Rapid Reaction: UCLA 74, Arizona 69
March, 2, 2013
MAR 2
8:37
PM PT
By Peter Yoon | ESPNLosAngeles.com
LOS ANGELES -- The UCLA Bruins completed a season sweep of the Arizona Wildcats -- the first for either team in the series since UCLA won both in 2008 -- with a 74-69 victory Saturday at a sold-out Pauley Pavilion. A quick look:
How it happened: Grant Jerrett made consecutive 3-point baskets that got the Wildcats (23-6, 11-6 Pac-12) to within three points at 72-69 with 1:07 to play. But Shabazz Muhammad grabbed a strong rebound with nine seconds to play, then made two free throws to seal the victory for UCLA (22-7, 12-4).
In a game of runs, UCLA had the game's longest, scoring 12 consecutive points in the second half to take a 52-38 lead. They were up 55-41 with 14:26 to play. The Wildcats then responded. They cut the lead to 59-54 before Muhammad stopped the bleeding for UCLA with a 3-pointer that gave the Bruins a 62-54 lead with 8:50 to play. The Wildcats did not get closer than six points until Jerrett's 3-pointer with 1:34 to go.
UCLA had several opportunities to take control of the game in the first half, but the Wildcats kept coming back. UCLA led 13-6, then Arizona tied it at 13-13. The game also was knotted at 29 and 34, but the Wildcats could never take the lead. The Bruins got a layup at the halftime buzzer from Larry Drew II to put UCLA up 40-36.
Muhammad finished with a game-high 18 points, Kyle Anderson had 17 points and seven rebounds and Drew II had 14 points and nine assists. Jerrett led the Wildcats with 14 points and made four of five 3-point attempts.
Player of the game: Muhammad, playing on a sprained ankle, scored UCLA's final five points and eight of their last 15. His clutch one-handed rebound with nine seconds left was something to behold.
What it means: UCLA remains in control of its own destiny in the race for the Pac-12 regular-season title. The Bruins are tied with Oregon for first place and would claim at least a share of the title with wins at Washington State and Washington next week. Saturday’s victory likely locks up an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament for the Bruins, who missed the tournament last season.
Despite the defeat, Arizona seems to be pretty safe as far as the NCAA tournament goes, but the Wildcats have been officially eliminated from the Pac-12 regular-season race and can’t be feeling good with a 3-4 record over the past seven games.
What’s next: UCLA heads to the Northwest to finish the regular season with visits to the Cougars and Huskies. The Bruins play Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in Pullman. Arizona is off until next Saturday at 2:30, when the Wildcats play the in-state rival Arizona State Sun Devils to finish the regular season.
Shabazz Muhammad leaves an impression
March, 2, 2013
MAR 2
11:30
PM PT
By Peter Yoon | ESPNLosAngeles.com
LOS ANGELES -- Shabazz Muhammad was made for moments like these. Unfortunately for UCLA fans, Muhammad's days in a UCLA Bruins jersey appear to be coming to a close.
With his Bruins beginning to show signs of wilting down the stretch against the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday night at Pauley Pavilion, Muhammad came to the rescue like a superhero swooping in to save the day.
He scored 13 of his game-high 18 points in the second half and eight of UCLA’s final 15 points, including the final five. With nine seconds left and UCLA’s once 14-point lead down to three, he went strong to the glass and grabbed a rebound with all of his muscle after Arizona’s Mark Lyons missed a shot.
He then drained a pair of free throws to seal the victory in what Bruins coach Ben Howland said was Muhammad’s last game at Pauley Pavilion. If it was, what a performance he put on.
“I think the thing that makes him who he is is how competitive he is,” Howland said. “That’s what makes the great ones great. They want to do everything they can to make their teamwin.”
Muhammad did plenty of those things Saturday night, rising to the occasion of the bright lights of a nationally televised game. And in a heated contest between the Pac-12’s most storied teams, Muhammad wrote a page for himself.
He made a basket and a free throw to put UCLA up 52-38 with 15:25 to play before Arizona began to make a run. Four Arizona 3-point baskets over the next 4½ minutes trimmed UCLA’s lead to 59-53, and a free throw with 9:04 left to play made it 59-54. Then, Muhammad started coming up with big plays.
He smoothly stroked a 3-pointer to put UCLA back up by eight. Arizona made another run, cutting UCLA’s lead to 70-66 on a 3-pointer by Grant Jerrett. Muhammad immediately streaked down the floor for a layup that put UCLA up, 72-66.
Another Jerrett 3-pointer cut the lead to a one possession game with 1:07 to play, and after forcing a UCLA shot-clock violation, the Wildcats came down the floor looking to pull off a miracle. Mark Lyons drove to the basket and put up a floater, but it clanked off the rim. Muhammad rose with a primal scream and muscled the ball into his possession to clinch a victory the UCLA.
“I just want to win so bad. I just tried to grab the rebound,” Muhammad said. “I didn’t care who was right there and just tried to grab it and hold it tight.”
It was a nice exclamation point on a season that started low for Muhammad and hit some bumps along the way but slowly and steadily got better and better. Muhammad came to UCLA as a heavily hyped freshman but began the season on the bench as the NCAA investigated his eligibility.
When he finally started on the hardwood, he was out of shape and appeared to be an overrated bust. But as he improved, so did the Bruins. They rattled off 10 consecutive victories, including one over Missouri during which Muhammad enjoyed a coming out party with 27 points.
He has led the team in scoring since December and blossomed into one of the nation’s premier freshmen. When critics said he couldn’t play defense, he got better defensively. When they pointed out his inability to rebound, he focused on getting better on the glass.
