UCLA sweeps Washington State

UCLA's Reeves Nelson goes to the basket against DeAngelo Casto. Nelson had to have 15 stitches over his eye after a fall in the first half. (Dean Hare / Associated Press / February 18, 2010)

Bruins don't mind this trip to Washington State

They win on the road against Cougars, 71-51, for the 17th consecutive time.


By Chris Foster
The Los Angeles Times
February 19, 2010


Reporting from Pullman, Wash. - In a season of diminishing returns, UCLA can still bank on one thing: success in Eastern Washington.

Three things were clear after a 71-51 victory over Washington State at Friel Court Thursday. Tyler Honeycutt was perfect. Reeves Nelson was a mess. UCLA doesn't lose along the Palouse.

The Bruins shook off the can-we-make-the-NIT persona that has dogged them throughout Pacific 10 Conference play to win their 17th consecutive road game against the Cougars -- 15 in Pullman, two in Spokane.

"This is a tough place to play," said guard Michael Roll, who made six of seven shots and had a team-high 15 points. "It's a long trip to get here. The crowd is very hostile. The weather is usually bad. That's a lot for some California kids to deal with."

Yet, it hasn't been. Nothing could throw the Bruins off their game Thursday.

They found out beforehand that forward James Keefe is facing shoulder surgery and is lost for the season. It didn't matter.

They lost Nelson late in the first half after a nasty fall that required 15 stitches above his right eye. It didn't matter.

"I don't know why," Coach Ben Howland said when asked about the Bruins' success.

True, the Cougars (15-11 overall, 5-9 in conference play) sit near the bottom in the conference, having lost six of seven games. But the Bruins (12-13, 7-6) played good basketball in contrast to their previous two losses to USC and California.

UCLA shot 66% from the field and shut down Klay Thompson and Reggie Moore, the Cougars' top offensive threats. Thompson, the conference's second-leading scorer, was two for nine from the field.

"The end of the season is coming up, we got five games left," guard Malcolm Lee said. "We're still in the running for the Pac-10 title. Everyone is bunched up. We need to use this momentum and finish strong. "

It wasn't all good news.

The Bruins closed the half with a 14-2 run for a 40-26 lead. But a one-handed dunk by Nelson resulted in a horrific-looking fall with 4:23 left in the half.

He left the court bleeding from the right eye.

"I fell on my face," Nelson said. "That's never good."

The Bruins got quality time from center J'mison Morgan, who had three blocked shots and three assists in 21 minutes.

He had played only 15 minutes since conference play began.

Nelson was stitched up at halftime and returned with six minutes left and asked to go back in.

"He looked like Jerry Quarry," was Howland's assessment. "There was no need to play him with a big lead."

Honeycutt, meanwhile, has taken "gym rat" to new levels.

"I had to get on him because he sneaks into Pauley Pavilion at 11 p.m., after intramurals, and he'll shoot until 1 a.m.," Howland said. "He was just doing that Tuesday. I love the willingness to work, but . . . "

The time seems well spent. Honeycutt was five of five from the field, finishing with 14 points.
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UCLA basketball: Bruins win at Washington State ... again
By Chris Foster
The Los Angeles Times
February 18, 2010 | 7:41 pm

PULLMAN, Wash. -- In a season of diminishing returns, UCLA can still bank on one thing: Success in Eastern Washington.

The way the Bruins played in a 71-51 victory over Washington State on Thursday was a stark contrast to the can-we-make-the-NIT team that has struggled throughout Pacific 10 Conference play.

UCLA shot 66% in winning its 17th consecutive over the Cougars on the road -- 15 coming in Pullman, Wash., and two in Spokane.

Yet the victory came with a downside. The Bruins learned before the game that forward James Keefe would have shoulder surgery, ending his season, and then lost forward Reeves Nelson during the game.

Nelson was injured with 4 minutes 23 seconds left in the first half, after finishing a fastbreak with a dunk. He lost his balance coming down and landed on his face. He went to the locker room under his own power, but holding a towel on his bleeding face.

Nelson, the Bruins' most effective inside player, did not return. But on this night, his absence was something the Bruins could survive.

The Bruins (12-13 overall, 7-6 Pac-10) have known nothing but success on the road against the Cougars since a 76-73 loss in Pullman in 1993. It hasn’t always been easy, with nine of the last 16 victories decided by five or fewer points. But Thursday’s game was a breeze.

UCLA broke open a close game late in the first half. A dunk by Washington State’s Marcus Capers cut a UCLA lead to 26-24 with seven minutes left. The Cougars (15-11, 5-9) had seven turnovers and two missed shots on their next nine possessions, as UCLA went on a 14-0 run and led, 40-26, at halftime.

UCLA made 16 of 23 shots in the first half and continued to bury shots.

Michael Roll was six of seven from the field and led the Bruins with 15 points. Tyler Honeycutt made all five of his shots. He and Nikola Dragovic each had 14 points.

The Cougars, meanwhile, got little from their top offensive threats.

Klay Thompson, the conference’s second leading scorer, made two of nine shots and finished with eight points. Thompson made only five of 17 shots in a 74-62 UCLA victory at Pauley Pavilion last month. Reggie Moore, who had 24 points in the first meeting, had a 11 points.