At the close of his postgame interview after Thursday's regional semifinal win over Western Kentucky, UCLA head coach Ben Howland was asked about the regional final matchup with third-seeded Xavier (transcript from ASAPsports.com):

The starting lineups for the second West regional semifinal have been announced:

Here are selected quotes from Western Kentucky coach Darren Horn, who met the media Wednesday afternoon at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix:

UCLA coach Ben Howland met the media today at US Airways Center in Phoenix, about 27 hours before his Bruins take on Western Kentucky in the Western regional semifinals.

Here is the entire transcript of his interview, according to ASAPsports.com.

UCLA players Kevin Love, Darren Collison and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute just met the media here at the U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix.

Here are selected quotes:

West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins and his players, including star Joe Alexander, have finished their interview session. Xavier head coach Sean Miller and his players, including star Drew Lavender, have finished their interview session.

Up next are the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.

The Bruins, including Oxnard High and Moorpark College graduate Dave McGrath, are in the building and are about to take the floor.

We'll have some tidbits from the interviews soon.

Here is David Lassen's column from today's paper — "UCLA shifts into problem-solving mode

To whet your appetite, here are some notes from the UCLA sports information staff:

The Star's crack two-man team of yours truly and columnist David Lassen are at the Burbank Airport's Gate A3, awaiting our 9:40 a.m. flight to Phoenix.

We will, of course, have complete coverage of the UCLA men's basketball team's attempt to reach the Final Four for the third straight season. The Bruins face Western Kentucky Thursday night in the West Regional semifinals, after Xavier and West Virginia open festivities in the desert.

The four teams meet the media today at the U.S. Airways Center. Refresh this blog for the latest updates from media day.

With the loss, Ventura fell to 10-1 in state quarterfinals under coach Ned Mircetic.

STOCKTON — Fresno City College has beaten the Ventura College women's basketball team, 70-64, in the state quarterfinals at Spanos Center at the University of the Pacific.

Lena Gibson, the North's MVP, had 34 points and 17 rebounds. But the real difference was at the foul line, where the Rams took 39 free throws as opposed to 14 by Ventura. Gipson took 23 free throws herself.

Ventura was led by 15 points from Jenelle Conklin and 14 points apiece by Indira Kaljo and Michelle Santizo.

STOCKTON — Five rows from the floor at center court at the Spanos Center, sits Monica Hang.

The Glendale College women's basketball coach is wearing the red-and-white of her program, but on her left hand sits a 2002 Ventura College state championship ring, which Hang won here in Stockton with the Pirates.

"We were driving past EL Torito," said Hang, "and I told the story of how the fans chanted 'VC' while carrying the trophy around the restaurant."

STOCKTON — We're at Spanos Center on the campus of the University of the Pacific to see if the Ventura College women's basketball team can upend Fresno City College in the state quarterfinals tonight.

The Pirates have won 19 of 20 games. Fresno hasn't lost since it was upended by Ventura, 90-87, on Dec. 22.

You can contact me by using AOL instant messenger (screen name joeyscribe) or e-mailing jcurley@VenturaCountyStar.com

Click "continue" for live play-by-play as it happens.

STOCKTON — As the North's top seed, Foothill, finishes off Cerritos in the second quarterfinal, the building is beginning to full up with Fresno fans and a smattering of Ventura fans who decided to brave the Thursday drive.

Foothill has finished off Cerritos, 69-49. The two top seeds have already survived the first day.

I just finished a spot on Fresno radio, where we previewed the matchup.

(Ventura College sophomore Jessi Selleh was an All-American guard for the Pirates last season. A back injury has forced her to redshirt this season, but the Royal High graduate is with her teammates in Stockton. She joins us on press row before the Pirates' tip off to give us some insight into how her teammates are feeling.)

It’s amazing that such a large arena can be completely filled with excitement and tension.

With just an hour separating Ventura from play, tip off can’t come a moment too soon. Even though we beat Fresno prior to state playoffs, focus and enthusiasm isn’t absent from both players and coaches.

Considering this tournament is bigger and more important than any preseason tourney, we still have to have a calm mentality, and take it one game at a time. I think the girls are anxious to play in an arena before fans and coaches, I just hope the size of the stage doesn’t get them too nervous.

STOCKTON — The California Community College Basketball Championships have tipped off.

Mount San Antonio, the two-time defending women's champion, routed its quarterfinal opponent, College of the Siskiyous, 89-68, after scoring 14 of the first 16 points.

The Mounties would be Ventura's semifinal opponent Saturday, should the Pirates find a way past Fresno City later today. Mount SAC gave Ventura three of its five losses this season.

Ventura coach Ned Mircetic and several of the Pirates' players spent the first half scouting the Mounties from behind the home basket.

STOCKTON — Perhaps there is a reason why the Ventura College women's basketball team is 9-0 in the Spanos Center all-time with three of its five state titles.

For its shooting at 10:30 this morning, coach Ned Mircetic called his players to the center of the court and calmly told them to settle into their northern home away from home.

