UCLA Team Report

UCLA Team Report

UCLA Bruins

2-4 (0-0), 2nd Pac-12


Yahoo! Sports Nov 29, 10:45 pm EST


GETTING INSIDE

The Bruins enter December nothing like the team they—or anyone else—expected.

Picked to win the Pac-12, UCLA lost four of its first five, beating only Division II Chaminade at the Maui Invitational. The Bruins moved a small step in the right direction with a 62-39 win over Pepperdine.

Still, there were internal issues that threaten to tear apart the team and undermine their season almost before it starts.

Junior forward Reeves Nelson, the team’s best player, was suspended by coach Ben Howland for attitude issues displayed during a season-opening loss to Loyola Marymount. Less than a week later, he missed the team bus to the airport, then the flight to Hawaii.

Prior to UCLA’s Nov. 28 game vs. Pepperdine, Howland said Nelson would not return to the starting lineup “any time soon.”

“He’s got to have a good attitude and be accountable for a while,” Howland said. “I thought he did a good job in the second half of the Chaminade game and the Kansas game, but sometimes he slips back to his old practice habits and he’s just got to get better.”

Then there’s 6-foot-10 center Joshua Smith, expected to be an unstoppable force his sophomore season. Still limited by his 315 pounds, Smith averaged barely 17 minutes through six games and was averaging just 8.2 points. He also was shooting 47 percent from the foul line.

“They’ve got some guys that I think need to really take a look at themselves and decide whether they’re in this for the long haul or not,” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas told the Los Angeles Times after watching the Bruins lose two of three at Maui. “I mean, I saw some guys that really fought and some others that were not all there. No team can win like that.”

Bilas said he expected Smith to return this season more prepared than a year ago. “He’s less prepared,” Bilas said. “He was a net loss with the turnovers, the buckets he was giving up because he really couldn’t keep up defensively. It negated every point that he scored.”

Howland agreed that Smith’s stamina is an issue, and even called a timeout against Kansas just to give his center the chance to catch his breath.


NOTES, QUOTES


• UCLA was converting just 29.7 percent of its 18 3-point shots per game. Coach Ben Howland conceded that’s “probably” too many 3-pointers.

• The Bruins 1-4 start was its worst since the 1987-88 team dropped four of its first five games on the way to a 16-14 record in the late coach Walt Hazzard’s final season.

• UCLA trailed Kansas by 20 points in the first half at the Maui Invitational.

• Even in its 92-60 rout of Division II Chaminade, the Bruins led by just two points at halftime.


Keep An Eye On: Reeves Nelson. If the Bruins are going to turn their season around after a wretched start, it will begin with their junior forward. He’s been at odds with coach Ben Howland and did not immediately develop a rhythm after serving a one-game team suspension for attitude matters. Nelson is such a key part of the UCLA puzzle that he can either elevate the team or torpedo its season.


Strengths: Right now, it’s hard to find many. The Bruins were picked to win the Pac-12 on the strength of their imposing frontcourt, but that group has issues. If they get it together, center Joshua Smith, forward Reeves Nelson and twins Travis and David Wear should give UCLA a frontline edge.


Weaknesses: The Bruins appear to have serious chemistry issues. UCLA entered the season with backcourt questions, and returning senior starter Lazeric Jones was on the brink of losing his job due to abysmal shooting. The perimeter threesome of Jones, Tyler Lamb and freshman reserve Norman Powell combined to shoot 25.4 percent from 3-point range through six games.


Quote To Note: “We can’t keep coming back and trying to come back—it’s difficult to get over that hill. I’m very inspired by our team’s comeback and our will and our fight, but we just need to put ourselves in a better position to win the game.”— UCLA guard Jerime Anderson after losing to Kansas.


STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL


Recruiting And Returns: The Bruins checked in at No. 10 on the Rivals.com team rankings after inking a two-man class headlined by Kyle Anderson. A versatile 6-foot-7 guard/forward from St. Anthony HS in New Jersey, Anderson is rated as the nation’s second-best prospect, according to Rivals. UCLA also landed Jordan Adams, a 6-5 wing from Oak Hill Academy who is No. 73 on the Rivals list.


December Outlook: The struggling Bruins are home Dec. 3 to face Texas, featuring explosive junior guard J’Covan Brown, who scored 35 points against Rhode Island. The schedule then eases with five more nonconference games at home. Of course, with Pauley Pavilion undergoing renovations all season, home ain’t what it used to be for the Bruins.


Roster Report


• Senior guard Jerime Anderson has been one of the club’s few early bright spots. He was averaging a team-best 11.4 points and shooting 39.1 percent from beyond the 3-point arc after six games.

• Sophomore center Joshua Smith had just one point and one rebound before fouling out in 13 minutes against Kansas. He played just 12 minutes and scored four points in the win over Pepperdine.

• Junior forward Reeves Nelson shot 8 for 22 from the field in his first three games after sitting the loss to Middle Tennessee State with a team suspension. He was averaging 6.8 points through the team’s first six outings.

A closer look: An opposing coach on why UCLA is struggling

Thanks to Puffdaddy for posting on BZ.

A closer look: An opposing coach on why UCLA is struggling

By Jeff Eisenberg
The Dagger
Yahoo!Sports.com
Rivals.com
Tue Nov 29 05:47pm EST


Whether it's upset losses, untimely suspensions or dwindling fan support, no preseason Top 25 team has endured a more disappointing start than UCLA.

It took the Bruins (2-4) until Monday against Pepperdine to pick up their first victory over a Division I opponent. They previously lost home games by double figures against Loyola Marymount and Middle Tennessee State and left Maui last week with only a victory over Division II Chaminade to show for it.

To get an idea of why UCLA is struggling and whether it will improve, The Dagger asked a coach whose team has already faced the Bruins this season to assess their strengths and weaknesses. The coach was granted anonymity to assure honesty.

An opposing coach on UCLA:

1. "The whole key to UCLA being successful this year will be if their guards shoot the ball well. In their games this year, teams have sagged way off their guards and helped on the inside. That was our game plan too. Their big men are almost impossible to stop one-on-one, so we tried to help down low as much as possible. We said if they're going to beat us, they're going to do it making threes."

2. "We thought we could sag off all of their guards. We were going to make them all prove they could shoot. None of them had really shot the ball remarkably well throughout the careers, so we thought, 'Hopefully it continues against us.' We sagged off all their guards. We didn't pick one guy and say help off him."

3. "We were able to take advantage of (Joshua Smith's conditioning) in transition. Our guys were beating him down the court the majority of times, which led to us getting some open shots because people had to help on guys running lanes. ... Our game plan was to try to get (Smith) onto the perimeter as much as possible. What a lot of teams will do is use the guy he's guarding as the screener. They play almost all man-to-man defense, so I think a lot of teams will try to bring him up to the perimeter and force him to hedge and recover.

4. "We were hoping we would be able to attack (the Wear twins) off the dribble. If they're going to play three big guys, one of the big guys has to guard an opposing three man and there are positives and negatives to that. They're going to have to be able to stop penetration. They'll have their work cut out for them trying to stop people off the dribble."

5. "(Freshman guard Norman Powell) is incredibly athletic. As he gets more and more confident in their offense, he's going to get better and better. He's virtually impossible to stop off the dribble. If he can make his outside shots, he's going to be a very effective player."

6. "They're well-coached, so I think they'll get better. I think they'll find ways to get Reeves Nelson more involved in the offense. They'll find ways to use him effectively and ways to use all their big guys. They've got really good inside guys and they run really good sets for each of them, but defensively they're going to have to figure out ways to stop people."

UCLA takes step toward salvaging season and winning back fans

UCLA takes step toward salvaging season and winning back fans


By Jeff Eisenberg
The Dagger
Yahoo!Sports.com
Rivals.com
Tue Nov 29 03:44am EST



LOS ANGELES — UCLA finally defeated a Division I opponent Monday night, not that many fans were at the 14,500-seat Los Angeles Sports Arena to witness it.

Thirty-four students made the 17-mile trek from campus to UCLA's temporary home in time for tipoff. Only a few more trickled into the student section by the middle of the first half. And the announced crowd generously listed at 3,885 was so lifeless in the opening minutes of a low-scoring game that one fed-up fan could be heard throughout the arena when he shouted sarcastically, "Beautiful basketball, Ben."

Granted UCLA's 62-39 victory over lightly regarded Pepperdine didn't conjure memories of the John Wooden era, but the Bruins at least began the process of winning over the fans they lost during their dreadful 1-4 start. They forced 15 turnovers, kept Pepperdine out of the lane and limited the Waves to 31.3 percent shooting, exactly the sort of increased effort a team that's desperate for a win should display.

"I thought our need for a win tonight was really exemplified by how hard our guys played tonight defensively," UCLA coach Ben Howland said. "We did a much better job of rotating, scrambling, helping, switching when we needed to switch. Our team defense was by far the best effort we've had all year. That's how we have to play."

If that level of satisfaction after shutting down one of the West Coast Conference's worst teams seems over the top, consider the struggles the Bruins have endured during the first two weeks of the season.

They dropped their opening two games of the season by double digits to Loyola Marymount and Middle Tennessee State. They lost all-conference forward Reeves Nelson to a brief suspension in between those games. And they came home from the Maui Invitational last week with only a win over Division II Chaminade to show for it.

A win over Pepperdine probably would be an unlikely turning point for UCLA, but the Bruins at least emerged with newfound confidence. The combination of an improved defensive effort from the whole team, 14 points from previously slumping point guard Lazeric Jones and a combined 18 points and 15 rebounds from the Wear twins enabled UCLA to build a 28-11 halftime lead and extend it to as many as 27 in the second half.

"I feel like sometimes you've got to get a win to know how to win," Jones said. "To see us go out there, play hard, dive on the floor for balls and really help each other, that's what we need to do to win. Hopefully we can continue to do this for our next couple games."

Even though Monday's performance clearly represented a step forward for UCLA, the Bruins certainly did not quell some of the concerns about their long-term outlook.

