UCLA Bruins goes the length of the floor in 4.8 seconds to make the game-winning shot against the Missouri Tigers in the 1995 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament)

Forward Reeves Nelson will back on the floor for UCLA's Pac-10 Tournament matchup against Arizona on Thursday at noon. Nelson sat out the last four games due to a partially torn retina. His condition is a concern because he has a family history of eye problems; his grandmother has detached retinas in both eyes and is legally blind. Furthermore, Nelson has suffered a number of injuries to his eyes and face this year. However, he has been cleared to play, so he will return to the lineup on Thursday.

While the UCLA men's basketball team has struggled this year, the women's team has played exceptionally well. The team is 22-7 overall, 15-3 in conference, and seeded second in the Pac-10 Tournament. After guiding the team to the year it has enjoyed, women's head coach Nikki Caldwell has been named the conference's Coach of the Year. Bruins players Jasmine Dixon and Markel Walker made the All-Pac-10 team.

Fifth-seeded UCLA will take on fourth-seeded Arizona in the Pac-10 Tournament set to tip off this Thursday, March 11, at noon local time.  This is the lowest seeding the Bruins have had since Ben Howland's first Pac-10 Tournament back in 2003, when UCLA was seeded eighth.  The 13-17 Bruins, who are 8-10 in conference games, will have to win three straight Pac-10 Tourney games if they wish to return to the big dance.  A daunting task indeed, even with the tournament being held at nearby Staples Center.

The Wildcats have defeated the Bruins twice this season already, with the more recent loss coming just last week in Tucson.  UCLA was quite competitive in that game, leading for most of the time before falling down the stretch.  The first game between these two teams was completely dominated by Arizona.  While it is difficult to defeat a team three times in one season, the Bruins will have their hands full, as the Wildcats' athleticism gives UCLA all sorts of problems.  Hopefully, the Bruins can limit turnovers, keep Arizona from getting too many easy baskets, and force the Wildcats into shooting contested jumpers.  Accomplishing these things will go a long way in extending the season one more game.

The Pac-10 announced its year-end basketball honors, and Mike Roll was named to the ten-person "first-team" all-conference team. Roll led the Bruins this year in points and assists per game (13.5 and 3.6 respectively), and was UCLA's most consistent player.

As an indication that perhaps things will improve in Westwood next year, Reeves Nelson and Tyler Honeycutt made the conference's All-Freshmen team, which consists of only five players. Nelson has become the team's best inside threat, while Honeycutt led the Bruins in rebounds per game with 6.7. I, like most Bruin fans, am looking forward to seeing how much these two (and the rest of the team) can improve by next season.

And to demonstrate how uncharacteristic this season was for the Bruins, nobody from UCLA made the All-Defense team.

California's Jerome Randle won Player of the Year, and Arizona's Derrick Williams won Freshman of the Year.

Some writeups on the game:

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Bruins left shaking their heads after loss

Lethargic UCLA falls to Arizona State

UCLA loses to Arizona State, 56-46, in regular-season finale

Boateng leads ASU past UCLA

ASU defeats UCLA, locks up 2nd in Pac-10

MLB.com has a story about a visit between Troy Tulowitzki of the Colorado Rockies and former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden. The piece describes how the meeting was set up and how much Tulowitzki enjoyed his time with Wooden. A sample quote from the Rockies' shortstop: "You get to sit around with and get to chat with a legend, one of the brightest guys I've ever talked to ... He's someone who would probably be in my top five if I ever had the chance to sit down and talk with him. It was a neat experience for me."