UCLA forward Reeves Nelson scored a career-high-tying 21 points in the Bruins' 57-44 victory over Pacific in the NIT Season Tip-Off on Tuesday. (Kirby Lee / U.S. Presswire / November 16, 2010)Pow! Bruins' dynamic duo earns them trip to Gotham
Reeves Nelson and Tyler Honeycutt carry UCLA to a 57-44 win over Pacific in the NIT Season Tip-Off, earning the Bruins a semifinal game in Madison Square Garden.
By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
11:52 PM PST, November 16, 2010
Eight was more than enough.
Actually, there were times when it seemed just two could get the job done for UCLA on Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion.
Playing with only eight available scholarship players, the injury-depleted Bruins let sophomores Reeves Nelson and Tyler Honeycutt carry them to a 57-44 victory over Pacific in the second round of the NIT Season Tip-Off.
Nelson provided the interior brawn and Honeycutt the outside touch, ensuring that UCLA won't be home for the holidays next week.
Not that the Bruins are complaining.
UCLA (3-0) will play Villanova or Boston University on Nov. 24 in Madison Square Garden in a NIT semifinal.
Nelson put the Bruins in a New York state of mind with a career-high-tying 21 points and 14 rebounds. He had 17 points in the first 20 minutes, scoring in almost every conceivable fashion, before wearing down in the second half of a game in which he logged 37 minutes.
"We obviously lost some gas," UCLA Coach Ben Howland said, "and it's because of our short numbers."
Honeycutt finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds and continual nudges of his teammates in the timeout huddles.
"I kept telling them, 'I'm trying to go to New York,' " said Honeycutt, who played 37 minutes on the second night of back-to-back games. " 'I don't know about you guys.' "
The Bruins' 16-point halftime cushion came in handy during a ragged second half in which they scrounged up only 17 points and watched their advantage dwindle to nine with 5 1/2 minutes left.
That's when sophomore forward Brendan Lane made a pair of free throws and grabbed a rebound to start a possession that ended in a driving layup by Lazeric Jones, pretty much sealing the outcome.
UCLA held Pacific (2-1) to 25% shooting, including only 13% from three-point range.
The Bruins played with only one shooting guard after injuries sidelined Malcolm Lee and Matt Carlino. Lee sprained his left ankle early in UCLA's victory over Pepperdine on Monday, and Carlino has missed the Bruins' first three games after sustaining a concussion in practice nine days ago.
Howland said Lee's status remained uncertain for his team's next game.
Freshman guard Tyler Lamb, making his first career start because of the injuries, converted the first shot he took on a stutter-step layup.
Nelson, who logged his second consecutive double-double, made 10 of 16 shots and is shooting an incredible 75% this season.
Howland yanked freshman center Joshua Smith a little more than two minutes into the game after Smith missed a shot from point-blank range and immediately committed a needless foul under the basket.
The Bruins also repeatedly failed to block out Pacific forward Sam Willard, who wiped out part of an early seven-point deficit on back-to-back baskets. Willard finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds.
Howland had said Monday the Bruins were taken out of their rhythm against Pepperdine by playing the second game of a doubleheader, which prevented them from utilizing their normal warmup routine.
It was the same setup Tuesday, UCLA's game not starting until 8:39 p.m. But late night with the Bruins ended up working out as well as they could have hoped.
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Men’s basketball wins game against Pacific and trip to NYC for NIT Season Tip-Off semifinals
By MATT STEVENS
The Daily Bruin
Updated: November 17, 2010, 1:24 AM
Lisa Honeycutt was rooting hard for a UCLA win Tuesday.
She has never been to New York City.
And she’s not about to let her son eat Thanksgiving dinner without her.
A positive thinker, Lisa booked her tickets for New York City a month ago, anticipating a set of wins from her son’s basketball team.
Now, thanks to the UCLA men’s basketball team’s 57-44 win over Pacific, she’ll also get to go to her first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
And Times Square.
And the Empire State Building.
“I’m going to the Big Apple,” she said with a smile.
Maybe that’s why Tyler played so well.
