UCLA men’s basketball team wins preseason blowout over CSULA but still show defensive weaknesses
Men’s basketball team dominates Golden Eagles but still shows defensive weaknesses
By MATT STEVENS
Updated: 1:35 AM
The Daily Bruin
UCLA 84
CSULA 59
The thunder was missing Tuesday, but the result was the same.
UCLA blew out Cal State Los Angeles but didn’t blow the roof off the building this time around.
Instead, UCLA picked apart CSULA in a more pedestrian fashion, cruising to a 84-59 victory in the Bruins’ final preseason tune up.
“Now it’s on to the real deal,” coach Ben Howland said.
There were still dunks against the Golden Eagles, but they were fewer and farther between.
Less flashy, but more effective.
All eight of UCLA’s scholarship players played more than 20 minutes Tuesday night.
Sophomore Brendan Lane, who started in place of an injured Reeves Nelson, shot the ball well in the first half, pouring in 12 points on four-of-six shooting, and freshman guard Tyler Lamb led the Bruins with 17 points off the bench.
But Howland remained dissatisfied with his team’s on-ball defense. He first raised the concern after Thursday’s preseason opener against Westmont, and said the team will meticulously pour over tape.
“We’ll break it down and show every instance tomorrow,” Howland said. “We’re going to get hurt by better teams … if we don’t really focus and get better.”
Junior guard Jerime Anderson was one of Howland’s lone bright spots defensively. Anderson again backed up junior Lazeric Jones at the point and saw nearly equal time for the second consecutive game.
In Anderson’s 21 minutes, he poured in six points off two three-pointers in transition and contributed to UCLA’s eight-of-19 night from beyond the arc.
But, of course, he won Howland over with his defense.
“I thought Jerime’s floor game was very good,” Howland said. “I was really impressed by (his) active feet.”
Freshman center Joshua Smith, who was a game-time decision with a sprained right thumb, played substantial minutes Tuesday night and Howland was similarly impressed by the big man’s effort in diving for loose balls.
He dumped in four points, but also racked up four fouls and particularly struggled to hedge out on screens away from the basket.
“The guys are a lot faster,” the freshman said. “On those hedges, I got there a little too late. When we start playing better teams… I’m going to have to work on my defense.”
The Bruins won’t get much rest before they officially open their season against CSU Northridge on Friday night.
But Howland said that while he would prefer the team to be fully healthy, he’s pleased with the progress of his team heading into its first regular season game Friday.
“I feel like we’re ready,” sophomore forward Tyler Honeycutt said. “I think we’re a lot better than we were last year at this time.”
Injury Update
Freshman guard Matt Carlino was also held out of Tuesday’s exhibition because of a concussion he suffered after falling in practice Monday.
Howland said both Carlino and Nelson will resume practice Thursday at the earliest. Howland added that he expects Nelson to play in the regular season opener Friday against Cal State Northridge.
Junior guard Malcom Lee left the game in the second half with cramps, which Howland said is an indication Lee needs more sodium.
Smith said that while his thumb felt good Tuesday, he will use a light wrap until it is fully healed. He said he anticipates using the wrap in Friday’s game.
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Ben Howland likes what he sees from young Bruins
The coach is encouraged after an 84-59 victory over Cal State Los Angeles in an exhibition at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA opens the season Friday at home against Cal State Northridge.
November 09, 2010 | By Ben Bolch | The CIty of Angels Times
Like the home court being renovated around them, the UCLA Bruins are far from a finished product.
But Coach Ben Howland proclaimed himself excited about his team after an 84-59 exhibition victory over Cal State Los Angeles on Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion.
"This is a young team," Howland said, "but I'm encouraged."
The injury-plagued Bruins made the most of their eight available scholarship players, with sophomore Tyler Honeycutt getting 15 points and 15 rebounds and freshman guard Tyler Lamb adding a game-high 17 points off the bench.
Sophomore forward Brendan Lane, starting in place of sophomore Reeves Nelson (strained right hip flexor), had 14 points and seven rebounds.
The Bruins hope to get closer to full strength by the time they open their season Friday against Cal State Northridge and begin a stretch of three games in five days. Howland said Nelson should be able to practice by Thursday.
Freshman guard Matt Carlino, who did not play Tuesday after suffering a concussion in practice, will be reassessed Thursday.
Freshman center Joshua Smith had six points and four rebounds in 20 minutes while playing with a heavily wrapped right thumb that he acknowledged was a big reason he took only three shots.