First of all, UCLA still has to prove it can keep opponents with better guards than Pepperdine's molasses-slow backcourt from slicing up its trademark man-to-man defense off the dribble. And secondly, the Bruins cannot beat the better teams on their schedule if they don't get more consistent production from Nelson and center Joshua Smith.

Nelson, who Howland said won't start "anytime soon" as a result of continuing attitude issues, was a non-factor on Monday, scoring two points and logging just 10 minutes as a result of early foul trouble. And the combination of fouls and fatigue limited the overweight Smith to four points and six rebounds in 12 minutes.

"They'll play better," Howland said. "I'm confident of that going forward. And obviously we need them to."

If UCLA can find a way to maintain this level of defensive intensity and get Nelson and Smith to produce in the paint, that might be the formula that helps the Bruins dig out of this hole and entice more fans to endure the traffic-clogged commute downtown. The several thousand that made the trip Monday night may have been skeptical early, but they gave the Bruins a standing ovation at the end of both halves.

The Bruins couldn't help but notice the meager turnout on Monday night, yet they were thankful for the ones who did support them rather than indignant that so few showed up.

"Those were true blue Bruin fans," Howland said. "1-4 hasn't happened here in a long time. An 8 p.m. game on a Monday night, it's a later game. I really appreciate all the fans that made it to the game in person today. We appreciate the support."

UCLA puts it all together to beat Pepperdine, 62-39

Bruins forward Travis Wear (24) and center Anthony Stover battle for the ball with Waves center Corbin Moore (44) at the Sports Arena on Monday night. (Kirby Lee / US Presswire / November 28, 2011)


UCLA puts it all together to beat Pepperdine, 62-39


Bruins play a solid all-around game, especially on defense, and cruise to victory.


By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
11:20 PM PST, November 28, 2011



This was the kind of retro feel UCLA was going for this season.

There were huge runs against a seemingly overmatched opponent.

Waving arms swatted shots and forced turnovers.

Fans had something to cheer besides having beer at a college sporting event.

The Bruins were back to dominating in the building where they routinely humbled foes and won two national titles, thrashing Pepperdine on Monday night at the Sports Arena during a 62-39 victory.

UCLA (2-4) used suffocating defense and a 22-4 push to close the first half to move into the win column against Division I opponents and notch its first victory at home after dropping its first two games against mid-majors.

"Sometimes you have to get a win to know how to win," said guard Lazeric Jones, who supplemented a game-high 14 points with six steals and four assists.

Not that there were many around to see it. An announced crowd of 3,885 that seemed less than half that number included a student section 34 strong.

Those who were there witnessed the Bruins' best defense of the season as they forced 15 turnovers, blocked eight shots and held Pepperdine (3-3) to 31.3% shooting.

"It was a completely different group of guys out there," said UCLA Coach Ben Howland, whose team had allowed three of its first five opponents to shoot better than 50%.

"We did a much better job rotating, helping, scrambling, supporting one another, switching when we needed to switch. Our team defense was by far the best effort we've had all year, and that's how we have to play."

Their offense wasn't too shabby either.

Sophomore forwards David and Travis Wear combined for 18 points, 17 rebounds, five blocks and two lost teeth when Travis Wear ran into an elbow while trying to rebound a free throw.

"I picked one up off the ground," said Travis Wear, who will have the teeth re-implanted Tuesday.

UCLA freshman guard Norman Powell turned in a pick-me-up performance with a steal and a breakaway dunk on the way to a career-high 10 points.

It was the kind of showing longtime UCLA fans became accustomed to when the Bruins won 86.1% of their games as the home team in the Sports Arena from 1959 to 1965.

Comfortably ahead in the second half, the Bruins refused to let up, using a 19-7 surge to take a 27-point lead. UCLA also held the Waves without a double-figure scorer; center Corbin Moore and guard Josh Lowery each scored nine points.

Ten years to the day of its last victory over UCLA, Pepperdine hung around for the first 10 minutes as the teams combined for only 17 points and the Bruins held a three-point lead.

That's when UCLA's defense stiffened considerably, helping the Bruins transform a 7-6 deficit into a 28-11 halftime lead. Senior guard Jerime Anderson forced a turnover and then fed Jones for a three-point basket. Travis Wear took a charge and then made a putback on the other end of the court.

The Waves didn't reach double digits until Moore's tip-in with 1 minute 54 seconds left in the first half.

Howland credited his players for redoubling their efforts and changing how they defended ball screens.

"It just goes to show if we play hard and do what we're supposed to do on defense, everything falls into place," David Wear said. "This is how we need to play going forward."

_________________

UCLA gets it right against Pepperdine

By JANIS CARR / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Nov. 28, 2011 Updated: 10:50 p.m.



LOS ANGELES – After stumbling to a 1-4 start, UCLA took steps Monday to right its season with a 62-39 victory against Pepperdine in front of a sparse crowd at the L.A. Sports Arena.

The nonconference victory — the Bruins' first against a Division I opponent — won't fix all the Bruins' problems, but the lopsided game served as a reminder of how good the team can be when everything works smoothly

"Getting a win was very important," Coach Ben Howland said. "We were dying to get a win. We have to play with that kind of desire every time to be successful."

The early going has been rough for the Bruins, who lost their first two games — to Loyola Marymount then to Middle Tennessee State. They then went to the Maui Invitational, where they won just one of three games.

But they seemed to put all that behind them Monday and focus their energies on Pepperdine (3-3).

UCLA, picked to finish first in the Pac-12, went on a 20-2 run in the first half, smothered the Waves at the other end and built a 26-9 lead late in the first half. The Bruins led, 28-11, at halftime.

The Waves pulled to 12 points back in the second half but couldn't get any closer as the Bruins pulled away in the final 10 minutes.

"We're on the path to being a very good team," UCLA's David Wear said.

Lazeric Jones led the Bruins with 14 points, while David Wear and Norman Powell each contributed 10 points. Travis Wear pulled down 10 rebounds despite losing two teeth in a collision.

Reeves Nelson picked up two fouls in two minutes during the first half and returned to the bench, where he started the game.

On Sunday, Howland said the troubled forward would not start "any time soon" because of his attitude and disciplinary issues.

Nelson missed the team bus to Los Angeles International Airport for the flight to Hawaii, and then he missed a players banquet that preceded UCLA's opener of the Maui Invitational. As punishment, Howland sat Nelson for the first half of that game. He came off the bench in the other two games in Hawaii.

_________________


UCLA BASKETBALL: Bruins finally latch on to wave of momentum with 62-39 victory over Pepperdine

By Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 11/28/2011 10:35:49 PM PST
Updated: 11/29/2011 12:41:54 AM PST


At the end of a long, dreary Monday came a glimmer of hope for UCLA.

The Bruins' basketball team showed signs of waking up from its early-season slumber in a 62-39 win over Pepperdine at the Sports Arena.

Lost in the drama unfolding with the UCLA football team, which culminated Monday with the firing of underachieving head coach Rick Neuheisel, is the Bruins' underwhelming start on the hardwood.

Back-to-back losses to Loyola Marymount and Middle Tennessee, mixed in with some off-court turmoil by temperamental forward Reeves Nelson and a pair of blowout setbacks in Hawaii to Kansas and Michigan, created a worst-case scenario for a team looking to rebound from two relatively down seasons.

Then came Monday and a definite step in the right direction against Pepperdine, by far the Bruins' most convincing, complete performance of the season.

For the first time this season UCLA (2-4) successfully defended the perimeter, especially during a first half in which Pepperdine managed to make just 5 of 19 shots from the field for 26.3 percent. Best of all was the 0-for-3 the Waves (3-3) shot from 3-point range as the Bruins have had particular trouble slowing teams down from behind the arc.

Pepperdine finished the night making 15 of 48 shots and 3 of 9 3-pointers, with Taylor Darby scoring nine points to lead the way.

"Our need for a win tonight was exemplified by how hard we played defensively," UCLA coach Ben Howland said. "Our team defense was by far our best effort of the year.

"That's how we have to play."

The crisp defense, coupled with better rebounding, enabled the Bruins to get out and run for some easy transition points.

"Seeing guys get on the floor and communicate, that's how we have to play," said Lazeric Jones, who led the Bruins with 14 points and had six steals. "It was better effort, better communication, everything."

It all culminated with a 20-2 run midway through the first half in which the Bruins built a 17-point lead.

"Going forward, this is how we have to play," David Wear said. "I think we showed defensively and offensively what kind of team we can be."

The second half was much the same, with UCLA opening a 50-29 lead after a 3-point play from Wear and extending it to 54-31 on a basket by Nelson, who once again came off the bench.

Norman Powell and Jones also got untracked in the backcourt with both sinking 3-pointers in the second half and finishing the game in double figures. Powell finished with 10 points.

"Norm came off the bench and played well for us," Howland said.

Wear added 10 points and brother Travis Wear finished with eight.

Travis Wear, incidentally, got two teeth knocked out after getting elbowed in the second half. He wasn't wearing his normal mouthpiece when it happened.

"I just ran into his elbow," Wear said. "It was inadvertent."

The good news is he didn't lose them in vain.

"He'll always remember he got them knocked out in a win," Howland said.

All in all, it was a much-needed confidence boast for a team struggling to find an identity, rhythm and consistency.

"Definitely something to build on," Travis Wear said.

Granted, Pepperdine won't be confused with Kansas anytime soon but the Waves do have a win over Arizona State to their credit, albeit a loss to Cal State Bakersfield as well.

But with the Bruins off to a 1-4 start - and considering that win came against tiny Chaminade in Hawaii - they can be excused for feeling pretty good about themselves after taking care of Pepperdine.

Peel back the layers of dominance and some interesting tidbits are uncovered.

First, 10 Bruins finished in the scoring column, proof of how well the ball was moving and the ease with which they were running the floor and converting.

Making as much of an impact was the work being done on the glass, with Travis Wear pulling down 10 rebounds. Pepperdine ended up beating UCLA on the boards 36-35, but the Waves did so with a big second-half push and with the game in hand.

Most important of all was the defensive pressure being applied to the Waves, with UCLA fighting through screens to chase down shooters and siphoning off on the inside.