A player that looked far from the NBA-ready prospect that he was touted to be started looking like exactly that.
“He definitely lived up to the expectations,” sophomore guard Norman Powell said. “I hope he comes back, but if he doesn’t, I wish him the best going on to the next level. He’s been one of the best players as a freshman, and he’s definitely lived up to the hype.”
Muhammad has the innate ability to perform at his best when the stakes are highest. He’s best late in the game, always wants to take the important shots and doesn’t shy away from pressure. He seems to thrive under pressure.
“You can see how special he’s going to be for a long time to come,” Howland said. “He has ice water in his veins. He wants to take the shot.”
The coach will need more of the same from Muhammad under the glare of March. The Bruins have a road trip to Washington State and Washington next week; should they win both, they will secure their first conference title since 2008.
Then, there is the Pac-12 tournament and, of course, the NCAA tournament. Muhammad, after battling the flu, pink eye and a sprained ankle during the past few weeks appears to be rounding back into peak form just in time for some high-stakes situations and has the Bruins peaking at the right time.
He’s averaging 18.8 points and shooting 50 percent from the field over the past four games and has led the Bruins to victories in six of their past seven games, including four in a row. It’s the longest win streak for the Bruins since that 10-game streak in December and January.
Unfortunately for UCLA fans, Muhammad probably has run the historic floor of Pauley Pavilion for the last time.
“I know that. He knows that. We all know that,” Howland said.
But there are still some very important games left for Muhammad in a Bruins’ uniform and plenty of time for him to cement his UCLA legacy if he can carry the Bruins through a tournament run the way Kevin Love did in his one year in Westwood.
“We want the season to go on as long as possible for him,” Howland said.
And the longer it goes, the more chances there will be for Muhammad to rise up in big moments.
It’s just a shame for UCLA fans that there won’t be any more of them in Pauley Pavilion.
With his Bruins beginning to show signs of wilting down the stretch against the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday night at Pauley Pavilion, Muhammad came to the rescue like a superhero swooping in to save the day.
He scored 13 of his game-high 18 points in the second half and eight of UCLA’s final 15 points, including the final five. With nine seconds left and UCLA’s once 14-point lead down to three, he went strong to the glass and grabbed a rebound with all of his muscle after Arizona’s Mark Lyons missed a shot.
He then drained a pair of free throws to seal the victory in what Bruins coach Ben Howland said was Muhammad’s last game at Pauley Pavilion. If it was, what a performance he put on.
“I think the thing that makes him who he is is how competitive he is,” Howland said. “That’s what makes the great ones great. They want to do everything they can to make their teamwin.”
Muhammad did plenty of those things Saturday night, rising to the occasion of the bright lights of a nationally televised game. And in a heated contest between the Pac-12’s most storied teams, Muhammad wrote a page for himself.
He made a basket and a free throw to put UCLA up 52-38 with 15:25 to play before Arizona began to make a run. Four Arizona 3-point baskets over the next 4½ minutes trimmed UCLA’s lead to 59-53, and a free throw with 9:04 left to play made it 59-54. Then, Muhammad started coming up with big plays.
He smoothly stroked a 3-pointer to put UCLA back up by eight. Arizona made another run, cutting UCLA’s lead to 70-66 on a 3-pointer by Grant Jerrett. Muhammad immediately streaked down the floor for a layup that put UCLA up, 72-66.
Another Jerrett 3-pointer cut the lead to a one possession game with 1:07 to play, and after forcing a UCLA shot-clock violation, the Wildcats came down the floor looking to pull off a miracle. Mark Lyons drove to the basket and put up a floater, but it clanked off the rim. Muhammad rose with a primal scream and muscled the ball into his possession to clinch a victory the UCLA.
“I just want to win so bad. I just tried to grab the rebound,” Muhammad said. “I didn’t care who was right there and just tried to grab it and hold it tight.”
It was a nice exclamation point on a season that started low for Muhammad and hit some bumps along the way but slowly and steadily got better and better. Muhammad came to UCLA as a heavily hyped freshman but began the season on the bench as the NCAA investigated his eligibility.
When he finally started on the hardwood, he was out of shape and appeared to be an overrated bust. But as he improved, so did the Bruins. They rattled off 10 consecutive victories, including one over Missouri during which Muhammad enjoyed a coming out party with 27 points.
He has led the team in scoring since December and blossomed into one of the nation’s premier freshmen. When critics said he couldn’t play defense, he got better defensively. When they pointed out his inability to rebound, he focused on getting better on the glass.
A player that looked far from the NBA-ready prospect that he was touted to be started looking like exactly that.
“He definitely lived up to the expectations,” sophomore guard Norman Powell said. “I hope he comes back, but if he doesn’t, I wish him the best going on to the next level. He’s been one of the best players as a freshman, and he’s definitely lived up to the hype.”
Muhammad has the innate ability to perform at his best when the stakes are highest. He’s best late in the game, always wants to take the important shots and doesn’t shy away from pressure. He seems to thrive under pressure.
“You can see how special he’s going to be for a long time to come,” Howland said. “He has ice water in his veins. He wants to take the shot.”
The coach will need more of the same from Muhammad under the glare of March. The Bruins have a road trip to Washington State and Washington next week; should they win both, they will secure their first conference title since 2008.
Then, there is the Pac-12 tournament and, of course, the NCAA tournament. Muhammad, after battling the flu, pink eye and a sprained ankle during the past few weeks appears to be rounding back into peak form just in time for some high-stakes situations and has the Bruins peaking at the right time.
He’s averaging 18.8 points and shooting 50 percent from the field over the past four games and has led the Bruins to victories in six of their past seven games, including four in a row. It’s the longest win streak for the Bruins since that 10-game streak in December and January.