“I’ve always wanted to go to New York,” the sophomore forward said. “I’ve been to Buffalo, N.Y., which I don’t think is the same thing. I kept telling us during the huddles that ‘Hey, I’m trying to go to New York, I don’t know about you guys.’ That was my motivation.”
Honeycutt and the rest of the Bruins (3-0) shot lights out Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion in a game that was never really competitive.
The Bruins didn’t need a 26-2 run to put the Tigers (2-1) away, like they did one night before. Instead, sophomore Reeves Nelson tied a career high with 21 points, while Honeycutt chipped in 15 points and 15 rebounds. The duo shot a combined 16 for 28 from the field and four of six from behind the arc.
Honeycutt punctuated a dominating first half with a three from the left wing that he threw up after racing down court as time expired.
The impressive effort allowed the Bruins to cruise into a date in the NIT Season Tip-Off semifinals against No. 6 Villanova.
And the games are in Madison Square Garden.
“It’s exciting,” Nelson said. It’s what we wanted to do at the start of these two games, and hopefully we can show some people around the country what we’re about.”
For his part, coach Ben Howland was beaming after the game. He simply could not say enough about the defense, which held the Tigers to 25 percent shooting.
“Our defense was fantastic,” Howland said. “I’m really, really excited about this win.”
But for as well as the Bruins played Tuesday, they will face a top team next week in what will essentially be an away contest.
“It’s going to be us against the world in New York,” Howland said.
Injury update
The Bruins were without junior guard Malcolm Lee who wore a boot to protect his sprained left ankle.
“Whether or not he’ll play next Wednesday, that’s anyone’s guess,” Howland said.
Howland said he is hopeful that Lee will be able to go, as the Bruins suffered from fatigue Tuesday with only eight scholarship players.
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UCLA beats Pacific in NIT Season Tip-Off
UCLA 57, Pacific 44
10:00 PM PST on Tuesday, November 16, 2010, The Press-Enterprise
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - After missing out on the NCAA tournament last season, UCLA is getting an early season shot at some national attention.
Reeves Nelson tied his career high with 21 points and grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds, and the Bruins overcame a poor-shooting second half to defeat Pacific 57-44 in the NIT Season Tip-Off on Tuesday night.
The Bruins (3-0) earned a trip to New York City for next week's semifinals as the winner of the West regional, having beaten Pepperdine on Monday.
"It's exciting," Nelson said. "That's what we wanted to do. Hopefully, we can play well on that stage and show people around the country what we're all about."
Tyler Honeycutt added 15 points and 15 rebounds for UCLA, which improved to 6-1 over Pacific in the teams' first meeting since 1972.
"I've always wanted to go to New York," he said. "I've been to Buffalo, New York. I kept telling them in the huddles, 'I'm trying to get to New York."'
Nelson and Honeycutt combined for 29 of UCLA's 38 rebounds, including 27 on the defensive glass.
"I was watching (former UCLA player) Kevin Love and he said, 'There's no such thing as a selfish rebound,' so I had to take a couple from him," Honeycutt said, gesturing at Nelson.
The Bruins played without starting guard Malcolm Lee, of Riverside North, who is in a walking boot after spraining his left ankle against Pepperdine. That forced Reeves and Honeycutt to play 37 minutes each, and it took a toll, as did playing two nights in a row.
"We really lost some gas," UCLA coach Ben Howland said. "Reeves played 19 minutes in the first half and that's too much."
Sam Willard had 18 points and 14 rebounds for Pacific (2-1), which never got closer than nine points in the second half despite aggressively driving to the basket and stepping up its defense.
"We just didn't make shots," Willard said. "We played great defense. We're a better team than that. I know you can attribute that to UCLA, but we still have to make our shots."
The Bruins went about 4 ½ minutes without a basket to start the second half. Center Joshua Smith was in foul trouble for the third straight game, while Tyler Lamb and Brendan Lane picked up their third fouls with 16 seconds of each other.
The Tigers twice closed within nine on scores by Willard, who scored 10 points in the final 20 minutes.