The Bruins forced 15 turnovers and came up with 15 steals.

All in all, it was everything UCLA could have hoped for after playing as poorly as it did over its first five games.

And for a school reeling from the firing of its football coach, a definite ray of sunshine.

______________


UCLA notches first win over D-I opponent

By RYAN MENEZES
The Daily Bruin
Published November 28, 2011 in Sports: Bruin Sights
Updated:November 28, 2011, 11:28 PM



When you’ve got as long a list of issues as the UCLA men’s basketball team had through five games, sometimes you’ve got to start by addressing the small things.

Like communicating on defense, hustling to capitalize on loose balls and fighting tooth and nail on both sides of the ball — even when a stray elbow takes out two of your pearly whites.

UCLA soundly defeated Pepperdine, 62-39, Monday night at the Sports Arena. In the process, the Bruins (2-4) started to make progress on their “fix-it” list. That wasn’t the case through their first five games, including a 1-2 trip to Maui, when the list just kept growing.

“We learned that defensively we weren’t very good,” redshirt sophomore David Wear said of the team’s performance in the Maui Invitational. “We didn’t match our opponent’s intensity. I think tonight we really got together and showed how good a team we can be defensively.”

It was apparent early, when the Waves failed to crack double digits on the scoreboard until just under two minutes to go in the first half. Though the Bruins weren’t spectacular on offense, holding an opponent to 11 first-half points was a significant improvement.

“Rotating, helping, scrambling, supporting one another, switching when we needed to switch — our team defense was by far our best effort that we’ve had all year,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said.

The Bruins finished with eight blocks and 10 steals against the out-manned Waves (3-3) while finally notching a win over a Division I opponent. They also forced 15 turnovers and scored 21 points off the miscues.

Senior point guard Lazeric Jones led the team with his 14 points, but it was the redshirt sophomore Wear twins who seemed a bit more at ease on offense and defense. David finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, while Travis had eight points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.

A shot to the mouth dazed Travis early in the second half. When he had a chance to sum up the damage, he saw one of his teeth on the floor and one still hanging by a thread. Damage that could have been prevented if he was wearing his mouthguard.

“Like he was supposed to,” Howland sternly noted. “I think that he’ll be wearing it from now on.”


Attendance dwindling

The Bruins finally got their first “Road Show” win, but did it in front of the their smallest crowd of the year.

In losses to Loyola Marymount and Middle Tennessee State, the announced attendance at the Sports Arena was 5,382 and 4,758, respectively.

Howland emphasized how appreciative he was that 3,885 showed up for UCLA’s win over Pepperdine.

“Those are true blue Bruin fans,” Howland said. “1-4 hasn’t happened here in a long time.”

“We’re our biggest fans,” Jones, a captain, added about his team. “If you look back at the tape, you’ll see the bench a little more alive.”

Five observations: UCLA 62, Pepperdine 39

Tyler Lamb dunks during UCLA's first-half dominance against Pepperdine on Monday night. Stephen Dunn/Getty Images


Five observations: UCLA 62, Pepperdine 39



By Blair Angulo
ESPN Los Angeles, UCLA Report
November, 28, 2011 11:39 PM PT




UCLA was successful in its return to the mainland, earning its first victory over a Division I opponent Monday night with a 62-39 drubbing of Pepperdine.

But by no means were the Bruins crisp, especially to start. They managed only five points in the first 7 minutes 46 seconds of play before going on a 20-2 run midway through the first half to pull away. The Bruins, fresh off an uninspiring trip to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational, got their first victory at the L.A. Sports Arena and improved to 2-4 overall.

Five observations from the game:

1) Perimeter defense was in sync


Suffocating pressure from starting guards Lazeric Jones and Jerime Anderson played a major role in Pepperdine's first-half funk. The Waves went scoreless for over five minutes and managed just one basket in a rough stretch that lasted nearly nine minutes.

UCLA gave up only 11 points in the first half, the fewest since holding Florida International to 13 in 2008.

"Our team defense wasn't even close [at the beginning of the season] to what it is now," coach Ben Howland said.

Remember, the Bruins lost their best perimeter defender when Malcolm Lee left for the NBA last spring, and they don't have another player that will fill his shoes this year. Instead, UCLA will have to be good as a unit. Jones, who had a career-high six steals, attributed the change to better communication.

"I continued to hear people talk behind me," Jones said.


2) The Wear twins meshed well as a tandem


Sophomore forward Travis Wear took an inadvertent elbow that knocked out his two front teeth -- causing him to speak with a noticeable lisp during the postgame news conference -- but that didn't stop him from pegging it as his best game as a Bruin. Travis Wear had eight points, a career-high 10 rebounds and three blocks, and, before he left the court to get his mouth examined, spent a considerable amount of his minutes alongside brother David Wear, who added 10 points and a career-high seven boards.

Howland seems intent on having both on the floor at the same time, and their collective performance Monday probably won't make him stray from that strategy.

"I think we're on the right path to being a really good team," Travis Wear said.


3) The Bruins excelled without Joshua Smith and Reeves Nelson


A total of 22 minutes from Reeves Nelson and Joshua Smith is an alarming statistic to take from this one. The two projected frontcourt starters were afterthoughts, really.

Nelson, who hasn't made a start since the season opener, played only two minutes in the first half because of foul trouble. Smith, again plagued by the whistle, played only four minutes in the first half. The duo combined for six points and six fouls.

"They'll play better," Howland said, "I'm confident, as we move forward."


4) Norman Powell has potential to wow


Former UCLA guard Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook thrived in fast-break opportunities during their time in Westwood, usually capping their runs with dazzling moves near the rim.

Freshman Norman Powell might be UCLA's next can't-blink-when-he-has-the-ball player. He had a flashy dunk late in the first half that drew a surprisingly loud response from the 3,885 in attendance. Powell also added a pair of 3-pointers and notched a career-high with 10 points.


5) Lazeric Jones bounced back


Jones appeared to regain his shooting touch, scoring a team-high 14 points Monday following his 0-for-5 performance in the Maui finale against Michigan. The Bruins will need similar efforts from him the rest of the season, and Jones knows it.

"I feel like sometimes you've got to get a win to know how to win," Jones said. "To see us go out there and play hard, it showed us what we need to do to win."

UCLA's Ben Howland: Reeves Nelson won't start 'any time soon'

UCLA's Ben Howland: Reeves Nelson won't start 'any time soon'

By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
November 27, 2011 | 4:56pm


Just because Reeves Nelson is back playing for UCLA doesn't mean he has left Coach Ben Howland's doghouse.

Howland said Sunday that Nelson, his only returning all-conference player, would not start "any time soon" in the wake of his early-season suspensions that sidelined him 1 1/2 games before he returned during the Maui Invitational.

"He's got to have a good attitude, be accountable for a while here before that's going to happen," Howland said.

Howland said he was pleased with Nelson's behavior during the second half of the Chaminade game, which was his first time back on the court since the Bruins' opener, and the Kansas game, "but sometimes he slips back to his old practice habits and he's just got to get better."

Nelson was suspended indefinitely after UCLA's season-opening loss to Loyola Marymount in part because he was late to a team meeting, then sat out the first half of the Chaminade game after missing the team bus to the airport and the team flight to Hawaii.

For UCLA (1-4) to rebound from a lousy start, Nelson must revert to the player who averaged 13.9 points last season and played hard-nosed defense during a home victory against Arizona, not the one prone to sulking and disappearing for stretches. Nelson has made one start this season and is averaging 8.0 points and 5.5 rebounds.

In injury news, Howland said sophomore forward Travis Wear practiced Sunday and was expected to play against Pepperdine after needing five stitches to close a wound he suffered while snorkeling in Hawaii. Sophomore center Anthony Stover tweaked his shoulder injury but is expected to play. But junior forward De'End Parker will remain out because of a knee injury.

Howland said guard Larry Drew II, who must sit out this season after transferring from North Carolina, injured his groin before the team left for Hawaii and remains sidelined.

Commitment issues seen as cause of UCLA's early-season woes

Thanks to HowlandWood for posting on BZ.

Commitment issues seen as cause of UCLA's early-season woes


Conditioning efforts of Joshua Smith, troubles of Reeves Nelson and ineffectiveness of Lazeric Jones have contributed to Bruins' worst start in 24 years. Coach Ben Howland is making adjustments.


By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
4:35 PM PST, November 24, 2011




Reporting from Lahaina, Hawaii -- Changes in defensive schemes and player rotations may not be enough.

For UCLA to put a season already adrift back on course, the Bruins might need a renewed commitment from a few wayward players.

"They've got some guys that I think need to really take a look at themselves and decide whether they're in this for the long haul or not, and I don't say that lightly because a number of those guys are," ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas said after watching the Bruins lose two of three games in the Maui Invitational, with the victory coming against Division II Chaminade.

"I mean, I saw some guys that really fought and some others that were not all there. No team can win like that."

Bilas pointed to senior guard Jerime Anderson leaving the Lahaina Civic Center court in tears after UCLA's 79-63 loss to Michigan on Wednesday as a sign of the type of character the Bruins (1-4) needed to reverse their worst start in 24 years.

But Bilas questioned the conditioning efforts of center Joshua Smith and said Reeves Nelson's suspensions that sidelined the forward for 1 1/2 games have hurt a frontcourt that has failed to measure up to lofty preseason expectations.

"I expected that Smith was going to come back more prepared than last year; he's less prepared," Bilas said of the 6-foot-10, 315-pound sophomore, who had 12 points but six turnovers against the Wolverines. "He was a net loss with the turnovers, the buckets he was giving up because he really couldn't keep up defensively. It negated every point that he scored."

UCLA Coach Ben Howland reiterated his concerns about Smith's stamina after the game, saying the center "has just got to keep working to get himself in better condition." Howland said he called a timeout during one second-half run just to give Smith a breather.

Rest might be hard to come by in practice over the next few weeks for a team in need of an overhaul. The Bruins have repeatedly gotten off to slow starts, falling behind in the first half of each game and trailing at the midpoint in four of five games.