Unfortunately for UCLA fans, Muhammad probably has run the historic floor of Pauley Pavilion for the last time.
“I know that. He knows that. We all know that,” Howland said.
But there are still some very important games left for Muhammad in a Bruins’ uniform and plenty of time for him to cement his UCLA legacy if he can carry the Bruins through a tournament run the way Kevin Love did in his one year in Westwood.
“We want the season to go on as long as possible for him,” Howland said.
And the longer it goes, the more chances there will be for Muhammad to rise up in big moments.
It’s just a shame for UCLA fans that there won’t be any more of them in Pauley Pavilion.
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 |  Kyle Anderson |
UCLA Men's Basketball Official website
March 2, 2013
Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
| Video Highlights 
UCLA's Season Stats | Photo Gallery 
| UCLA Media Guide
LOS ANGELES - Shabazz Muhammad scored a game-high 18 points andKyle Anderson added 17 to lead UCLA past No. 11 Arizona, 74-69, before a record crowd of 13,727 in Pauley Pavilion on Saturday night.
Muhammad helped UCLA (22-7, 12-4 Pac-12) clinch the victory by making a pair of free throws with nine seconds to play in the second half, and UCLA swept the regular season series against the Wildcats (23-6, 11-6) for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
"Arizona is a great team, the fans here were great, and it was a great win," Muhammad said. "We still have a long season ahead, but I was really happy with the win tonight."
Saturday night's victory before national television audience on ESPN moved UCLA into a first-place tie with Oregon in the Pac-12. Both the Bruins and Ducks are 12-4 in conference action with two games remaining on their regular season schedules.
"Shabazz knocked down big foul shots down the stretch," UCLA head coach Ben Howland said. "His foul trouble limited his minutes. I was really excited that he got the big defensive rebound on that last possession. You can see how special he'll be for a long time to come."
Anderson scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half and finished with seven rebounds and three assists.
Arizona's Grant Jerrett finished with 14 points, while Mark Lyons totaled 13 points in a team-leading 31 minutes.
Honored prior to the game as the team's lone senior student-athlete on "Senior Night," Larry Drew II totaled 14 points and nine assists in his final home game with UCLA. Drew II connected on 2 of 3 three-point baskets and played a game-high 38 minutes.
"I had a lot of family and friends here on Senior Night, so I certainly wanted to have a good game," Drew II said. "But, I was really focused on just winning. It didn't matter how I played if we win."
Drew II added nine assists, pushing his season total to 227, the second-highest single-season mark in school history. Drew II trails the school record by just nine assists - Pooh Richardson dished 236 assists in 31 games during the 1988-89 season.
"UCLA, they have a lot of good things going for them," Arizona head coach Sean Miller said. "If they win the conference, my vote for the conference player of the year is Larry Drew. And I don't really think it's close."
UCLA led at halftime by a 40-36 margin and led by as many as 14 points twice in the second half. The Bruins opened their cushion to 52-38 at the 15:25 mark and 55-41 with 14:26 remaining.
Arizona cut UCLA's advantage to 59-54 after a three-pointer from Nick Johnson and a free throw from Jordin Mayes with 9:05 to play. UCLA led by 11 points - 70-59 - with 4:12 left in regulation before the Wildcats used a 7-0 scoring run to close the gap to 70-66 with 1:35 remaining.
Grant Jerrett nailed consecutive three-point baskets at the 1:35 and 1:10 marks, reducing UCLA's lead to just three points (72-69). After Mark Lyons missed a jump shot with 10 seconds to play, Muhammad grabbed the rebound and was fouled, converting both free throw attempts.
Arizona turned over the ball in the final five seconds and was unable to get a final shot.
"I thought we lost to a really good basketball team in a fantastic environment," Miller said. "It would be difficult for any team to come in here today and win. I am really proud of our guys' effort. I thought we battled back in the second half."
UCLA will close its season on the road this week, playing at Washington State on Wednesday and at Washington on Saturday. The Bruins can secure a share of the Pac-12 regular-season title by winning both games.
UCLA's game at Washington State on Wednesday is slated to begin at 6:30 p.m. The game will be televised live on Pac-12 Networks from Pullman, Wash.
After Saturday night, there can be no mistake. This is home.
UCLA dominated No. 11 Arizona in a 74-69 win while countless pairs of eyes fixated on them from both near and far. Inside Pauley Pavilion was a record crowd of 13,727. Outside, tens of thousands more watching on national television.
The Wildcats made their runs, but each time the Bruins dismissed them - finally surviving a 10-2 rally in the last four minutes. Arizona tied four times, but never led after the game's first three minutes.
And all the while, Pauley shook and screamed. The fans' reward?
Pac-12 Conference title hopes that still live, and the team's first season sweep of the Wildcats since 2008.
"It means a lot, the two storied programs," said senior point guard Larry Drew II, who grew up in nearby Encino.
UCLA and Arizona, long the bellwethers of the conference's national reputation, put in a fight that stretched into the final 70 seconds.
The Wildcats, seemingly felled by a 12-0 run early in the second half, fought to within three points on Grant Jerrett's 3-pointer at 1:10. After the Bruins turned the ball over inside of 30 seconds, Arizona guard Mark Lyons let a layup fly.
It rimmed out, and freshman Shabazz Muhammad - a projected NBA lottery pick - grabbed a tough defensive rebound to secure the game. He was fouled, and went to the line and sank both for the final 74-69 lead - serenaded by cheers of "One more year!" as he did.
Muhammad and his father, Ron Holmes, both said after the game that they were undecided about his future. Coach Ben Howland, however, said he expected his star freshman to leave: "I'm a realist."
