UCLA starts the new year with some Wildcats

UCLA Rings in the New Year with Arizona

The Bruins, winners of their last three and four of the last five, are 46-32 all-time against Arizona.

from the Official UCLA Men's Basketball website
Jan. 1, 2010


LOS ANGELES -

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
DATE: Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010
SITE: Pauley Pavilion (12,819)
TIP-OFF: 10:07 a.m. (PT)
TELEVISION: CBS
TALENT: Spero Dedes (play-by-play) and Greg Anthony (analyst)
RADIO: AM 570 KLAC
SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO: Channel 126
SIRIUS XM SATELLITE RADIO: Channel 215
TALENT: Chris Roberts (play-by-play) and Don MacLean (analyst)


BRUIN INJURY REPORT
UCLA senior forward James Keefe suffered a dislocated left shoulder midway through the first half of the Bruins' 100-68 home win over New Mexico State on Dec. 15. He was forced to miss practice and the three subsequent games due to the injury. He returned to practice for the first time on Dec. 29 and played 12 minutes in the Bruins' Pac-10 opener against Arizona State (Dec. 31, 2009).

SERIES VERSUS ARIZONA
This is the 79th meeting between UCLA and Arizona with the Bruins leading the series 46-32 (.590). UCLA is 29-12 (.707) all-time against Arizona at home. UCLA has won eight of the last nine meetings, but the Wildcats won the last meeting 84-72 on Feb. 14, 2009 in Tucson, Ariz. The Bruins have won the last four games of the series in Pauley Pavilion, including the last two by 20 or more points. Last year, UCLA won 83-60 at home on the strength of five players in double figures, led by Nikola Dragovic's 15 points. Alfred Aboya had a double of 12 points and 12 rebounds. Josh Shipp scored 13 points while Darren Collison and Michael Roll each chipped in 12 points for UCLA. Jordan Hill had a game-high 22 points for Arizona. (Coach) Ben Howland is 8-6 all-time against Arizona while Sean Miller is 0-1 against UCLA (at Xavier in the NCAA Regional Finals in 2008).

BEST OF THE DECADE
UCLA shot a blistering 83.3 percent (15-for-18) in the first half of the Arizona State game to take a 42-31 lead into the locker room at the break. That percentage was the best of any half by a UCLA team this decade. The old mark was established on Nov. 21, 2001 when the Bruins shot 78.6 percent (22-for-28) from the field in the first half of the Maui Invitational championship game against South Carolina.