UCLA has made 29.7% of its 18 three-point shots per game, prompting Howland to say his team is "probably" shooting too much from beyond the arc.

Defensively, the Bruins have been beaten off the dribble and slow to close out on perimeter shooters, a big reason opponents have made 51.4% of their three-point shots and are shooting 51% overall.

As his team prepares to play Pepperdine on Monday at the Sports Arena, Howland said he would pack in his defense in an attempt to make things more difficult for opponents that have enjoyed uncontested layups and long-range jumpers.

Changes in playing time are already afoot. Anderson has played more minutes than point guard Lazeric Jones in each of the last two games as a result of Jones' foul trouble and ineffectiveness; he is shooting 24.5% and has made three of 18 (16.7%) three-point shots.

UCLA's worst start since the 1987-88 team dropped four of its first five games on the way to a 16-14 season left the Bruins with a Ratings Percentage Index of 275 out of 344 Division I schools, according to independent expert Jerry Palm.

Athletic Director Dan Guerrero declined to comment Thursday, saying through a school spokesman that he preferred to wait until the end of the nonconference schedule to gauge the state of the program.

Bilas said the Bruins, whose losses have all been by double digits, needed to show they could be competitive before worrying about whether they could rebound to make the NCAA tournament. And that could start, Bilas said, with players listening to their coach.

"I've known Ben Howland a long time — that guy's the real thing and truly an outstanding coach, so I don't think this thing is a long-term problem," Bilas said. "They've got a great recruiting class coming in, so whoever's not on the bus, the bus will be leaving and it will go somewhere good, I know that."

UCLA loses 79-63 to No. 15 Michigan in Maui

UCLA guard Jerime Anderson drives to the basket during the Bruins' 79-63 loss to Michigan at the Maui Invitational on Wednesday. (Brian Spurlock / U.S. Presswire / November 23, 2011)




UCLA loses 79-63 to No. 15 Michigan in Maui

By JOHN MARSHALL, AP Basketball Writer 3 hours, 5 minutes ago
Rivals.com, Yahoo!Sports


LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP)—UCLA went into Maui with two embarrassing losses and added two more before heading home.

At least the Bruins are making some progress.

Struggling from the perimeter and unable to slow Michigan’s offense, UCLA left the Maui Invitational with its second loss in three days after the 15th-ranked Wolverines rolled to a 79-63 win Wednesday in the tournament’s third-place game.

“We’ll start to make a comeback and dig ourselves out of the 1-4 hole that we’re in right now,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said.

Michigan (5-1) played well at both ends to build a modest lead in the first half and ran away with it in the second. The Wolverines made 15 of 23 shots in the second half and hit 62 percent overall to bounce back from a tough loss to No. 6 Duke in the semifinals.

Zack Novak scored a career-high 22 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. added 20 and Jon Horford scored all 12 of his points in the first half for Michigan, which bookended its loss to the Blue Devils with two solid wins.

“It (the stage) doesn’t get any brighter than this time of the year and that’s big for us,” Michigan coach John Beilein said. “You don’t know how people are going to do when all of a sudden, the teams and the coaches that you see on television every day, and all of a sudden, it’s you. I really liked what we saw from there.”

UCLA (1-4) is off to one of its worst starts in years.

Travis Wear had 16 points, Joshua Smith and Jerime Anderson 12 each and UCLA shot just 4 of 17 from 3-point range.

“It’s really obvious that we have a long way to go to be able to compete against the teams on our schedule that are left. It’s going to be a hard fight,” Howland said. “Our guys have to be willing to get to work. Nothing’s easy. We’re going to have to really, really fight hard to get it together in practice.”

The Wolverines and Bruins each followed encouraging wins with disappointing losses in Maui.

Michigan handled No. 8 Memphis’ pressure in the opener, playing with poise down the stretch in a 73-61 win.

The Wolverines struggled early against Duke in the semifinals to fall behind by 16 and tried to fight back by hitting 11 of 12 shots to get within five. Michigan couldn’t slow down Duke’s offensive show, though, allowing the Blue Devils to hit 11 3-pointers and shoot 56 percent in the seven-point loss.

The Bruins opened the season with two embarrassing losses and avoided another in the opener by turning a two-point halftime lead against Division II Chaminade into a 92-60 rout.

UCLA staggered at the start of its game against No. 14 Kansas in the semifinals and fought its way back in the second half before fading down the stretch in a 72-56 loss.

The Bruins got off to another slow start against Michigan, missing six of their first eight shots and turning it over four times in the first 8 minutes to fall behind by seven.

It only got marginally better for UCLA the rest of the half.

The Bruins struggled against Michigan’s patient offense, allowing the Wolverines to hit 14 of 24 shots.

UCLA also struggled shooting from the perimeter, hitting 4 of 11 from 3-point range to trail 38-31 at halftime.

“We are taking probably too many 3-point shots,” Howland said. “I don’t know how much that was forced by their defense, but we’re not shooting the ball well from 3. We’re going to have to be more patient offensively, and we’re going to have to pack things in better.”

Michigan didn’t give the Bruins much of a chance to try another comeback, dropping in 3-pointers, dunks and scoring on backdoor cuts to push the lead to double digits.

Hardaway made a highlight-reel play by going down the lane for a one-handed dunk—and had a scowl for the crowd on his way back. Then he hit a long 3-pointer that put the Wolverines up 63-47.

Michigan kept pushing, getting a layup from Hardaway on a nice rebound tip from Trey Burke, then a 3-pointer and a layup by Evan Smotrycz to go up 72-53 with 4 minutes left.

“We were getting good looks,” Novak said. “When we do that, we’re pretty good shooters and we’re going to knock them down.”

_________________


Another bad day in paradise for UCLA basketball

Bruins fall to 1-4 after a 79-63 loss to Michigan. For the second game in a row, UCLA rallies from big early deficit, then wilts.


By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
9:36 PM PST, November 23, 2011



Reporting from Lahaina, Hawaii — Reeves Nelson ran late Saturday, the UCLA forward missing the team bus to Los Angeles International Airport and the flight to Hawaii.

Ben Howland ran late Sunday, the Bruins coach missing a coaches' meeting and showing up a few minutes late to a media conference.

It was a theme that would repeat itself over the next three days, UCLA a bit tardy on the court while falling behind in the first half of each game of the Maui Invitational.

The Bruins certainly are behind schedule after a 79-63 loss to No. 15 Michigan on Wednesday at the Lahaina Civic Center left a team that started the season nationally ranked off to its worst start in 24 years.

"We came out here and our goal was to win the whole thing," said UCLA sophomore center Joshua Smith, a towel wrapped around his head and his eyes red and swollen. "That didn't happen."

The Bruins (1-4) took fourth place courtesy of an opening-round victory over Chaminade, a Division II team that couldn't hold an early six-point lead.

After UCLA won the Maui Invitational five years ago, the Bruins had two days to frolic in the Pacific Ocean before returning to Westwood. Now they'll have one day in paradise to contemplate a season on the verge of disaster.

"It's really obvious that we have a long way to go to be able to compete against the teams on our schedule that are left," Howland said. "It's going to be a hard fight."

UCLA was staggering from the start against the Wolverines (5-1), falling behind by 11 points less than nine minutes into the game. As they had the previous day against Kansas, the Bruins rallied, pulling to within five points midway through the second half, before eventually wilting during a 15-6 Michigan surge.

Guard Zack Novak scored 22 points on seven-for-eight shooting and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 20 points for the Wolverines, who repeatedly burned their more plodding counterparts with dribble penetration and open three-point shots. Michigan shot 61.7% to UCLA's 41.8% and outrebounded the Bruins, 32-24.

"They hurt us every way imaginable, with back cuts, with open threes," Howland said. "We're going to have to pack in our defense. Everybody's got to be inside except for the guy guarding the ball."

Shaky defense is only part of a laundry list of concerns for a team that made four of 17 three-point attempts and is shooting 29.7% from behind the arc this season.

A frontcourt that was supposed to dominate has instead been mostly pushed around, outrebounded in three of five games. Smith appears to have regressed from last season, averaging 9.0 points and 18.2 minutes a game, down from 10.9 points and 21.7 minutes as a freshman. His 12 points and five rebounds against the Wolverines were largely offset by six turnovers.

Nelson lacked the fiery demeanor he displayed earlier in the tournament after sitting out 1½ games as punishment for various issues, collecting six points and four rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench.

Travis Wear scored a career-high 16 points, making six of 10 shots, but the sophomore forward continued to struggle with defense and rebounding, just like his 6-foot-10 twin David.

The Bruins' start is stirring reminders of two years ago, when they dropped six of their first eight games on the way to a losing season, except this might be worse; each of UCLA's defeats has come by double digits.

Next up is Pepperdine on Monday at the Sports Arena, where the Bruins are already 0-2 against mid-major opponents.

"We know it's a long season and we have to keep our heads up," Travis Wear said. "It's a marathon and this is just the beginning."

_____________________


UCLA continues awful start with 79-63 loss to Michigan

via The Orange County Register
Published: Nov. 23, 2011 Updated: 7:31 p.m.


THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


LAHAINA, Hawaii — Zack Novak scored a career-high 22 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. added 20 and No. 15 Michigan rolled over UCLA, 79-63, on Wednesday for third place in the Maui Invitational.

Michigan (5-1) played well at both ends to build a modest lead in the first half and ran away with it in the second. The Wolverines made 15 of 23 shots in the second half and hit 62 percent overall to bounce back from a tough loss to No. 6 Duke in the semifinals.

Jon Horford scored all 12 of his points in the first half for Michigan.

UCLA (1-4) came to Maui with two embarrassing losses and headed back home with two tough ones to continue one of its worst starts in years.

Travis Wear had 16 points, Joshua Smith and Jerime Anderson 12 each and UCLA shot just 4 of 17 from 3-point range.

The Wolverines and Bruins each followed encouraging wins with disappointing losses in Maui.

Michigan handled No. 8 Memphis' pressure in the opener, playing with poise down the stretch in a 73-61 win.