"Look at the baskets, look at the banners on the wall, check out the ceiling," Mircetic told his players. "They have our school colors here.
"Stay calm and enjoy the surroundings."

STOCKTON — Fresno City College has left the gym, vielding the Spanos Center to its quarterfinal opponents.

Before sending his players into motion, Ventura College coach Ned Mircetic calmly called his players to the center of the floor to give a soothing missive to his players.

"They have our school colors here," is the only sentence that is audible from the sidelines.

One good piece of news for VC fans, Pirates star Indira Kaljo played here last year when she was at Utah State.

Alright, here's today's schedule.

9 a.m. — Team breakfast.
10:30 a.m. — Team shootaround from Spanos Center (I'll give a report on how the women are adjusting to the shooting touch needed in the arena setting, which is always huge on quarterfinal day).
1 p.m. - 5 p.m. — I'll provide periodic updates from Ventura's camp and the first two quarterfinals of the day, Mount SAC-Siskiyous and Foothill-Cerritos.
5 p.m. - 7 p.m. — Live play-by-play coverage of the Ventura College women's basketball team's state quarterfinal with 34-2 Fresno.
7 p.m. - 9 p.m. — Postgame reaction and, if needed, a preview of the Pirates' semifinal game. Any one

Let's try an experiment. If the Internet is strong enough in the arena, I'll load AOL instant messenger. Anyone who wants to ask questions during the day can either AIM my screename, joeyscribe, or e-mail jcurley@VenturaCountyStar.com.

I'll answer the questions on the blog.

So I've arrived in lovely Stockton.

Got in about midnight after a five-hour drive, which included a refueling in Coalinga. If you're reading this before noon, you can still make it to tonight's VC quarterfinal, which starts at 5. Just take the 5 North until you see the sign for the University of the Pacific. Should be plenty of Fresno fans.

Before checking into the team headquarters on March Lane, I made my way over to the tournament headquarters at the Stockton Grand Hotel. Formerly the Radisson, the building holds plenty of memories from tournaments gone by. VC fans might remember Estelle Diaz flooding a wing of the hotel in 2002 by hanging her jersey on the fire sprinkler. Coach Mircetic has already dramatically retold the story, which includes him wading around the room to unplug the lights from the electrical sockets.

Several of the coaches were still in the suite that serves as a gathering point throughout the tournament. Consensus on tomorrow's games seems to be that all should be close, except for the opening quarterfinal between favorite Mount SAC and outsider Siskiyous (I'm not so sure — if the Eagles are hitting their shots, we might get that David v. Goliath-type game that everyone loves).

Should be a good day.

And here's my tournament preview, which ran on page C1 this morning....

http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/mar/13/vc-opens-with-familiar-foe/

... and our little fun in Studio 805 with assistant coach Robin Hester and star sophomores Jenelle Conklin and Indira Kaljo.

I spoke to seven of the Great Eight head coaches to compile my preview capsules.

Perhaps the upstart of the tournament, from tiny Weed at the base of Mount Shasta, is College of the Siskiyous.

I spoke to seven of the Great Eight head coaches to compile my preview capsules.

The tournament's home team is the No. 3 seed from the North, San Joaquin Delta.

I spoke to seven of the Great Eight head coaches to compile my preview capsules.

The North's No. 2 seed is one of the tournament's favorites, Fresno City.

I spoke to seven of the Great Eight head coaches to compile my preview capsules.

The North's top seed, from Los Altos Hills, is Foothill.

I spoke to seven of the Great Eight head coaches to compiled my preview capsules.

Here's the final seed from the South, surprise Cerritos, which emerged from the regional originally headlined by top-seed Orange Coast.

I spoke to seven of the Great Eight head coaches to compile my preview capsules.

Returning to the Great Eight for the first time in five years is the state's most successful program — five-time champion, seven-time finalist, 12-time participant Ventura.

I spoke to seven of the Great Eight head coaches to compile my preview capsules.

The South's No. 2 seed, in the state championships for the fifth straight year, is Pasadena City College.

I spoke to seven of the Great Eight head coaches to compile my preview capsules.

To tip off my annual team-by-team look at the Great Eight teams, we'll start with the two-time defending champion and tournament favorites.

The South's No. 1 seed, from Walnut, is Mount San Antonio College.

We're here live from a rocking VC Athletic Event Center, where the Ventura College men's basketball team is looking for its second straight Great Eight berth in front of a capacity crowd.

We're here live from the VC Athletic Event Center for the Southern California regional finals doubleheader as the Ventura College women's basketball team strives for its first Great Eight berth in five years.

They were already lining up outside two and a half hoursbefore tipoff of the women's game.

We're here live at the VC Athletic Event Center for tonight's Southern California regional semifinal between No. 13 Los Angeles Valley and No. 4 Ventura.

The matchup pits the last two Ventura College men's basketball coaches who actually coached the Pirates on the floor, Virgil Watson and Greg Winslow.

Tipoff is at 7 p.m.