Sunday, February 26, 2017
No. 5 UCLA Upends No. 4 Arizona, 77-72
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feb 25, 2017 | UCLA MEN'S BASKETBALL
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TUCSON, Ariz. – Bryce Alford scored a team-high 15 points while Lonzo Ball recorded 11 points and eight assists as No. 5 UCLA earned a 77-72 road win at No. 4 Arizona in front of 14,644 at the McKale Center on Saturday night.
UCLA (26-13, 13-3 Pac-12) snapped Arizona's 21-game home winning streak, handing the host Wildcats with their second loss at the McKale Center in their last 72 games.
The Bruins used a balance scoring attack on Saturday night, as five players scored in double figures. Joining Alford and Ball in that category were Thomas Welsh (14 points, eight rebounds), TJ Leaf (12 points) and Aaron Holiday (12 points).
UCLA pushed its win streak to seven games and completed the month of February with a perfect 7-0 record, marking the first time since 1995 in which the Bruins had gone undefeated in February.
In addition, the Bruins registered their fourth consecutive win over a top-five ranked opponent, dating back to last season's home win over No. 1-ranked Kentucky. This marks UCLA's longest such streak versus top-five ranked teams since securing 13 consecutive wins from 1967-68 through 1973-74.
Allonzo Trier led Arizona (26-4, 15-2 Pac-12) with 28 points, connecting on 11 of 14 shots as one of three Wildcats to score in double figures.
"I thought we've been growing defensively," UCLA head coach Steve Alford said. "Everyone wants to keep talking about our defense, but bottom line is we are a really good basketball team."
UCLA trailed by four points at halftime, 43-39, but responded early in the second half. The Bruins took their first lead of the second half after back-to-back jump shots by Welsh with 12:52 to play. Welsh's basket with 12:52 remaining handed UCLA a 54-53 advantage. From that point in the game, the Bruins never trailed.
Leading 56-55 after a layup by Trier, the Bruins countered with a three-pointer by Holiday to push the margin to four points before Ball found Alford for a three-point basket with 9:10 to play.
After a three-pointer from Holiday with 7:56 to go and an ensuing layup by Holiday, UCLA led Arizona by a 67-57 margin with 6:51 remaining.
Arizona cut UCLA's cushion to three points – 75-72 – with 29 seconds to play after Lauri Markkanen made a pair of free throws. On the Bruins' next possession, Alford was fouled and made both of his free throw attempts with 1.5 seconds left.
UCLA finished the game with 17 assists and eight turnovers. Ball had a team-leading eight assists and registered five rebounds and two steals.
Alford made 3 of 7 attempts from three-point range, pushing his season total of made three-pointers to 94. That single-season total set a new school record, eclipsing Alford's sophomore season total of 93 three-pointers.
The Bruins have just two regular-season games remaining, with both to take place in Pauley Pavilion this week. UCLA hosts Washington (9-18, 2-13) on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. (PT). That contest will be nationally televised on FOX Sports 1 (FS1).
UCLA will close its regular-season schedule on Saturday, March 4, against Washington State. That game will begin at 7:15 p.m. (PT) and will be nationally televised on ESPN.
UCLA (26-13, 13-3 Pac-12) snapped Arizona's 21-game home winning streak, handing the host Wildcats with their second loss at the McKale Center in their last 72 games.
The Bruins used a balance scoring attack on Saturday night, as five players scored in double figures. Joining Alford and Ball in that category were Thomas Welsh (14 points, eight rebounds), TJ Leaf (12 points) and Aaron Holiday (12 points).
UCLA pushed its win streak to seven games and completed the month of February with a perfect 7-0 record, marking the first time since 1995 in which the Bruins had gone undefeated in February.
In addition, the Bruins registered their fourth consecutive win over a top-five ranked opponent, dating back to last season's home win over No. 1-ranked Kentucky. This marks UCLA's longest such streak versus top-five ranked teams since securing 13 consecutive wins from 1967-68 through 1973-74.