The Wolverines struggled early against Duke in the semifinals to fall behind by 16 and tried to fight back by hitting 11 of their first 12 shots to get within five. Michigan couldn't slow down Duke's offensive show, though, allowing the Blue Devils to hit 11 3-pointers and shoot 56 percent in the seven-point loss.

The Bruins opened the season with two embarrassing losses and avoided another in the opener by turning a two-point halftime lead against Division II Chaminade into a 92-60 rout.

UCLA staggered at the start of its game against No. 14 Kansas in the semfinals and fought its way back in the second half before fading down the stretch in a 72-56 loss.

The Bruins got off to another slow start against Michigan, missing six of their first eight shots and turning it over four times in the first 8 minutes to fall behind by seven.

It only got marginally better for UCLA the rest of the half.

The Bruins struggled against Michigan's patient offense, allowing the Wolverines to hit 14 of 24 shots.

UCLA also struggled shooting from the perimeter, hitting 4 of 11 from 3-point range to trail 38-31 at halftime. Horford made all five of his shots in the half.

Michigan didn't give the Bruins much a chance to try another comeback, dropping in 3-pointers, dunks and scoring on backdoor cuts to push the lead to double digits.

Hardaway had a highlight-reel play by going down the lane for a one-handed dunk — and had a scowl for the crowd on his way back — then hit a long 3-pointer that put the Wolverines up 63-47.

Michigan kept pushing, getting a layup from Hardaway on a nice rebound tip from Trey Burke, then a 3-pointer and a layup by Evan Smotrycz to go up 72-53 with 4 minutes left.

___________________


Five observations: Michigan 79, UCLA 63

By Peter Yoon
ESPN Los Angeles, UCLA Report
November, 23, 2011 8:19 PM PT


UCLA had some trouble in paradise once again Wednesday, continuing what has been a worst-case scenario start to the season with a 79-63 loss to Michigan in the third-place game of the Maui Invitational.

The Bruins, as has been their standard operating procedure in three games in Hawaii, came out in the second half and made a run to cut a 38-31 halftime deficit to 46-41, but Michigan got hot from beyond the arc and sealed the game with five three-pointers in the final 11:35 of the game.

The Bruins fell to 1-4 for the first time since 1987 and leave the Hawaiian islands still without a victory against a Division I team. They defeated Division II Chaminade in the first round of the tournament.


Five observations from the game:

1) UCLA's defensive woes continued

Ben Howland teams rarely allow opponents to shoot 50 percent for a game, but that's what UCLA opponents are shooting this season.

Michigan became the second team to shoot better than 60 percent against the Bruins this season by making 29-of-47 shots from the field. It brought UCLA's field goal percentage defense for the season to 50.1 percent.

The Bruins were too slow to stay in front of dribblers, too slow to switch on screens and too late in providing help defense because they were too slow. The result was a bevy of wide open, uncontested shots that Michigan players had no trouble making from all over the floor and easy layups.

Howland, a stickler for defense, hinted earlier this season that he might switch to a zone, but showed it only briefly in Hawaii. The personnel is better suited for a zone and with only two games in the next 16 days, the Bruins will have plenty of time to practice it.


2) UCLA couldn't capitalize on its size advantage

The Bruins played six players who are 6-8 or taller while Michigan played only two players that tall for significant minutes, yet the Wolverines out-rebounded UCLA, 32-24, and tied the Bruins on points in the paint, 34-34.

Nobody on UCLA had more than five rebounds and one of the two players who had five was 6-1 point guard Lazeric Jones. The other was 6-10 center Joshua Smith. Twins David and Travis Wear, 6-10 forwards, had two rebounds each.

Travis Wear and Smith were able to make an impact on offense with Wear scoring a team-leading 16 points and Smith adding 12, but David Wear, Anthony Stover and Reeves Nelson were pretty much non-factors on offense. Nelson had six points while Stover and Wear had zero.


3) The backcourt bailout didn't arrive

The last two nights, UCLA's guard play has helped the Bruins overcome deficiencies in the supposedly superior front court, but on Wednesday the cavalry couldn't get going.

Jerime Anderson, UCLA's most consistent player so far this season, was solid again with 12 points on four of nine shooting, but Tyler Lamb and Lazeric Jones were a combined one for 11 from the field. Jones scored eight points--all from the free throw line--and Lamb finished with three.


4) Foul trouble again hurt Joshua Smith

Smith played only 19 minutes against Michigan despite coming off of the bench in an effort to keep him out of the foul trouble that limited him to only eight minutes the night before. He played only seven minutes in the first half, yet picked up two fouls and got a third foul 19 seconds into the second half.

He was an effective scorer when in the game, able to muscle his way around the post and finished with 12 points on six of nine shooting with two assists. But he was called for at least two fouls on the offensive end and had six turnovers total -- four in the second half.


5) Lazeric Jones played too many minutes

Simply put, Jones is hurting the team more than he is helping it at this point. He had another woeful shooting night, going 0-5 from the field, and had only three assists in 32 minutes.

Jones this season is now shooting 24.4 percent from the field (12 of 49) and he is four of 31 (12.9 percent) against Division I opponents. Anderson is fully capable of manning the point guard spot and freshman Norman Powell has shown enough in limited time to warrant some more minutes at the third guard spot.

Powell was in the game for 20 minutes Wednesday, but his teammates seemed to make an effort to not give him the ball. He's shown some good athletic moves and while he's also making freshman mistakes, he's not hurting the team the way Jones is during this early-season shooting slump.

Wolverines and Bruins mix it up in Maui

Wolverines and Bruins mix it up in Maui

FoxNews.com
College Basketball - SPORTS
Published November 23, 2011



Maui, HI – The 15th-ranked Michigan Wolverines and UCLA place game at the Lahaina Civic Center.

The Wolverines opened tournament play against eighth-ranked Memphis an knocked off the Tigers, 73-61 to move to 4-0 on the young season. The perfect season came to a halt however on Tuesday, as Michigan fell in second-round action to Duke, 82-75.

The Bruins are also 1-1 in this tournament. After knocking off host Chaminade in the opening round, 92-60, UCLA found it a bit tougher against the Kansas Jayhawks on Tuesday, falling to Kansas 72-56. It was the Bruins' third loss in the first four games to start the year.

The Wolverines have been a bit overwhelmed by the Blue Devils recently and that continued on Tuesday, as Duke finds itself playing for yet another Maui Invitational title, while Michigan settles for the third-place game. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 19 points on Tuesday, all in the second half, but it wasn't enough, as the Wolverines fell for the ninth time in the last 10 meetings with the Blue Devils. Trey Burke and Jordan Morgan joined Hardaway in double figures with 17 and 12 points, respectively. Michigan shot the ball well in the game (.492), but Duke was just a little bit better (.565).

Three players finished in double figures for UCLA on Tuesday, but it wasn't enough to get past Kansas. The Bruins were led by Tyler Lamb's 15 points, as he was 4-of-6 shooting from the floor. Jerime Andersen was right behind with 14 points, while Reeves Nelson added 12 points in the loss. The Bruins struggled in the first half against Chaminade and once again had trouble shooting the basketball, hitting just .364 from the field, a number that was actually enhanced by an 8-of-14 showing from behind the arc. Offensive consistency has plagued the Bruins in the early stages of the season. Coming into second-round action, the team was averaging a pedestrian 72.0 ppg and just 43.2-percent shooting accuracy.

____________


Wolverines-Bruins Preview

USA Today
Updated: 11/23/2011 - 10:43 AM - Note: all times are Eastern Time

Lahaina Civic Center - Maui, HI


GAME NOTES: The 15th-ranked Michigan Wolverines and UCLA Bruins will close out play in the Maui Invitational this evening, as the battle one another in the third-place game at the Lahaina Civic Center.

The Wolverines opened tournament play against eighth-ranked Memphis an knocked off the Tigers, 73-61 to move to 4-0 on the young season. The perfect season came to a halt however on Tuesday, as Michigan fell in second-round action to Duke, 82-75.

The Bruins are also 1-1 in this tournament. After knocking off host Chaminade in the opening round, 92-60, UCLA found it a bit tougher against the Kansas Jayhawks on Tuesday, falling to Kansas 72-56. It was the Bruins' third loss in the first four games to start the year.

The Wolverines have been a bit overwhelmed by the Blue Devils recently and that continued on Tuesday, as Duke finds itself playing for yet another Maui Invitational title, while Michigan settles for the third-place game. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 19 points on Tuesday, all in the second half, but it wasn't enough, as the Wolverines fell for the ninth time in the last 10 meetings with the Blue Devils. Trey Burke and Jordan Morgan joined Hardaway in double figures with 17 and 12 points, respectively. Michigan shot the ball well in the game (.492), but Duke was just a little bit better (.565).

Three players finished in double figures for UCLA on Tuesday, but it wasn't enough to get past Kansas. The Bruins were led by Tyler Lamb's 15 points, as he was 4-of-6 shooting from the floor. Jerime Andersen was right behind with 14 points, while Reeves Nelson added 12 points in the loss. The Bruins struggled in the first half against Chaminade and once again had trouble shooting the basketball, hitting just .364 from the field, a number that was actually enhanced by an 8-of-14 showing from behind the arc. Offensive consistency has plagued the Bruins in the early stages of the season. Coming into second-round action, the team was averaging a pedestrian 72.0 ppg and just 43.2-percent shooting accuracy.

The Wolverines hung tough with the Blue Devils and are certainly the favorite in this contest against a UCLA team still in search of an identity.

Despite loss, the game against Kansas showed UCLA’s potential

Despite loss, the game against Kansas showed UCLA’s potential

By RYAN ESHOFF
The Daily Bruin in Men's Basketball, Sports
Published November 23, 2011, 12:02 am


LAHAINA, Hawaii – Look at it this way: UCLA is to this year’s crop of elite teams what snorkeling is to scuba diving.

You’ll see some nice things snorkeling, and there are plenty of lamer things you can do with your time in Maui. Heck, if every condition is perfect, snorkeling can even be better than scuba diving.