Should he declare for the NBA draft, he left a lasting impression in his final home appearance. Quiet in the first half after picking up two fouls, Muhammad scored 13 of his game-high 18 points in the second half.
"He's always been a great competitor," Howland said. "He's always been the man. He's used to that role. He loves to win. I'm just so pleased with his overall development. I think he's just really improved in every facet of the game."
Fellow freshman Kyle Anderson followed close behind with 17, the second of four Bruins in double figures. Drew, who received a pregame ceremony as he closed his lone season at UCLA, just missed out on a double-double with 14 points and nine assists. His newly found shooting stroke was still there, as he hit two of his three attempts from beyond the arc.
Afterward, Drew lingered near the sidelines, signing autographs for the dozens of fans that still stood waiting.
For much of this season, Pauley Pavilion saw crowds waver along with its team's fortunes. It took just four games for UCLA to spoil the glow of its new, renovated arena - blemished just after Thanksgiving by an embarrassing loss to Cal Poly.
Unsteady as they looked, the Bruins still cobbled together a 10-win streak that stretched across the new year. Whatever goodwill there was dashed by three losses in four games, including an inexcusable faceplant at home to USC.
Well, the fans came this time, spurred on by a marquee matchup against Arizona and the pregame presence of ESPN College GameDay. Tickets sold out well in advance of the Saturday night tipoff, and the lower tier of the resale market scratched three digits.
The game may have been worth that price.
jack.wang@dailynews.com twitter.com/thejackwang
March 2, 2013
Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
| Video Highlights UCLA's Season Stats
| Photo Gallery | UCLA Media GuideLOS ANGELES - Shabazz Muhammad scored a game-high 18 points andKyle Anderson added 17 to lead UCLA past No. 11 Arizona, 74-69, before a record crowd of 13,727 in Pauley Pavilion on Saturday night.
Muhammad helped UCLA (22-7, 12-4 Pac-12) clinch the victory by making a pair of free throws with nine seconds to play in the second half, and UCLA swept the regular season series against the Wildcats (23-6, 11-6) for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
"Arizona is a great team, the fans here were great, and it was a great win," Muhammad said. "We still have a long season ahead, but I was really happy with the win tonight."
Saturday night's victory before national television audience on ESPN moved UCLA into a first-place tie with Oregon in the Pac-12. Both the Bruins and Ducks are 12-4 in conference action with two games remaining on their regular season schedules.
"Shabazz knocked down big foul shots down the stretch," UCLA head coach Ben Howland said. "His foul trouble limited his minutes. I was really excited that he got the big defensive rebound on that last possession. You can see how special he'll be for a long time to come."
Anderson scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half and finished with seven rebounds and three assists.
Arizona's Grant Jerrett finished with 14 points, while Mark Lyons totaled 13 points in a team-leading 31 minutes.
Honored prior to the game as the team's lone senior student-athlete on "Senior Night," Larry Drew II totaled 14 points and nine assists in his final home game with UCLA. Drew II connected on 2 of 3 three-point baskets and played a game-high 38 minutes.
"I had a lot of family and friends here on Senior Night, so I certainly wanted to have a good game," Drew II said. "But, I was really focused on just winning. It didn't matter how I played if we win."
Drew II added nine assists, pushing his season total to 227, the second-highest single-season mark in school history. Drew II trails the school record by just nine assists - Pooh Richardson dished 236 assists in 31 games during the 1988-89 season.
"UCLA, they have a lot of good things going for them," Arizona head coach Sean Miller said. "If they win the conference, my vote for the conference player of the year is Larry Drew. And I don't really think it's close."
UCLA led at halftime by a 40-36 margin and led by as many as 14 points twice in the second half. The Bruins opened their cushion to 52-38 at the 15:25 mark and 55-41 with 14:26 remaining.
Arizona cut UCLA's advantage to 59-54 after a three-pointer from Nick Johnson and a free throw from Jordin Mayes with 9:05 to play. UCLA led by 11 points - 70-59 - with 4:12 left in regulation before the Wildcats used a 7-0 scoring run to close the gap to 70-66 with 1:35 remaining.
Grant Jerrett nailed consecutive three-point baskets at the 1:35 and 1:10 marks, reducing UCLA's lead to just three points (72-69). After Mark Lyons missed a jump shot with 10 seconds to play, Muhammad grabbed the rebound and was fouled, converting both free throw attempts.
Arizona turned over the ball in the final five seconds and was unable to get a final shot.
"I thought we lost to a really good basketball team in a fantastic environment," Miller said. "It would be difficult for any team to come in here today and win. I am really proud of our guys' effort. I thought we battled back in the second half."
UCLA will close its season on the road this week, playing at Washington State on Wednesday and at Washington on Saturday. The Bruins can secure a share of the Pac-12 regular-season title by winning both games.
UCLA's game at Washington State on Wednesday is slated to begin at 6:30 p.m. The game will be televised live on Pac-12 Networks from Pullman, Wash.
UCLA 74, NO. 11 ARIZONA 69: Bruins' victory makes this worth price of admission
By Jack Wang, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/02/2013 08:42:40 PM PST
Updated: 03/03/2013 12:34:26 AM PST
UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad celebrates as time runs out in the second half against Arizona on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA won 74-69. ( (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill))
After Saturday night, there can be no mistake. This is home.
UCLA dominated No. 11 Arizona in a 74-69 win while countless pairs of eyes fixated on them from both near and far. Inside Pauley Pavilion was a record crowd of 13,727. Outside, tens of thousands more watching on national television.
The Wildcats made their runs, but each time the Bruins dismissed them - finally surviving a 10-2 rally in the last four minutes. Arizona tied four times, but never led after the game's first three minutes.