Nelson scored 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting in the first half -- his career-best in a half -- to help the Bruins build a 40-24 lead at the break. He led their inside game, helping UCLA own a 20-6 edge in the paint.
"Our first half was the best half we've played all year," Howland said.
The Bruins outscored the Tigers 15-8 to open the game. Pacific ran off six in a row to get within one, the closest it would come the rest of the half.
Honeycutt launched a 25-10 run over the final 10 minutes with a three-pointer. The Bruins' final three baskets were three-pointers, including two by Honeycutt and one by Nelson. They shot 55 percent from the floor and 50 percent from the line, while Pacific was held to 29 percent from the field.
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UCLA beats Pacific 57-44 in NIT Season Tip-Off
By BETH HARRIS, AP Sports Writer
5 hours, 39 minutes ago
Box score
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Reeves Nelson tied his career-high with 21 points and 14 rebounds, and UCLA overcame a poor shooting second half to defeat Pacific 57-44 in the NIT Season Tip-Off on Tuesday night.
The Bruins (3-0) earned a trip to New York City for next week’s semifinals as the winner of the West regional, having beaten Pepperdine a night earlier.
Tyler Honeycutt added 15 points and 15 rebounds for UCLA, which improved to 6-1 over Pacific in the teams’ first meeting since 1972.
Sam Willard had 18 points and 14 rebounds for Pacific (2-1), which never got closer than nine points in the second half despite aggressively driving to the basket and stepping up its defense.
The Bruins went about 4 1/2 minutes without scoring a basket to start the second half. The Tigers twice closed within nine on scores by Willard, who scored 10 points in the final 20 minutes.
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Nelson keeps Bruins on track
By SCOTT M. REID
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Nov. 16, 2010
Updated: 11:16 p.m.
LOS ANGELES – UCLA is taking the Reeves Nelson Show, the one-man production that dominated the opening two days of the NIT Pre-Season Tip Off, to Broadway.
Nelson, the Bruins sophomore forward, pumped in 21 points in a 57-44 UCLA victory against Pacific on Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion that booked the Bruins into the tournament's final four next week at Madison Square Garden.
Taking center stage at one of American sports' most-storied venues will be Nelson, who on consecutive nights at Pauley produced one of the most dominant performances so far this college basketball season.
In leading the Bruins (3-0) past the Tigers and Pepperdine on Monday night, Nelson scored a combined 41 points and grabbed 22 rebounds.
Nelson was equally effective at either post in a half-court set or getting out front in Ben Howland's new up-tempo game. The Modesto native even led a 3-on-2 break early in the second half that snapped the Bruins out of an otherwise frigid half.
Nelson and the Bruins will face the winner of today's Villanova-Boston U. second-round game next Wednesday in New York.
Nelson on Tuesday picked right up where he left off in a 20-point, 8 of 10 from the field, 11-rebound effort in Monday's 79-69 victory against Pepperdine.
He missed on a drive on UCLA's opening possession but then scored eight of UCLA's first 12 points. Nelson hurt Pacific both inside and on the perimeter.
Early in the half he took a feed from forward Tyler Honeycutt and then twisted through traffic for the basket. On the next possession, Nelson set up on the low block, spun around a Tiger defender and then powered in a left-handed lay-in for a 12-6 Bruins lead. Later Nelson hit an 18-foot jumper.
By halftime he had 17 points, connecting on 8 of 10 field-goal attempts as the Bruins led 40-24.
Nelson also dominated the glass, particularly on the Pacific end. At one point Nelson had 10 defensive rebounds. The Tigers had 11 offensive boards. He finished with 14 boards, 13 on the defensive end.
UCLA played without shooting guard Malcolm Lee, who sprained his left ankle just six minutes into Monday's victory against Pepperdine.
Lee's injury presented freshman and former Mater Dei standout Tyler Lamb the opportunity for his first college start. Lamb, like Monday against Pepperdine, continued to struggle on offense. He was 1 for 10 from the field against Pepperdine. Lamb finished with two points, taking but one field goal attempt.
Honeycutt added 15 points and 15 rebounds.
Bruins point guard Lazeric Jones finished with 9 points and 5 assists.
