Isaac Hamilton had eight points and seven rebounds for UCLA on Wednesday (AP Photo)
Courtesy: Associated Press
Courtesy: UCLA Athletics
Release: Wednesday 11/26/2014
Release: Wednesday 11/26/2014
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PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas – Bryce Alford led UCLA with 19 points and Kevon Looney recorded his fourth consecutive double-double, totaling 16 points and 15 rebounds, as No. 22 UCLA lost to Oklahoma, 75-65, in the quarterfinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis on Wednesday.
Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield, who grew up in Freeport, Bahamas, scored a game-leading 24 points to pace the Sooners (4-1), who used a decisive 11-0 scoring run midway through the second half to secure a 60-59 lead with six minutes remaining.
Hield made 7 of 19 shots, inclduing 3 of 10 attempts from three-point range. Ryan Spangler grabbed a team-leading 10 rebounds and scored nine points for the Sooners.
In a back-and-forth contest that saw several sizeable scoring runs, Oklahoma snapped a 60-60 tie on a 3-pointer by Jordan Woodard at the 5:16 mark and never trailed from that point.
"We knew it was going to be a tough battle," UCLA head coach Steve Alford said. "I like the way our guys competed. We didn't get the job done at the free throw line. We were able to out-rebound them, but we didn’t have a good shooting night."
After Woodward’s 3-point basket, the Bruins never closed the gap to fewer than three points.
The Bruins shot 37.7 percent from the field and 42.9 percent (9-for-21) from the free throw line. Oklahoma made 23 of its 30 free throw attempts (76.7 percent). UCLA owned the rebounding advantage, 51-43, and grabbed 18 offensive boards.
UCLA (4-1) trailed by a 32-27 margin at halftime and saw Oklahoma’s advantage increase to 41-34 before the first media timeout in the second half. Facing a 41-34 deficit, the Bruins used a 16-5 scoring run to take a 50-46 lead with 12 minutes to play. UCLA continued to add to its cushion, pushing its second-half lead to as many as eight points (57-49) after a three-pointer by Isaac Hamilton at the 9:05 mark.
That’s when Oklahoma countered with its 11-0 scoring run to claim a 60-59 lead.
“It’s a credit to Oklahoma that they picked up their intensity in those last few minutes," Bryce Alford said. "We struggled with that. We had a few odd lineups in there, and we had a couple possessions in a row where we didn’t make shots and didn't get key stops.”
The Sooners finished with three players scoring in double figures – Hield (24), Frank Booker (11) and Woodward (10).
Looney, who has logged a double-double in four of the Bruins’ first five games, also had three blocks and one steal in 33 minutes. The freshman forward from Milwaukee, Wis., has averaged 15.0 points and 12.6 rebounds per game. He entered the day ranking seventh nationally in rebounds per game (tops among all freshmen).
UCLA will face No. 5 North Carolina (3-1) on Thursday at 4 p.m. (PT)/7 p.m. (ET) in a consolation game on Thursday, Nov. 27. The Bruins’ game will be televised by AXS TV.
Game Notes: Oklahoma faced UCLA for the first time since 1975, John Wooden's final season in Westwood … UCLA had won the previous three meetings in the all-time series … Oklahoma had more 3-pointers in the first half (five) than 2-pointers (four) … the Bruins had trailed for a total of 9:52 in their first four games, combined (and trailed for more than that in the first half Wednesday) … Bryce Alford has now averaged a team-high 19.8 points and 8.2 assists per game this season … UCLA has compiled a 4-6 all-time record against North Carolina, its opponent on Thursday evening.
The Box
Fish wrap round-up (what the papers are sayin about the game)
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