Taking it one game at a time; Jerime Anderson getting the hang of it?

UCLA victories have never been sweeter
By Jon Gold, Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Daily News
Updated: 12/23/2009 10:46:32 PM PST


The sweet taste of victory is even sweeter when it follows bitter defeat.

So often in the recent past, the UCLA men's basketball team has had only dessert.

This year, though, with seven losses in 11 games - after just nine in 35 games last season - the Bruins have become used to that sour, rancid, pungent aftertaste. That made Tuesday's 75-63 victory over Colorado State at Pauley Pavilion all the more decadent.

"We expect to win every game, but right now it feels really good to get a win," point guard Jerime Anderson said with a weary smile after the game. "It should always feel really good to get a win, but there's a little extra right now."

Jerime Anderson, Official UCLA Men's Basketball website

The much-maligned point guard, who came into the game averaging just 5.8 points per game and 3.8assists on 38 percent shooting, had 12 points, seven assists and four rebounds in the win.

"I felt a lot more comfortable out there," Anderson said. "I'm starting to feel more comfortable every game. I was just trying to do my thing, and that happened. Right now is the best time for me to come out and play as confident as I can and try to put pressure on other guards."

Forget other guards. Anderson would best serve the team by taking some pressure off his Bruins backcourt mates. Sophomore Malcolm Lee and senior Michael Roll are shouldering the scoring burden - averaging 15.2 and 14.2 points per game, respectively - while playing the most minutes on the team. Lee played 39 minutes against the Rams and scored 16 points, a far cry from his 29-point outburst in an 84-73 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday.

"The more players get the scoring opportunities, the more their confidence will come up," Lee said.

"That's going to help in game situations like this. If they're not scoring, they're hesitant to take a clutch shot."

Taking their lumps

As the baby Bruins start to come of age - UCLA has seven underclassmen averaging more than six minutes per game - they're starting to realize they might just have to learn as they go.

"You just have to really put yourself into games and learn on the run," said UCLA freshman forward Reeves Nelson, who had 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting and six rebounds against Colorado State. "This is not a time to get babied along ... . You kind of have to take your lumps and learn when you can."

The fourth season

Forget the standard three mini-seasons within a season - non-conference, conference and postseason play - the Bruins are looking at this two-game stretch, which began with Colorado State and ends with Delaware State on Sunday, as a micro-season.

With a win over the Hornets, now 4-5 after a loss to Ohio State on Dec. 19, the Bruins can even their record with asweep of Arizona State and Arizona to begin Pac-10Conference play.

"We want to go into Pac-10 season with two more wins," freshman forward Tyler Honeycutt said before Tuesday's game. "We look at (our losses) like, `Yeah, we lost them, but it's the toughest schedule since (Coach Ben) Howland has been here.' ... It's not like we're playing mediocre teams and are going into conference season unprepared."