It’s just that most of the time, snorkeling is out of scuba diving’s league (I just confirmed: League is a nautical term. Pun intended).

The Bruins did all right for what they had on Tuesday. Minus De’end Parker and with Joshua Smith rendered completely invisible (not the easiest thing to do), they certainly made things interesting.

For this UCLA team, against a team like Kansas, that’s about all you can ask for at this point.

By no means is Kansas even the most formidable team in this field; had the Bruins beat the Jayhawks, they would have faced the Duke Blue Devils tonight in the championship game, and probably the only thing that would have made that game interesting would have been if Ben Howland and Mike Krzyzewski decided to coach it in grass skirts and coconut bras.

The second half of the Kansas game was a pretty good indicator of what this team will be like.

If the guards shoot the ball well, and if they can get some inspired defense, the Bruins can hang with teams like the Jayhawks.

So why did they still lose? Well, Smith was neutralized by foul trouble, and the first-half deficit was too much to overcome.

Neither of those problems are fluky: UCLA has dealt with those over and over again in the past. Might as well call those systemic issues that need to be addressed.

Last week I wrote that Jerime Anderson needed to be the leader of this team. What do ya know, he reads my column (yeah, right)!

The senior point guard has played very well the first two games in Maui, showing improved leadership, decision-making and shot-making. All encouraging signs for this team going forward.

I also said that this team needed Reeves Nelson to be its Energizer bunny, and that much is evident.

His presence keyed the second-half surge against Chaminade, and he replicated that feat against Kansas. The guy even hit a trio of 3s!

Next on the agenda: Get Smith consistently involved in the game. The frontline of Nelson and the Wears was effective in a comeback situation against Kansas, but if Smith’s playing to his potential, you’re never down 20 points to begin with.

“I believe that our team is a very good team,” Anderson said. “If we continue to play hard and play with the intensity that we played with in the second half, we’ll be good.”

He is right, to a certain extent. This can be a good team, but certain conditions have to be met. The Bruins probably won’t be able to keep up the torrid 3-point shooting they have shown flashes of here in Maui, but they can’t afford to revert back to the bricklaying displays they showed off in their first two games.

The efforts can’t come in short bursts; they have to be sustained.

When you’ve got those scuba tanks, you have air for a long time. Sure the pressure’s greater when you’re a scuba diver, but you’re much better prepared to deal with that pressure.

At the least, it was important to see how UCLA fared against a top-notch opponent, the very reasoning behind coming to Maui in the first place. This team needed to learn what it’s going to take to swim with the big boys.

One run on Tuesday night showed us that there’s something out there.

Amidst all the minnows, guppies and kelp, you may just spot a sea turtle or a kraken every now and then. They’re rare for the time being, though, so enjoy them while you can.

I’ll end the analogy there. This is getting deep.

UCLA rallies from big deficit, but No. 14 Kansas holds on

UCLA forward David Wear, center, beats Kansas forwards Thomas Robinson, left, and Justin Wesley to a rebound during the second half of the Bruins' 72-56 loss at the Maui Invitational on Tuesday. (Eugene Tanner / Associated Press / November 22, 2011)


UCLA rallies from big deficit, but No. 14 Kansas holds on

via Orange County Register
Published: Nov. 22, 2011 Updated: 11:30 p.m.


THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


LAHAINA, Hawaii - UCLA missed shots, threw sloppy passes, seemingly had no chance at stopping Kansas on defense.

Then something happened: The Bruins' shots started falling, the Jayhawks were missing theirs and the lead quickly dwindled.

UCLA just couldn't sustain it — not after falling into that big of a hole.

The Bruins trimmed a 20-point lead down to five before running out of steam in a 72-56 loss to No.14 Kansas in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational on Tuesday night.

“We can't keep coming back and trying to come back — it's difficult to get over that hill,” said Jerime Anderson, who had 14 points. “I'm very inspired by our team's comeback and our will and our fight, but we just need to put ourselves in a better position to win the game.”

Kansas looked unbeatable early and flustered in the middle before securing the victory.

All that work just to face an even more formidable challenge: No. 6 Duke, the undisputed king of Maui, in the championship game.

Kansas (3-1) looked as though it was going to run away from the Bruins at the start, going up 12 points in the first 6 minutes and building from there.

The Jayhawks fizzled with a flurry of turnovers and defensive breakdowns to let UCLA back in it, then pulled away over the final 5 minutes for a harder-than-expected victory.

Elijah Johnson scored 23 points, Thomas Robinson had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Tyshawn Taylor added 13 points and six assists for Kansas.

Next up for the Jayhawks is Duke, the undefeated four-time champions in Maui in what could be one of the most exciting championship games in the 28-year history of the Maui Invitational.

UCLA (1-3) got off to a brutal start and rallied to trim a 20-point lead down to five. The Bruins lingered for a little while before running out of steam, headed toward the third-place game instead of the championship.

Tyler Lamb led UCLA with 15 points.

“We were right there,” Anderson said. “That second-half comeback is much easier if we're even or closer in the first half. Some things don't go our way, we come back and if a team makes another run, that's the hardest thing to do is come back from two runs.”

Swinging the ball around in halfcourt sets and getting out on the break, the Jayhawks opened the game with a 14-2 run and kept pushing. Kansas hit 12 of 24 shots in the half — 5 of 9 from 3-point range — had 10 assists and got 13 points from Johnson to lead 43-26.

The Jayhawks still looked as though they were going to run away with it to start the second half, then went into a funk.

Unable to stop the Bruins or hold onto the ball, Kansas went nearly 61/2 minutes without a field goal as UCLA trimmed a 20-point lead down to five with eight minutes left.

The Jayhawks finally put a stop to UCLA's momentum with a couple of baskets by Robinson, then pulled away as the Bruins cooled off.

“We knew they weren't going to just go away and lay down,” Taylor said. “We got out to a big lead early, but we knew we had to continue to play. We just had to keep battling out there.”

UCLA opened a season of expectations in disappointing fashion, losing by double digits to Loyola Marymount and Middle Tennessee State.

_____________


UCLA can't climb out of hole, loses to Kansas, 72-56

A sloppy start gives way to comeback in Maui Invitational semifinal, but 14th-ranked Jayhawks hang tough. Lazeric Jones and Joshua Smith, in particular, struggle with shooting and fouls.


By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
11:03 PM PST, November 22, 2011



Reporting from Lahaina, Hawaii — For the first time this season, UCLA did not have a player sitting out because of disciplinary issues.

And still, the Bruins lacked restraint.

Starters Lazeric Jones and Travis Wear continued to take — and miss — shots and center Joshua Smith kept on chugging up the court in a foul-plagued cameo, dropping UCLA in a 20-point hole early in the second half against No. 14 Kansas.

The Bruins nearly climbed all the way out behind an inspired effort from guards Jerime Anderson and Tyler Lamb before falling short in a 72-56 loss to the Jayhawks on Tuesday night at the Lahaina Civic Center in a Maui Invitational semifinal.

Subbing for the ineffective and foul-plagued Jones, Anderson scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half. He made an NBA-range three-pointer to pull UCLA to within 57-52 with 7 minutes 59 seconds remaining, but the Jayhawks ended the game on an 11-0 run to move into the championship game against Duke on Wednesday.

The Bruins (1-3) will play No. 15 Michigan (4-1) in the third-place game.

UCLA doomed itself with another horrid start in which it fell behind by 17 points at halftime thanks to poor shooting and a flurry of 11 first-half turnovers. Jones missed all five of his shots and Wear missed all three of his attempts in the first half, pleasing a decidedly pro-Kansas crowd that also included Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak, Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers and Ron Holmes, the father of top UCLA prep target Shabazz Muhammad.

"We can't keep coming back and continuing to come back," Anderson said, "because it's difficult to get over that hill."

Guard Elijah Johnson had 23 points for Kansas (3-1), which shot 51.1% to UCLA's 36.4% and appeared completely unfazed by the Bruins' brief attempt to implement a 2-3 zone for the first time this season.

Kupchak didn't get much of a look at Smith because the NBA prospect fouled out in only 13 minutes. Smith moved back into the starting lineup, but it was as if he didn't show up at all, finishing with one point and one rebound and two turnovers.

The 6-foot-10, 315-pound sophomore picked up fourth foul only 3:31 into second half and went to the bench. He re-entered the game with 8:20 left and lasted only 81 seconds before picking up his fifth foul. Howland said the Jayhawks' double-teams bothered Smith and acknowledged that Smith's conditioning was an ongoing issue.

"It's evident," Howland said.

Still, UCLA made a 12-0 run to draw within 51-43 midway through the second half before Jones picked up his fourth foul with 11:20 left.

That's when Anderson took over the point guard duties and made both of his three-pointers, helping the Bruins draw within five points. Lamb also made a three-pointer during the run and finished with a team-high 15 points.

Howland said his best lineup in the game was Anderson, Lamb, David and Travis Wear and Reeves Nelson, the junior forward who came off the bench to collect 12 points, five rebounds and two steals. The Wear twins combined for six points on two-for-10 shooting to go with six rebounds.

Howland said he was considering giving Anderson more time at point guard in the wake of Jones' season-long struggles. Jones made only one of six shots in the game and has made only 27.3% of his shots to Anderson's 53.8%. Jones has also tallied only one more assist than Jones despite playing 29 more minutes.

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Shaky start dooms the Bruins against the Kansas Jayhawks

By RYAN ESHOFF
The Daily Bruin in Men's BasketballSports
Published November 22, 2011, 11:41 pm

LAHAINA, Hawaii — One of the most popular tourist activities in Hawaii is hiking. Tuesday, UCLA picked a wrong time to do just that.

The Bruins got off to a shaky start and gave themselves too much of a deficit to overcome, a valiant comeback coming up short in a 72-56 loss to the Kansas Jayhawks in the semifinals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

“It’s difficult to get over that hill,” UCLA senior point guard Jerime Anderson said. “I’m inspired by our comeback, but we need to put ourselves in a better position to win the game.”

UCLA (1-3) appeared overwhelmed at times in the first half against No. 14 Kansas (3-1).