And all the while, Pauley shook and screamed. The fans' reward?
Pac-12 Conference title hopes that still live, and the team's first season sweep of the Wildcats since 2008.
"It means a lot, the two storied programs," said senior point guard Larry Drew II, who grew up in nearby Encino.
UCLA and Arizona, long the bellwethers of the conference's national reputation, put in a fight that stretched into the final 70 seconds.
The Wildcats, seemingly felled by a 12-0 run early in the second half, fought to within three points on Grant Jerrett's 3-pointer at 1:10. After the Bruins turned the ball over inside of 30 seconds, Arizona guard Mark Lyons let a layup fly.
It rimmed out, and freshman Shabazz Muhammad - a projected NBA lottery pick - grabbed a tough defensive rebound to secure the game. He was fouled, and went to the line and sank both for the final 74-69 lead - serenaded by cheers of "One more year!" as he did.
Muhammad and his father, Ron Holmes, both said after the game that they were undecided about his future. Coach Ben Howland, however, said he expected his star freshman to leave: "I'm a realist."
Should he declare for the NBA draft, he left a lasting impression in his final home appearance. Quiet in the first half after picking up two fouls, Muhammad scored 13 of his game-high 18 points in the second half.
"He's always been a great competitor," Howland said. "He's always been the man. He's used to that role. He loves to win. I'm just so pleased with his overall development. I think he's just really improved in every facet of the game."
Fellow freshman Kyle Anderson followed close behind with 17, the second of four Bruins in double figures. Drew, who received a pregame ceremony as he closed his lone season at UCLA, just missed out on a double-double with 14 points and nine assists. His newly found shooting stroke was still there, as he hit two of his three attempts from beyond the arc.
Afterward, Drew lingered near the sidelines, signing autographs for the dozens of fans that still stood waiting.
For much of this season, Pauley Pavilion saw crowds waver along with its team's fortunes. It took just four games for UCLA to spoil the glow of its new, renovated arena - blemished just after Thanksgiving by an embarrassing loss to Cal Poly.
Unsteady as they looked, the Bruins still cobbled together a 10-win streak that stretched across the new year. Whatever goodwill there was dashed by three losses in four games, including an inexcusable faceplant at home to USC.
Well, the fans came this time, spurred on by a marquee matchup against Arizona and the pregame presence of ESPN College GameDay. Tickets sold out well in advance of the Saturday night tipoff, and the lower tier of the resale market scratched three digits.
The game may have been worth that price.
jack.wang@dailynews.com twitter.com/thejackwang
LOS ANGELES – Only 10 seconds stood between UCLA and a triumphant sweep of the preseason Pac-12 title favorites as Arizona guard Mark Lyons weaved furiously through the lane.
On the heels of a 10-2 run, Arizona (11-6, 23-6) had mounted a similar comeback earlier this season against the Bruins. But that run had been halted by freshman Shabazz Muhammad, who dutifully responded with dagger after dagger near the end of the second half, fending off the Wildcats on his own.
UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad (15) is escorted to the free throw line by teammates Kyle Anderson (5), and David Wear (12) where he made both of his free throws to put the game away over Arizona late in the second half on Saturday at Pauley Pavillion. .
ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE REGISTER
This time – in the Bruins' 74-69 victory over the Wildcats on Saturday – Muhammad was struggling from the field. After getting into foul trouble early, the freshman phenom had spent most of the first half on the bench. And since starting the second half, he had shot just 4 of 10 from the field.
But as Lyons' shot hit the rim and bounced off, hanging in midair for the briefest of moments, Muhammad seemed to burst out of nowhere, grabbing the ball with all of his might. He fell hard to the ground with it, clutching it as tightly as he could.
"I didn't care who was right there," Muhammad said. "I just tried to grab it and hold it tight."
It was just his third defensive rebound of the game – an aspect of his basketball skill set that is still very much a work in progress. But the moment was a testament to how important his ferocious competitiveness is to UCLA (12-4, 22-7) this season.
While he held on tightly, so did his Bruins, as he sunk two free throws at the other end to lift UCLA.
"Bazz, early in the year, was very, very quick to leak out, like we were playing in the summer," UCLA coach Ben Howland said.
"He's improved so much as a player, defensively, defensive rebounding. You can see how special he's going to be for years to come."
And for his Bruins, this victory could be a sign of how special the next month – or at least few weeks – could be. It kept them tied with Oregon atop the conference with two games left in the regular season. And with six triumphs in its past seven games, UCLA is looking as good as it has all season long.
Freshman Kyle Anderson, who continued his steady climb as one of the Bruins' best players on Saturday, finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. And senior Larry Drew II, who was honored before his last home game as a Bruin, finished with 14 points and came up one assist shy of his first double-double in Westwood. It was as good of a game as both players have had all season.
But under the spotlight, Muhammad – the former No. 1 recruit in the country – has always shined brightest.
It's a shine that Howland is well accustomed to at this point, and after Saturday's performance, he had no problem being honest about Muhammad's future at UCLA.
"I'm very much a realist now," Howland said, referencing his experiences with Kevin Love and Jrue Holiday, both one-and-done former Bruins. "I knew going into this deal that this was a one-year deal. And it should be. He's a lottery pick. He's a top-five pick. When you have that going for you, it is absolutely the right thing for him.
"That was his last game at Pauley Pavilion, no doubt about it."
Muhammad shied away from the question, explaining that there's too much basketball left for him to know one way or another.
"I'm just really happy I came here," he said.
And with UCLA on the doorstep of a Pac-12 title, just two victories in Washington away from at least sharing the honor, plenty around Westwood are happy for the same reasons.