"I just wanted to go up and down and get rebounds and assists," Smith said.
One and done?
Norman Powell, a shooting guard from San Diego Lincoln High, is expected to be the only player to sign with UCLA on Wednesday. That doesn't necessarily mean Powell will be the only newcomer next season.
UCLA technically has only one scholarship to offer because it has a roster with 12 scholarship players and no seniors.
But Howland acknowledged his coaching staff continues to seek insurance in case one or more underclassmen depart for the NBA.
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UCLA BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: Bruins show physical side in win
By Jon Gold Staff Writer
Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 11/09/2010 10:22:19 PM PST
Updated: 11/09/2010 11:25:56 PM PST
In its 36-point exhibition victory over NAIA-foe Westmont at Pauley Pavilion last week, UCLA scored in transition at a breakneck pace.
On Tuesday night against Cal State Los Angeles, the Bruins just looked like they were trying to break necks.
Benefitting from a marked size advantage, UCLA was physically dominant against the Division II Golden Eagles in an 84-59 win at Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday night.
The Bruins had 16 points in the paint in the first half, shot 54 percent from the field and had a 45-27 rebounding advantage.
Sophomore small forward Tyler Honeycutt (Sylmar High) led the way with 15 points and 15 rebounds for UCLA.
The Bruins also got impressive contributions from sophomore power forward Brendan Lane (14 points, five rebounds) and freshman guard/forward Tyler Lamb (17 points).
Lane, starting in place of sophomore Reeves Nelson, who missed the game with a strained hip flexor, had 12points in the first half and helped shut out CSULA's 6-foot-9, 277-pound center Carl Hoffman (Loyola High).
"That was one of the biggest things I worked on (during the offseason)," Lane said.
"Last year, I wasn't able to defend some of the bigger players, and that really hurt us on the team.
"I wasn't able to hold my own inside."
After switching back to man-to-man defense from the zone defense that head coach Ben Howland toyed with last season, UCLA continues to work on its perimeter defense, and the Bruins looked better than against the Warriors, though Eagles guard Chris Robinson led all scorers with 23 points.
"We're getting used to it; last year, we played a lot of zone, but with the more conditioning we get in, the easier to be able to stay in front of the ball," Honeycutt said.
The right foot
UCLA had its difficulties with local opponents last season, falling to both Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State.
The Bruins will get a chance to redeem themselves Friday.
UCLA opens its regular season with Cal State Northridge at 7:30 p.m., hoping to avoid the disappointing beginning to last season, as the Bruins fell to Cal State Fullerton in double overtime 68-65.
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Bruins defeat Cal State L.A., 84-59
Nov 911:07PM PT
By Peter Yoon
ESPNLA.com
LOS ANGELES -- Despite playing short-handed, UCLA wrapped up it's exhibition season with a 84-59 rout over Cal State Los Angeles on Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion.
Freshman Tyler Lamb had 17 points off the bench and Tyler Honeycutt had 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Bruins, who played without starting forward Reeves Nelson and bacckup guard Matt Carlino.
Nelson has a strained hip flexor and is expected to return to practice Thursday and play Friday in the regular-season season opener against Cal State Northridge. Carlino has a concussion and is questionable for Friday.
The absence of Nelson slowed the Bruins' transition offense and they had only 10 fast-break points after having 26 against Westmont in their first exhibition game. Nelson led the team with 20 points in that game -- many on the break.
Brendan Lane replaced Nelson on Tuesday at the power forward spot and had 14 points and four assists, but he is more of a spot up shooter where Nelson likes to drive.
"We have to slow down a little when Reeves isn't in there, but not much," point guard Lazeric Jones said. "But Brendan gives you other options, so there's not a huge dropoff."
The Bruins took a 45-19 halftime lead, but got a bit sloppy in the second half. They had 14 of their 20 turnovers after intermission.
"With a big lead like that, it’s hard," Honeycutt said. "You tell yourself to keep slamming it down their throat, but the natural instinct is to kind of tend to let up a little bit."
The Bruins did show an improved touch from long range, making eight of 19 three-point attempts after making only three of 21 in the first exhibition. But coach Ben Howland said the Bruins must show improvement on the defensive end if they are to have a successful season.
"You can see we're going to have problems guarding the basketball," Howland said. "The biggest problem we had was too many turnovers and getting beat off the dribble."
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