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UCLA Big Apple Bound
By Jon Gold on November 16, 2010 11:18 PM | Inside UCLA blog | The Los Angeles Daily News
With team leader Malcolm Lee sidelined by a sprained ankle, the weight of the world - or at least the UCLA basketball team - was piled upon the sturdy shoulders of Reeves Nelson and Tyler Honeycutt.
They did not disappoint.
Nelson had 21 points and 14 rebounds, Honeycutt added 15 points and 15 boards, and UCLA put the clamps on the University of the Pacific in a 57-44 win in the second game of the NIT Season Tip-Off West Regional. UCLA will head to Madison Square Garden now for the semifinals, where No. 7 Villanova awaits.
The Bruins frustrated the Tigers into poor shot after poor shot, holding Pacific to 25-percent shooting, including 13 percent from 3-point range.
"I was really excited by our defense," said Howland after UCLA allowed just one Tiger in double-figures. "We held them to 25 percent; what else can you say? This is a team that executes better than anyone you'll see. Bob Thomason is not a good coach but a great coach."
With just eight scholarship players in the lineup, Howland needed to do some creative coaching himself.
Honeycutt and Nelson took care of the rest.
Nelson had 17 first-half points and Honeycutt had 13, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to go into halftime.
Perhaps more importantly, the sophomore duo dominated the glass.
With freshman center Joshua Smith in early foul trouble - he played just five first-half minutes and 13 total, finishing with four fouls for the third straight game - Honeycutt and Nelson traded boards back and forth.
The two finished with 29 of the Bruins' 38 rebounds.
"I'm expecting a double-double from Reeves and Honeycutt," Howland said. "Those guys are capable of averaging a double-double for the year. There's no doubt about that. I've talked to both of them about that - double-doubles on a consistent basis."
In the second half, UCLA was anything but consistent.
Slowed down by the Pacific zone defense and fatigued because of the foul trouble and the small roster numbers - freshman guard Matt Carlino also missed the game as he recovers from a concussion - the Bruins were outscored 20-17.
Honeycutt and Nelson both admitted to being exhausted after the game, and Howland said the players will have two straight days off for the first time since the preseason started.
"With all the combinations - Josh in foul trouble, us already being thin on the front, back-to-back nights - it all got to me," Nelson said. "But that's no excuse for how I played (in the second half)."
When Nelson and Honeycutt dipped, junior point guard Lazeric Jones came to the rescue.
Jones had two crucial dribble-drive layups late in the game and played terrific perimeter defense as Pacific starting guards Demetrece Young,Terrell Smith and Allen Huddleston combined for just 15 points on 24 shot attempts.
"It's a big responsibility, but I'm up for the challenge," Jones said. "That's why I came in the first place. The shots were in the flow of the game. I knew they were going to get up on these guys a little more. I have to make them pay when they forget about me."
UCLA, which struggled early in Monday's win over Pepperdine because of what Nelson called "the bright lights," will need to contain their excitement next Wednesday when they head to Manhattan.
"I've always wanted to go to New York," Honeycutt said. "You always see movies, TV shows and you see the Big Apple. I've been to Buffalo, but that's not considered New York.
"I kept telling us during the huddle, 'I'm, trying to go out to New York, I don't know bout you guys.'"
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Bruins get defensive in win over Pacific
November, 16, 2010 Nov 1611:41PM PT
By Peter Yoon
UCLA Report, ESPNLA
LOS ANGELES—The old Ben Ball returned to Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday night.
For at least one night, the scrappy, defense-minded style that made Bruins coach Ben Howland famous replaced the up-tempo transition game the Bruins are trying to employ this season and the good news is the Bruins haven’t forgotten how to play it.
UCLA defeated Pacific, 57-44, and advanced to play Villanova in the NIT Season Tip-off semifinals next Wednesday at Madison Square Garden in New York by holding Pacific to 25 percent shooting on a night when the up-tempo offense sputtered in part because the Bruins were playing for the second consecutive night.
UCLA had averaged 81 points in its first two games, but scored only 17 in the second half Tuesday night.