"We're peaking at the right time," Howland said.
Contact the writer: rkartje@ocregister.com
UCLA beats Arizona, 74-69, to grab share of Pac-12 lead
The Bruins get 18 points from Shabazz Muhammad and 17 from Kyle Anderson while senior Larry Drew II has 14 points and nine assists in his final home game.
By Chris Foster
10:10 PM PST, March 2, 2013
UCLA fans said adieu to point guard Larry Drew II.
And if, by chance, this is was one-and-done night, Bruins fans can say c'est la vie.
There was no better sendoff for Drew … and freshman Shabazz Muhammad … and possibly freshman Kyle Anderson, than the sight and sound of fans in Pauley Pavilion roaring with approval as the final seconds ticked off in a 74-69 victory over No. 11 Arizona.
The victory sent the Bruins (22-7 overall, 12-4 in Pac-12 Conference) off to Washington tied with Oregon for first place. The Bruins have not lost at Washington State since 1993 and have not won at Washington since 2004. Those are matters for another day.
"It will be sweet to win the Pac-12," Muhammad said. But, for now, he said, "We're going to enjoy this win."
Everyone did.
The Pauley Pavilion-record 13,727 fans in attendance left happy. The players left happy. Heck, even Coach Ben Howland was all chuckles after seeing Muhammad clinch the season sweep of Arizona (23-6, 11-6).
The Bruins led 72-59 with four minutes left, then had to do some scrapping. Muhammad put them over the top, with a defensive rebound and two foul shots with 10 seconds left.
Howland dusted off some shtick, saying, "Shabazz wants to be the guy taking those shots, and we all know he's disappointed when he doesn't get to … I'm joking."
Then quicker than saying don't-quit-your-day-job, Howland was off talking about the future.
There was no getting around the fact that he will be losing Drew, a senior who left in style. He had 14 points and nine assists in his last home game. Drew sank two three-pointers during 12-0 run that gave the Bruins a 55-41 lead with 14 minutes left.
Howland took the opportunity to give Muhammad a postgame sendoff.
"That was his last game in Pauley," Howland said. "There's no doubt about it. I know that. He knows that. We all know that. So we want this season to go on as long as possible."
Muhammad is pushing that as well. He had 18 points Saturday despite playing on a sprained left ankle. He opened the night with a three-pointer and bookended it with the last four points while fans chanted "one more year."
Not likely, Howland said.
"I'm a realist guy," Howland said. "I knew going into this, this deal was a one-year deal. He should be. He's a lottery pick. It's the absolutely right thing to do."
Muhammad, though, was happy to close out the Wildcats, but more reluctant to close the door.
"There's still a lot of season left," Muhammad said when asked about Howland's comments.
What could keep him at UCLA, Muhammad said, is the team.
"Everyone has me leaving," Muhammad said. "There's a lot to weigh and I have a lot of eligibility left. We're only losing Larry. We could be really good next year."
Next year, though, might not include Anderson. He started what could be his final home game by scoring six of UCLA's first 13 points. He closed the half by scoring nine of the Bruins' last 11 points for a 40-36 halftime lead.
"That was maybe his best half of the season," Howland said.
Anderson finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and dodged questions about his future.
"I'm not really thinking about that," Anderson said. 'I'm too caught up in this season."
chris.foster@latimes.com
Twitter: @cfosterlatimes
UCLA beats No. 11 Arizona 74-69 for Pac-12 tie
By BETH HARRIS (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – 9 hours ago | via Yahoo!Sports- Recommend10
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View PhotoUCLA's Shabazz Muhammad celebrates as time runs out in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Arizona, Saturday, March 2, 2013, in …
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Shabazz Muhammad went up in traffic and came down with the ball in his hands, always where the star freshman wants it with the game on the line.
He got fouled in snagging the defensive rebound and made both free throws with 9 seconds remaining, helping UCLA hang on for a 74-69 victory over No. 11 Arizona on Saturday night that moved the Bruins into a first-place tie with idle Oregon in the Pac-12.
''I just like being competitive,'' Muhammad said. ''I didn't know who was there, I just tried to grab the ball so we could get possession. I just tried to help my teammates out.''
He finished with 18 points as UCLA fans chanted ''One more year'' in reference to Muhammad's likely early departure for the NBA draft.
''I knew going into this deal that this was a one-year deal and it should be,'' Bruins coach Ben Howland said. ''He's a top-five pick. When you have that going for you, it's absolutely the right thing for him. That was absolutely his last game in Pauley Pavilion. I know that, he knows that, we all know that. We want the season to go as long as possible for him.''
Muhammad and his father said after the game that he hasn't made a decision about his immediate future.
''It's still a long season of basketball. I'm just going to enjoy this win,'' he said, adding that he heard the fans weighing in.
''The fans here are great. I enjoyed myself the whole year. I gained a lot of experience coming here.''
Kyle Anderson added 15 of his 17 points in the first half, Larry Drew II had 14 points and nine assists in the senior's final home game for the Bruins, and David Wear had nine points and 10 rebounds.
''It's senior night and I told Larry before the game we'd get the win,'' Muhammad said. ''I had to make sure and make those free throws for him.''
Anderson, another of UCLA's highly touted freshmen, also said he hasn't thought about his future.
''I'm too caught up in the season and what we can do to get better,'' he said.
Freshman Grant Jerrett hit four 3-pointers in scoring 14 points, Mark Lyons added 13, and Kevin Parrom 11 for the Wildcats (23-6, 11-6 Pac-12), who committed 16 turnovers in coach Sean Miller's 300th career game. He is 212-88 overall and 92-41 in nine seasons in the desert.
