RIO DE JANEIRO -- When Merrill Moses first started playing for U.S. water polo, the team manager would pack a TV and VCR for overseas tournaments, and players would watch VHS tapes of their games. Tony Azevedo remembers waiting and waiting for the play he wanted to see.On the eve of the United States opener at the Rio de Janeiro Games, Moses can scout an opponents tendencies on his phone. Azevedo can watch every one of his shots for the last week. Water polo, one of the smallest sports in the Olympic program, has come a long way.Its time management, said Moses, a three-time Olympian who turns 39 on Aug. 13. Were definitely using our time more wisely and preparing in a much better way.When world champion Serbia takes on Hungary in the first mens game on Saturday, followed by the U.S. and defending Olympic champion Croatia, there will be no need for any introductions. Coaches are sharing more video than before, helped by the ease of technology, and USA Water Polo sends a staffer to major championships for video work -- even when the U.S. isnt participating in the competition.The increase in accessible scouting information puts water polo in line with some of the worlds biggest sports, where video libraries have been more commonplace for a longer time. But Azevedo, playing in his fifth Olympics -- a record for the U.S. program -- thinks there is plenty of room to grow.I think the more and more we start to understand our sport and people start investing more technology into our sport, then well actually be able to take it to a whole new level, Azevedo said Friday. I think its just started happening as water polo started growing in the United States and really outside of Europe.The use of underwater cameras also has added another level to water polo scouting. Some major competitions like the Olympics show the thrashing and wrestling that goes on below the surface, giving coaches a closer look at how players are fighting for leverage in key areas of the pool.The 34-year-old Azevedo said the additional information helps in a variety of ways.I mean weve used it, of course, against opponents, saying 90 percent of this guys main shots or his goals are high left, he said. Weve even used it against ourselves, where you take a guy and say `Hey, you shoot 90 percent of your shots here. You need to start learning how to shoot, you know, cross cage or a lob or something else because people are going to catch on. So its really made both sides better.Shooting tendencies could take on even more importance in Rio. Following group play, tie games go straight to a shootout after regulation. Think penalty kicks in soccer.Whether its Moses or his backup, 6-foot-8 McQuin Baron, in goal for the tiebreaker, each of them can take a closer look on where shooters like to go in those situations.For Moses, an assistant coach at Pepperdine who takes a lot of pride in his preparation, the abundance of information presents a different challenge.Theres a fine line where you dont want to, Id say, overthink things, he said. A shooter has his tendencies. I watch it to pick that up, but you also got to understand that hes not always going to do that. When I was younger, I used to go `Oh, hes always shooting there, and now, I kind of know the tendencies, but Im still reading the situation.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap Discount Custom Hockey Jerseys . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. Custom Hockey Jerseys China . 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One game into the season and plenty is unknown about Cal State Northridge and No. 16 UCLA, but one element of both teams is certain as they prepare to play Sunday night at 9 p.m. Eastern time at Pauley Pavilion.Both teams can light up the scoreboard with efficient scorers. UCLA and Northridge combined to score 215 points in their respective season-openers on Friday night.The Bruins defeated Pacific 119-80 behind a school-record 18 3-pointers and 29 assists. Northridge beat Pomona-Pitzer 96-72 with four players scoring at least 15 points, led by Washington transfer Darin Johnson, a junior guard who had 20 points and seven rebounds.UNLV transfer Kendall Smith, a junior guard in his second year at Northridge, contributed 17 points for coach Reggie Theus, a former Running Rebels star under Jerry Tarkanian who is engineering a run-and-gun offense in his fourth season.Its nice to be deep as we are because you can get different guys in the game, said Theus, whose roster includes eight transfers from other Division I institutions, including his son Reggie Theus Jr. from South Carolina.Nine Matadors made their debut for Northridge, including Theus son, Johnson, Connecticut transfer Rakim Lubim and Texas A&M transfer Dylan Johns.UCLA coach Steve Alford expressed concern over a quick turnaround from Fridays game preparing for an experienced Northridge team.Were playing a really good opponent that had a lot of transfers sitting out last year, Alford said. Its a seasoned team were playing Sunday.The Bruins do not have as much college experience as Northhridge, but they have dynamic freshmen in guard Lonzo Ball and wing T.ddddddddddddJ. Leaf. Ball had a near-triple double against Pacific with 19 points, eight rebounds and a game-high 11 assists (with only one turnover) while Leaf contributed 22 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.They are unselfish guys, Alford said of his freshmen standouts. Im more impressed with them as young men than I am as basketball players, and I think they are very good players.UCLA senior guard Bryce Alford was one shy of his career record with 30 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including 6-of-9 from 3-point range. Reserve point guard Aaron Holiday, who started all 32 games as a freshman last year, had 18 points with five assists and no turnovers.We just had a lot of really good things that took place, Alford said. We want to be a team that will stretch the floor because we have that ability. We have zero (personnel) issues. The culture has been terrific.Northridge has the confidence it can run with the Bruins after posting 20 fast-break points and 50 points in the paint against Pomona-Pitzer. The Matadors were not as potent from behind the 3-point line as UCLA, making 8 of 17, but Smith and Johnson were each 4 of 5 from that range.We are going to have to play a lot better basketball to beat UCLA, Theus said. We are going to watch a little bit of the film. Its a great challenge for us to go up to Pauley Pavilion. Im looking forward to that. ' ' '