The Jayhawks built a 43-26 lead after 20 minutes and stretched the lead to 20 on the first possession of the second half.

The Bruins inserted sophomore center Joshua Smith into the starting lineup, hoping to get a lift, but to no avail.

Smith eventually fouled out and finished the game with just one point and one rebound.

“We got off to a terrible start,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said. “They doubled (Smith), and that hurt him.”

With Kansas threatening to turn the game into a rout early in the second half, Howland went to a lineup of Reeves Nelson, the Wear twins, Tyler Lamb and Anderson.

For a while, he was able to bottle some of that Hawaiian lightning.

That group keyed a 21-6 run that cut Kansas’s lead to 57-52 with just more than seven minutes to go; Lamb missed a transition 3-pointer that could have trimmed the margin all the way down to two.

The Bruins never got closer than that, as Kansas would eventually close the game out on an 11-0 run.

“I was really happy the way guys fought back in the second half,” Howland said. “I think we ran out of gas.”

UCLA’s run was keyed by hot shooting from the trio of Nelson, Anderson and Lamb, the latter two making a number of big 3s for the second consecutive night.

The trio combined for 41 points, with 8-of-11 shooting from 3-point territory.

Still, the strength of this team is supposed to be its size, and the Bruins made just eight field goals from inside the arc.

“We’ve got to get more inside scoring,” Howland said.

“We’ve got to get more of a presence inside and do a better job there.”

Most importantly, UCLA needs to do a better job of starting the game off on the right foot.

Starting slow did not end up costing UCLA against Chaminade on Monday night – when UCLA turned what was merely a two-point game at halftime into a rout – but it certainly did on Tuesday night.

UCLA will face another well-coached, crisply executing team in Michigan in today’s consolation contest.

A third consecutive slow start could spell trouble once again.

“I just think it’s within ourselves,” Lamb said.

Five observations: Kansas 72, UCLA 56

Five observations: Kansas 72, UCLA 56

By Peter Yoon
ESPN Los Angeles UCLA Report
November, 22, 2011 10:39 PM PT


For the second day in a row, UCLA slow-footed its way through the first half of a Maui Invitational game and for the second day in a row, the Bruins rallied in the second half.

Unfortunately for the Bruins, they weren't playing a Division II opponent for the second day in a row, the second-half rally wasn't enough and UCLA lost to Kansas, 72-56, Tuesday in a semifinal.

UCLA trailed, 43-26, at halftime, but stepped up the defensive intensity while Tyler Lamb and Jerime Anderson got hot from the outside and shot UCLA to within five points at 61-56 with 4:33 to play, but the comeback fell short as UCLA simply ran out of gas and Kansas finished the game with an 11-0 run.

The Bruins (1-3) will play Michigan in the third-place game Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. Pacific.

Five observations from the game:

1) This was a dismal effort by UCLA's front court

UCLA's strength is supposed to be it's interior players with three 6-foot-10 players and another at 6-8, but the Bruins had little inside presence against Kansas. Joshua Smith, David Wear and Travis Wear had nights to forget, combining for seven points on 2-for-11 shooting.

Smith had one point and one rebound before fouling out in only 13 minutes. Travis Wear had four points and two rebounds and David Wear had two points and four rebounds. That's seven combined rebounds for three players who are 6-10.

In comparison, guards Lamb, Anderson and Lazeric Jones also combined for seven rebounds. It's no surprise UCLA was out-rebounded, 34-21.

Even steady rebounding machine Reeves Nelson had only five boards and although he scored 12 points, nine of those came via three-point shots for the 6-8 power forward. The Bruins had little inside presence with only 14 points in the paint.

2) The guards got UCLA back in it

For the second consecutive game, UCLA's guards, not the vaunted front court, paced the UCLA offense. Lamb had 15 points and Anderson had 14 -- 10 in the second half. The duo combined for three 3-points baskets as UCLA, which trailed by 20 early in the second half, cut the Kansas lead to 57-52 with 7:59 to play.

On Monday, Lamb, Anderson and Jones led the Bruins with 15, 18, and 19 points, respectively in a victory over Chaminade.

3) Joshua Smith got flustered

Smith started for the first time this season but got into foul trouble early, and was on and off the bench the entire game. His body language seemed to indicate he didn't want to be out there and he got his wish when he fouled out with seven minutes to play.

Kansas was smart to go at him early and he needs to be smarter by not committing silly fouls, especially reaching. Part of it is poor defensive technique, but a lot of it is conditioning related. This was the second game in two days and Smith simply didn't have the energy to play at a high level for long stretches. The result was lazy defense and a frustrated Smith.

One point, one rebound, two turnovers and five fouls is not what you want from the player who is supposed to be the centerpiece of the team.


4) Shot selection was questionable

The Bruins continually hoisted bad shots, especially in the first half. Whether it was Jones trying to get off a layup in traffic after penetrating or one of the Wear twins throwing up a 15-foot jumper before running the offense, the Bruins simply took too many bad shots.

Three-point shooting, supposedly a weakness for this team, was actually a strength Tuesday night. UCLA made eight of 14 from beyond the arc, five of seven in the second half, so no problem on the open looks from long range.

But on two-point shot attempts, UCLA was eight for 30 (26.6 percent) for the game and three of 15 (20 percent) in the first half.


5) Lazeric Jones' slump continued

Jones made only one of six shots from the field and had no assists and four fouls against Kansas, continuing a rough stretch to start the season.

He appeared to be shooting his way out of it when he made eight of 18 shots and scored a team-high 19 points against Chaminade, but he regressed against Kansas. He now has made 12 of 44 (27.3 percent) of his shots this season and take away that 8-for-18 game Monday and that comes out to four of 26 (15.3 percent) for the other three games.

He made all six of his free throws, so at least he was able to convert when he went to the line, but he appeared to be trying to do too much at times, as has been the case throughout the early season.

UCLA finds better level and rolls to first basketball win, 92-60

UCLA guard Lazeric Jones drives the baseline in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 21, 2011, in Lahaina, Hawaii. UCLA defeated Chaminade 92-60. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)

UCLA finds better level and rolls to first basketball win, 92-60

The Bruins, coming off two embarrassing losses to start the season, awaken in second half to rout Division II Chaminade at the Maui Invitational.

By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
11:18 PM PST, November 21, 2011



Reporting from Lahaina, Hawaii — For one half, UCLA returned to its originally scheduled season.

The Bruins had been continually sidetracked during a maddening season-opening stretch that included player suspensions and a pair of unexpected losses to mid-major opponents.

Things threatened to unravel in historic fashion Monday when Coach Ben Howland sat forward Reeves Nelson for the first half as punishment for missing a team bus, and UCLA led Chaminade by only two points at halftime.

The Bruins' first 0-3 start in 71 years seemed a realistic possibility.

That's when the UCLA team that had started the season nationally ranked finally showed up, pushing back the spunky Silverswords for a 92-60 victory at the Lahaina Civic Center in the opening round of the Maui Invitational.

Bruins guards Lazeric Jones, Jerime Anderson and Tyler Lamb combined for 52 points and made several key plays during a decisive 29-3 run midway through the second half.

Jones scored 19 points and Anderson and Lamb logged career highs with 18 and 15 points, respectively.

UCLA (1-2) will play No. 14 Kansas (2-1) on Tuesday evening in a semifinal. The Jayhawks defeated Georgetown, 67-63, on Monday.

"Our guards really came to play," said sophomore center Joshua Smith, who had 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocks as one of five Bruins scoring in double figures.

Anderson made six of eight shots, including four of six three-point attempts, as UCLA shook off its early-season shooting woes to make 19 of 33 (57.6%) in the second half, including six of 11 from beyond the arc.

The Bruins' offense was spurred by tenacious defense that held Division II Chaminade (2-1) to 20% shooting after halftime, including one for 11 on three-point attempts.

Nelson helped the defensive effort with a block and a steal to go with his one point and five rebounds in 11 minutes. He entered the game with 16 minutes 37 seconds remaining after being held out as punishment for missing the Bruins' bus to Los Angeles International Airport two days earlier.

Nelson also missed the team flight to Hawaii, a practice and a players' party Saturday night. Howland said Nelson's alarm clock failed to sound because of a power outage, but the coach "still felt that we had to do something. I wanted to let him know that he's got to do a better job leaving his phone on to be the alarm rather than the electric one that can be blanked out if the electricity goes out."

Nelson had sat out UCLA's 20-point loss to Middle Tennessee State last week while serving a suspension for being late to a team meeting, among other issues. He didn't wait long to make an impact against Chaminade, blocking a shot 46 seconds after stepping onto the floor and then assisting Anderson on a three-pointer shortly after that.

When he stepped to the free-throw line and made one of two shots a few minutes later, the large contingent of Bruins fans greeted him with a prolonged, "Reeeeeves."

"There was a lot more energy coming from every player on our team," Anderson said. "You know, Reeves does that for us."

UCLA did not make Nelson available to reporters after the game.

The Bruins played without junior forward De'End Parker (right knee) and sophomore forward David Wear (concussion). Wear could return as soon as Tuesday but Parker's injury, suffered during practice Saturday, is expected to keep him out longer.

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Men’s basketball scores first win of the season over Chaminade at the Maui Invitational

By RYAN ESHOFF
The Daily Bruin
Published November 22, 2011, 2:02 am in Men's BasketballSports


LAHAINA, HAWAII — A few UCLA fans stood and clapped when Reeves Nelson went to the scorers’ table three minutes into the second half, the Bruins clinging to a small lead.

No more than a minute later, the entire contingent of UCLA faithful nestled into the cozy Lahaina Civic Center stood and roared as the junior forward led the cheers from half court.

Suspended for the first half of the game after missing the team bus and team flight to Hawaii, Nelson’s impact was instantaneous. His entry into the game keyed an epic run that helped the Bruins to a 92-60 victory over Chaminade in the first round of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

Nelson finished with just one point in 11 minutes, but he blocked a shot and assisted on a Jerime Anderson three within a minute of his entry. But it was about more than that.