''I love the fact that we fought back hard and gave ourselves an opportunity to win,'' Miller said. ''It would be difficult for any team to come in here and win.''
The Wildcats dropped the season series, having lost 84-73 in Tucson in January. It was the first sweep between the schools since UCLA did it in 2008.
''It means a lot,'' Drew said. ''They're two storied programs. I'm glad my fellas came prepared to play and got the win.''
UCLA (22-7, 12-4) took control with a 15-5 run to open the second half, when it built a 14-point lead, before Arizona rallied with a 10-2 run to get to 72-69.
Drew dribbled down to use time but then turned the ball over before UCLA could get off a shot with 24 seconds left. Lyons missed a jumper and Muhammad grabbed the rebound and fell to the floor while getting fouled by Nick Johnson.
''We were supposed to set a screen, but Drew read it and he kind of cheated off the screen and played good defense,'' Jerrett said.
Muhammad made both for a 74-69 lead before Lyons turned the ball over on the Wildcats' last possession.
''He is like ice water,'' Howland said. ''He wants to take the shot. As we all know, he's disappointed when he doesn't.''
UCLA broke a four-point game open with its second-half run. Drew scored six points on two 3-pointers, Muhammad had five points and Wear four as the Bruins took a 55-41 lead.
The Wildcats rallied with a 13-4 spurt that included two 3-pointers by Johnson and another by Parrom that closed them to 59-54.
''They came out with a little more energy at the start of each half. You are supposed to win at home, but we have to respond better,'' Parrom said. ''That is something we have to be better at if we want to go where we want to go.''
Muhammad answered with a 3-pointer and Wear hit one several seconds later for a 67-56 lead, keeping the Wildcats in catch-up mode for most of the game.
Arizona concluded a losing weekend in Los Angeles, having been beaten 89-78 by Southern California on Wednesday night. The Wildcats have lost four of their past seven games, with only rival Arizona State to play next weekend before the Pac-12 tournament begins in Las Vegas.
The Bruins end the regular season on the road against the Washington schools.
''It would be really sweet to win the Pac-12,'' Muhammad said.
UCLA led most of the first half, although never by more than seven points. Drew's layup with 2 seconds left kept the Bruins ahead 40-36 at the break.
Travis Wear returned to the Bruins' lineup after missing two straight games with a right foot injury, although Howland said he played in pain. He finished with six points as one of three UCLA players in second-half foul trouble.
Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Chauncey Billups and Matt Barnes of the Los Angeles Clippers were among the sellout crowd of 13,727. Baron Davis and Bill Walton were on hand, too. UCLA honored its 1972 national championship team at halftime.
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JILL PAINTER on UCLA: Muhammad provides lasting impression
LA Daily News
Posted: 03/02/2013 10:25:08 PM PST
Updated: 03/02/2013 11:19:08 PM PST
Muhammad played his final game at UCLA on Saturday, according to Ben Howland, and finally, it wasn't all about Muhammad.
It's no surprise that Muhammad won't stay - even though fans chanted "one more year!" - but the one-and-done questions are done.
Muhammad is leaving for the NBA after this, his freshman season, and we are finally left with something special to remember.
Our last vision of him at Pauley Pavilion is that of a blue-collar superstar pulling down a defensive rebound with nine seconds left against Arizona and falling hard to the court clutching the ball.
With UCLA up by three points, he then iced the game with a pair of free throws to win it, 74-69.
"I just like being competitive," Muhammad said. "I want my team to win."
There was no game-winning shot by Muhammad, but this was much better than that. This was Muhammad playing defense and producing at the free-throw line when it mattered. And seemingly loving every minute of it.
His clutch plays put UCLA (22-7, 12-4) in a tie for the Pac-12 Conference lead with Oregon.
And on the night we learn it's official, that we hardly knew Muhammad, we know we like this ending.
Muhammad finished with 18 points, three rebounds and two steals. There was no official assist, but he did one better by not stealing the show from his teammates.
It's a switch, and a much better memory than if he'd walked off the Nell and John Wooden Court for the last time like he did after UCLA beat Washington on a last-second basket by Larry Drew II. In that game last month, Muhammad was stomping his feet, demanding the ball for the final shot. He didn't get it, but his teammate did and made the shot.
Muhammad then bypassed the dogpile celebration with his teammates.
Howland broke the news in Saturday's postgame news conference.
"I'm very much a realist. I knew going into this it's a one-year deal," Howland said. "It should be. He's a lotterypick. When you have that, it's absolutely the right thing. That was his last game at Pauley Pavilion. There's no doubt about that. I know that. He knows that. We all know that."
Muhammad said he hadn't made a decision yet, and his dad, Ron Holmes, said the same thing.
Too late. Cat's out of the NBA bag.
It's no surprise. Howland didn't waver.
"With 'Bazz, I'm just keeping it real here," Howland said.
He's one-and-done.
Even though Muhammad could've starred over Larry Drew II - like he did when he blew off celebrating with him for the world to see - Muhammad took the high road and deferred to Drew, who sat next to him in the news conference.
His rebound and free throws weren't about him. They were about Drew and his teammates.
"First of all, Larry did a great job on Mark Lyons at the end," Muhammad said. "Larry played great "D" on him. I just tried to grab the rebound and didn't care who was there. I just tried to grab it and hold it tight."
Muhammad didn't want to talk about his future in the NBA, and that was the right thing to do. He was in the back of the news conference when Howland made the announcement.
"This wasn't meant to be an announcement on Shabazz," Howland said, knowing, like the rest of us, that the breaking news would've been if Muhammad decided to stay. "I'm just being honest."