“I was really, really excited about our defense,” Howland said. “We held them to 25 percent, what more can you say. This is a team that executes as well as anybody you’ll see.”
Howland said he changed the defensive approach, having his guards fight through screens instead of getting big men to hedge, and it paid off. The Bruins created only seven turnovers, but Pacific had only four assists.
Starting guard Malcolm Lee was out because of a sprained ankle and centers Josh Smith and Anthony Stover got into early foul trouble, further taxing the Bruins’ already short roster. Tyler Honeycutt and Reeves Nelson each played 37 minutes—a lot for any game, let alone the second of back-to-back nights.
And the fatigue showed in the second half. Nelson had 21 points and 14 rebounds and Honeycutt had 15 points and 15 rebounds, but they combined for only six points in the second half.
UCLA led, 40-24 at halftime, but Pacific cut it to 47-38 with 7:24 to play. The Bruins then held Pacific to only two field goals the rest of the game, a defensive performance that eased, at least for now, preseason concerns about the Bruins' ability to win when their offense isn’t there.
“It’s very comforting,” said point guard Lazeric Jones. “We always come to games thinking that defense is going to win the game anyway. Today it just showed a little more because the offense got a little sloppy in the second half. Luckily, our defense, which is our stamp, came through in the end.”
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Fouls, then fatigue for UCLA basketball team
Short-handed Bruins can't afford needless infractions as their numbers dwindle to eight scholarship players.
UCLA BASKETBALL FYI November 17, 2010 | By Ben Bolch | The Los Angeles Times
Maybe UCLA Coach Ben Howland should take one of the "Watch Your Step" signs posted outside Pauley Pavilion during renovations and bring it inside as a practice reminder.
His short-handed team cannot afford needless fouls, particularly with injuries to shooting guards Malcolm Lee and Matt Carlino leaving the Bruins with eight available scholarship players.
Sophomore forward Reeves Nelson played 19 first-half minutes Tuesday during the Bruins' 57-44victory over Pacific after fellow big men Joshua Smith, Brendan Lane and Anthony Stover each picked up two fouls.
Although Nelson had an outstanding half, collecting 17 points and six rebounds, he sputtered throughout most of the final 20 minutes, missing short-range shots he normally makes. He finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds in 37 minutes.
"It just kind of got to me," Nelson said of the fatigue resulting from playing heavy minutes for a second consecutive night, "but that's no excuse for how I played."
The foul trouble was nothing new for Smith. The freshman center has picked up four fouls in each of his first three college games. How much of it was the 305-pounder's being an easy target for referees and how much of it was freshman mistakes?
"I think it was 50-50," sophomore forward Tyler Honeycutt said. "He'll probably tell you it was 80-20."
Honeycutt also played 37 minutes in the wake of the Bruins' depth issues, his shot betraying him throughout the second half. He made five of eight shots in the first half but only one of four in the second, finishing with 15 points and 15 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.
Not half bad
While the Bruins' offense generated only 17 second-half points against Pacific, the UCLA defense remained in lockdown mode.
UCLA held the Tigers to 20 points on 22.6% shooting in the second half, and thee Tigers missed all nine of their three-point attempts. For the game, Pacific made only 15 of 60 shots.
"They shot 25%," Howland said. "Our defense was fantastic."
Bruins guard Lazeric Jones said it was comforting to know the Bruins' defense can carry the team when the offense struggles.
"We always come to games thinking defense is going to win the game," Jones said.
Get well soon
Howland said it was too early to tell whether Lee could return for UCLA's semifinal game in the NIT Season Tip-Off on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden against Villanova.
"That will be anybody's guess," Howland said. "I know him and our trainer will get very well acquainted over the next five to six days trying to get him ready and really attacking that ankle."
If Lee cannot play in UCLA's next game, Howland said, a return by the following game two days later "is very realistic." Lee's ankle has been immobilized in a walking boot.
A little R&R
For the first time since practice started last month, the Bruins will take two consecutive days off in attempt to heal their early season nicks and bruises.
"Just chill, go to sleep," Honeycutt said of his agenda. "We have to watch film Thursday. Hopefully no guys fall asleep."
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