Join us for a live chat with David Wharton in China with UCLA [chat canceled]

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Aug. 27, 2012 12 AM PT

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Join us at 8:15 a.m. today for a live Google+ Hangout chat with sportswriter David Wharton, who is in China with the &amp;lt;runtime:topic id=”ORSPT000000294”&amp;gt;UCLA&amp;lt;/runtime:topic&amp;gt; basketball team, and Times sports editor Mike James.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;[&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Update at 8 a.m.&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;: The chat has been canceled because of technical difficulties. Our apologies for the cancellation.]&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The trip to China represents a trial run, the start of what could be an annual exchange between the &amp;lt;a class=”taxInlineTagLink” href=”http://ukobiw.net./topic/sports/college-sports/pacific-12-conference-ORSPT00000247.topic”&amp;gt;Pac-12&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; and the Federation of University Sports of China.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; Pac-12 officials are eager to foster relationships with a country where they might someday broadcast games and sell merchandise to a basketball-crazed populace.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; UCLA agreed to take the first step, taking a 13-hour flight that landed in Beijing at the break of dawn Thursday.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; It’s all part of a seven-day, three-game tour. , the Bruins agreed to practice with — and scrimmage against — the Tsinghua University team they will play on Saturday evening.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; “This is a cultural exchange — it’s not just about us playing basketball,” Howland said. “So we want to be helpful and let them learn more about us.”&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Bruins easily won their first exhibition, cruising to 116-68 victory over Tsinghua University.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Wharton and James will talk about all that and more, so join them at 8:15.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;ALSO:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=”http://ukobiw.net./sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-russell-wilson-young-nfl-quarterbacks-20120824,0,6255556.story”&amp;gt;Russell Wilson proving to be the latest young gun in NFL&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=”http://ukobiw.net./sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-andrew-luck-robert-griffin-iii-20120825,0,7369844.story”&amp;gt;Rookies Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III display their skills&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=”http://ukobiw.net./sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-lydia-ko-15-lpga-20120826,0,2275337.story”&amp;gt;Lydia Ko wins LPGA event at 15, eclipsing Lexi Thompson’s record&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

Join us for a live chat with David Wharton in China with UCLA [chat canceled]

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