“I really thought when Reeves came into the game, that’s when we broke away,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said. “Even though he didn’t score many points, he really helped change the game to our way. His energy, playing really hard.”

It didn’t hurt that the Bruins (1-2) shot six-of-11 from the three-point range in the second half, after going just three-for-14 from beyond the arc in the first.

Only up two after the first 20 minutes, UCLA outscored Chaminade (3-1) 52-22 after the intermission. The stretch of hot shooting in the second half had to feel good for the UCLA backcourt, which had struggled from the field in the team’s previous games. Senior guard Lazeric Jones, sophomore guard Tyler Lamb and senior guard Anderson combined for 52 points on 20-of-37 shooting.

The team had to come 3,000 miles, but UCLA finally earned its first victory of the season after befuddling losses to Loyola Marymount and Middle Tennessee State.

“We’re glad to get a win under our belt,” Howland said.

UCLA won’t have any time to feel good about itself. UCLA plays Kansas in the second round of the invitational on Tuesday, meaning there’s little time for snorkeling or keeping an eye out for grass skirts.

“We have to have the mindset that this is a serious trip,” Jones said. “We’re not out here to have fun. We’re out here to get wins. That’s what we have to focus on right now.”

The Bruins were without the services of redshirt sophomore forward David Wear, out with a concussion, and junior guard De’End Parker, who sprained his right knee in practice on Sunday.

They did benefit from the return of sophomore center Anthony Stover, who missed the first two games of the season with a shoulder injury. Stover started the game and was an active force on the defensive end.

As a team, UCLA blocked 12 shots, with sophomore center Joshua Smith recording four, Lamb three and Stover two.

“They’re going to get their blocks because they’re big and athletic,” Anderson said of the Bruin frontline. “They really help us down under.”

That was one of the keys to the night – UCLA got the help it needed down under with the returns of Nelson and Stover. Nelson in particular helped spark what looked like a team eerily reminiscent of the squad that fell with a whimper to Middle Tennessee State, a game that the junior forward was absent from the team for.

“There was a lot more energy coming from every single player on our team (when Nelson entered the game),” Anderson said. “Reeves does that for us, he inspires a lot of guys on our team when he’s out there working hard.”

And while the Bruins will say that they are not in Maui to have fun, for the first time all season it looked like they did just that.

Nelson provided the spark, and his teammates did the most Hawaiian thing they could think of: rode the wave.

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UCLA starts slow but cruises past Chaminade
Orange County Register
Published: Nov. 21, 2011 Updated: 10:30 p.m.


LAHAINA, Hawaii — Lazeric Jones had 19 points, Jerime Anderson added 18 and UCLA ran past Chaminade in the second half for a 92-60 victory in the first round of the Maui Invitational on Monday.

The Bruins (1-2) were raggedy early, appearing as if they were headed toward an embarrassing loss in a season that's already had a couple.

UCLA turned around quickly, though, hitting 19 of 33 shots in the second half and preventing any thought of a comeback with seven of its 12 blocked shots.

The Bruins move on to face the winner between No. 14 Kansas and Georgetown in Tuesday's semifinals.

Chaminade (3-1) had designs on another upset in its home state, refusing to back down against the bigger Bruins in a tight first half. But the Silverswords didn't have enough to finish this one off, so they head into the losers' bracket.

Lee Bailey had 16 points to lead Chaminade, which hit just 6 of 30 shots in the second half and shot 30 percent overall.

Coming off a trip to the NCAA tournament after a couple of lean years, UCLA entered this season with lofty expectations.

Even after losing forward Tyler Honeycutt and guard Malcolm Lee to the NBA, the Bruins were picked to win the reconfigured Pac-12. With 11 scholarship players at 6-foot-8 or taller, UCLA figured to be a dominating team in the post and even had coach Ben Howland talking about how good the team could be this season.

The Bruins didn't start off that way, opening with a pair of double-digit losses against Loyola Marymount and Middle Tennessee State.

The Bruins allowed Middle Tennessee State to hit 10 of 11 from 3-point range and 71 percent overall after allowing the Lions to hit 10 of 15 from long range.

UCLA has also had to deal with the erratic behavior of forward Reeves Nelson, who was suspended for two days earlier in the season and sat out the first half on Monday after missing the team bus to the airport.

It didn't figure to get any easier once the Bruins arrived here, where seven of the eight teams are coming off NCAA tournament appearances and four are ranked in the Top 25.

And it was tough — because of Chaminade, which was supposed to be the easiest possible draw for UCLA.

The never-back-down Silverswords stood up to the big, bad Bruins from the start, putting the upset in their sights.

Playing under first-year coach Eric Bovaird, Chaminade used its motion offense and freewheeling style to offset UCLA's size, building a 31-25 lead late in the first half after a small scoring burst. The Silverswords trailed by just two at halftime after forcing UCLA into 11 first-half turnovers, and they were helped by the Bruins' poor perimeter shooting — 3 for 14 from 3-point range.

Of course, it wasn't much of a surprise.

Chaminade has had a knack for knocking off giants, starting with its all-time little-guy win over mighty Virginia and Ralph Sampson in 1982, still considered one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history. The Silverswords pulled off a smaller takedown last season in Maui, knocking off the Big 12's Oklahoma in the seventh-place game.

This upset bid didn't last long into the second half.

UCLA turned up the defensive pressure and blocked three of Chaminade's first four shots, five in the first four minutes.Jones found seams in Chaminade's defense to get to the rim, and the Bruins starting knocking down 3-pointers, with Tyler Lamb and Anderson hitting on consecutive trips to put them up nine. Jones and Norman Powell went back-to-back a few minutes later, giving UCLA a 62-48 lead to start the rout.

Lamb finished with 15 points, Joshua Smith added 12 and Anderson was 4 of 6 from 3-point range.

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UCLA BASKETBALL: Bruins find confidence boost, roll past Chaminade 92-60

By John Marshall The Associated Press
Posted: 11/21/2011 10:40:33 PM PST
Updated: 11/21/2011 11:06:35 PM PST




LAHAINA, Hawaii - Clinging to a lead over another supposedly overmatched opponent, UCLA could have had that here-we-go-again feeling.

Instead, the Bruins felt something different: They were going to win.

Lazeric Jones had 19 points, Jerime Anderson added 18 and UCLA ran past upset-minded Chaminade in the second half for a 92-60 victory in the first round of the Maui Invitational on Monday.

The Bruins (1-2) were raggedy early, appearing as if they were headed toward an embarrassing loss in a season that's already had a couple.

UCLA turned around quickly, though, using a 29-3 run to turn a close game into a rout. The Bruins hit 19 of 33 shots in the second half and prevented any thought of a comeback with seven of their 12 blocked shots to earn a spot in the semifinals against No. 14 Kansas or Georgetown.

"It felt different in the locker room. I could see everybody was feeling confident, and you could see everybody was feeling anxious to get back on the floor and work hard," Jones said. "From the beginning, we came out with some energy that we haven't seen, so I felt like this was a turning point for us."

Chaminade (3-1) had designs on another upset in its home state, refusing to back down against the bigger Bruins in a tight first half. The Silverswords didn't have enough to finish this one off, sending them to the losers' bracket for the sixth time in seven years.

Lee Bailey had 16 points to lead Chaminade, which hit just 6 of 30 shots in the second half and shot 30 percent overall.

"Our guys played tough, they didn't give up," Chaminade first-year coach Eric Bovaird said. "As you could see in the first half, we were in a ball game. Unfortunately, we just weren't able to stop them in the second half and struggled a little bit offensively."

Coming off a trip to the NCAA Tournament after a couple of lean years, UCLA entered this season with lofty expectations.

Even after losing forward Tyler Honeycutt and guard Malcolm Lee to the NBA, the Bruins were picked to win the reconfigured Pac-12. With 11 scholarship players at 6-foot-8 or taller, UCLA figured to be a dominating team in the post and even had coach Ben Howland talking about how good the team could be this season.

The Bruins didn't start off that way, opening with a pair of double-digit losses against Loyola Marymount and Middle Tennessee.

The Bruins allowed Middle Tennessee to hit 10 of 11 from 3-point range and 71 percent overall after allowing the Lions to hit 10 of 15 from long range.

UCLA has also had to deal with the erratic behavior of forward Reeves Nelson, who was suspended for two days earlier in the season and sat out the first half on Monday after missing the team bus to the airport.

It didn't figure to get any easier once the Bruins arrived here, where seven of the eight teams are coming off NCAA Tournament appearances and four are ranked in the Top 25.

And it was tough - because of Chaminade, which was supposed to be the easiest possible draw for UCLA.

The never-back-down Silverswords stood up to the big, bad Bruins from the start, putting the upset in their sights.

Playing under first-year coach Eric Bovaird, Chaminade used its motion offense and freewheeling style to offset UCLA's size, building a 31-25 lead late in the first half after a small scoring burst. The Silverswords trailed by just two at halftime after forcing UCLA into 11 first-half turnovers, and they were helped by the Bruins' poor perimeter shooting - 3 for 14 from 3-point range.

Of course, it wasn't much of a surprise.

Chaminade has had a knack for knocking off giants, starting with its all-time little-guy win over mighty Virginia and Ralph Sampson in 1982, still considered one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history. The Silverswords pulled off a smaller takedown last season in Maui, knocking off the Big 12's Oklahoma in the seventh-place game.

"I thought we really battled in the first half," Bovaird said. "I thought we had a great game plan for them. I thought our guys played really, really well."

This upset bid didn't last long into the second half.

UCLA turned up the defensive pressure and blocked three of Chaminade's first four shots, five in the first four minutes.

Jones found seams in Chaminade's defense to get to the rim, and the Bruins starting knocking down 3-pointers, with Tyler Lamb and Anderson hitting on consecutive trips to put them up nine. Jones and Norman Powell went back-to-back a few minutes later, giving UCLA a 62-48 lead to start the rout.

Lamb finished with 15 points, Joshua Smith added 12 and Anderson was 4 of 6 from 3-point range.

"We're glad to get a win under our belt," Howland said.