Credit Muhammad for not making this show about him. He knew when he stepped on the court Saturday that it would be his last game here. And yet, he didn't make this game about him.
"I just wanted to knock down those free throws and win the game," Muhammad said. "I'm just happy for Larry. This is senior night, and I told him we'd win the game and I had to make sure I made those free throws for him."
This was Muhammad deferring to one of his teammates, like he should've done when Drew made that winning shot against Washington.
Muhammad is learning it's not all about him, even if he's the best player on the court. Even when Howland broke the news for him, Muhammad made this about the Bruins.
Finally, these UCLA Bruins are not about one go-to player and everyone else.
With Muhammad doing the little things, UCLA seems very much a team. With two regular-season games left, it's a good time to be humble.
Muhammad is gone, but he left Pauley Pavilion with the biggest rebound of the game, falling hard to the court and holding on to a basketball for his teammates.
Wish we could've known him better.
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Shabazz Muhammad secures Saturday's game-sealing rebound against Arizona (Getty Images)LOS ANGELES — At the end of his team's impressive 74-69 victory over Arizona on Saturday night, UCLA coach Ben Howland made a point to approach star freshman Shabazz Muhammad and congratulate him on a job well done.
Muhammad's 18 points, momentum-turning second-half 3-pointer and game-sealing free throws were his most obvious accomplishments, but Howland was most proud of another key play his star freshman made to help complete a season sweep of the Wildcats. After Mark Lyons missed a shot in the lane that would have cut UCLA's lead to one with nine seconds remaining, Muhammad skied high in the air on a sprained ankle and outfought Nick Johnson for a one-handed defensive rebound that paved the way for his clinching foul shots.
"I was very excited about that," Howland said. "Bazz early in the year, was very, very quick to leak out like we were playing in the summer. He's really improving. He has improved so much as a player defensively and defensive rebounding. You can see he's going to be really special for years to come."
Praise like that makes Muhammad feel especially good because it's validation for why he decided to play under Howland in the first place. Instead of going to a school where he could showcase his already celebrated scoring ability and perhaps have a better chance to win a championship as a freshman, Muhammad chose to play for a coach he knew would drive him to become a better defender and rebounder.
Nobody will mistake Muhammad for Stacey Augmon or Andre Iguodala anytime soon, but he has done a better job defensively and on the glass since Howland challenged him at the start of conference play to improve in both areas. Muhammad has shed weight to boost his lateral quickness, improved his defensive rotations and made more of a concerted effort to help UCLA's undersized big men secure defensive rebounds.
"Improving in those areas was the No. 1 reason I came to UCLA," Muhammad said. "I had Kentucky and Duke after me and those are two great programs, but coming here I thought I could really learn how to play defense and rebound because that's going to prepare me for the next level. I feel like it's working. I'm really improving."
Any improvement Muhammad makes at that end of the floor can only help a UCLA team whose strength is its quick-strike offense. The Bruins lead the Pac-12 in points per game and points per possession thanks to the playmaking of Larry Drew and Kyle Anderson, the outside shooting of the Wear twins and Jordan Adams and the slashing and finishing ability of Muhammad.
Muhammad has done nothing to damage his reputation as a scorer by averaging 18.3 points per game, but he believes he'll be leaving UCLA a more well-rounded player than when he arrived. Though Muhammad side-stepped multiple questions about whether Saturday night was his last home game at UCLA and insisted the NBA draft was not on his mind, Howland had already confirmed the obvious a few minutes earlier.
"That was his last game at Pauley Pavilion," Howland said. "No doubt about it. I know that. He knows that. We all know that. ... I'm just keeping it real."
As Muhammad reflects on the first four months of the season, he insists he is pleased with what he and the team have accomplished so far.
UCLA has overcome a deflating early loss to Cal Poly, the November transfer of two former starters and persistent questions about Howland's job security to tie Oregon for first place atop the Pac-12 with two games to play. And Muhammad has validated his offseason hype as one of the nation's top freshman scorers while also shoring up some of the weaknesses in his game.
"It has been great playing at UCLA," Muhammad said. "It was definitely the right decision coming here. We're all like brothers out there and the added focus on defense and rebounding has really helped me a lot."
Howland on Shabazz: ‘This was his last game at Pauley Pavilion’
Inside UCLA blog
LA Daily News
Ever since his hype as the nation’s top recruit, UCLA freshman Shabazz Muhammad has been almost universally regarded as a one-and-done — bound for the NBA Draft after his spending a season showing off his wares in college.
After the Bruins beat Arizona 74-69 in their last home game of the season, coach Ben Howland said he expected that to still hold true.
“I’m very much a realist now,” Howland said. “I knew going into this that it was a one-year deal. And it should be. He’s a lottery pick. He’s a top-five pick. When you have that going for you, it is absolutely the right thing for him. That was his last game at Pauley Pavilion, no doubt about it.
“I know that. He knows that. We all know that. So we want this season to go as long as possible.”
Muhammad took the press conference podium minutes later, but denied that he was ready to make a decision: “It’s still a long season of basketball. We don’t know yet.”
His father, Ron Holmes, echoed the comments. He said the family had yet to discuss the matter, stressing that Muhammad is having fun in college and could elect to return.
“I don’t know why Ben said that,” Holmes said.
Howland wasn’t as resigned to the departure of freshman Kyle Anderson. The 6-foot-9 point forward’s offense has ticked up lately, and ESPN’s Chad Ford recently projected him as one of the first players outside the first round. Anderson’s answer about his future was similar to Muhammad’s.
“I’m not really thinking about that,” he said. “I’m too caught up in the season and what we can do to get better every day. I’m not thinking about what’s going on after the season.”
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