Allonzo Trier led Arizona (26-4, 15-2 Pac-12) with 28 points, connecting on 11 of 14 shots as one of three Wildcats to score in double figures.
"I thought we've been growing defensively," UCLA head coach Steve Alford said. "Everyone wants to keep talking about our defense, but bottom line is we are a really good basketball team."
UCLA trailed by four points at halftime, 43-39, but responded early in the second half. The Bruins took their first lead of the second half after back-to-back jump shots by Welsh with 12:52 to play. Welsh's basket with 12:52 remaining handed UCLA a 54-53 advantage. From that point in the game, the Bruins never trailed.
Leading 56-55 after a layup by Trier, the Bruins countered with a three-pointer by Holiday to push the margin to four points before Ball found Alford for a three-point basket with 9:10 to play.
After a three-pointer from Holiday with 7:56 to go and an ensuing layup by Holiday, UCLA led Arizona by a 67-57 margin with 6:51 remaining.
Arizona cut UCLA's cushion to three points – 75-72 – with 29 seconds to play after Lauri Markkanen made a pair of free throws. On the Bruins' next possession, Alford was fouled and made both of his free throw attempts with 1.5 seconds left.
UCLA finished the game with 17 assists and eight turnovers. Ball had a team-leading eight assists and registered five rebounds and two steals.
Alford made 3 of 7 attempts from three-point range, pushing his season total of made three-pointers to 94. That single-season total set a new school record, eclipsing Alford's sophomore season total of 93 three-pointers.
The Bruins have just two regular-season games remaining, with both to take place in Pauley Pavilion this week. UCLA hosts Washington (9-18, 2-13) on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. (PT). That contest will be nationally televised on FOX Sports 1 (FS1).
UCLA will close its regular-season schedule on Saturday, March 4, against Washington State. That game will begin at 7:15 p.m. (PT) and will be nationally televised on ESPN.
The Box
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Why does Lunardi have UCLA as a No. 4 seed?
Why does Lunardi have UCLA as a No. 4 seed?
Joe Lunardi explains why despite being the fifth-ranked team in the country, he currently has UCLA as a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Arizona Athletics: All Eyes On Tucson For Wildcats and Bruins
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Arizona Basketball video that played before the February 23rd game against USC.
Arizona Basketball video that played before the February 23rd game against USC.
All Eyes On Tucson For Wildcats and Bruins
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By: Arizona Athletics
No. 5 UCLA to Face No. 4 Arizona on Saturday
JAN 24, 2017 | UCLA MEN'S BASKETBALL
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The Bruins (25-3, 12-3) will play at No. 4 Arizona (26-3, 15-1) on Saturday in a game televised by ESPN.
TUCSON, Ariz. – No. 5 UCLA (25-3, 12-3) will play its final regular-season road game on Saturday evening at No. 4 Arizona (26-3, 15-1). Game time is 5:15 pm PT (6:15 pm MT). The Bruins' game will be nationally televised on ESPN, with Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas calling the action and Maria Taylor serving as the sideline reporter. UCLA's game will be broadcast on the radio in the Los Angeles area on AM 570 (KLAC).
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: McKale Center (14,644)
Tipoff Time: 5:15 p.m. (PT)/6:15 p.m. (MT)
Television: ESPN
TV Talent: Dan Shulman (play-by-play), Jay Bilas (analyst), Maria Taylor (sideline)
Radio: AM 570
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
ABOUT THE BRUINS
- UCLA has three games remaining on its regular-season schedule. The Bruins play at Arizona this Saturday (Feb. 25) before returning home to face Washington (March 1) and Washington State (March 4) in Pauley Pavilion.
- The Bruins have gone 6-0 through February and are the only Pac-12 program this season to have logged a perfect record this month. No UCLA team has gone undefeated in February since the 1994-95 squad went 9-0.
- UCLA's overall field goal percentage (53.3%) is the highest mark in the nation. No team in NCAA Division I has shot higher than 53.0% in a single season since Duke finished with a 53.6 percentage as the 1992 NCAA Champions.
- The Bruins have averaged a nation-leading 21.9 assists per game, the highest per-game average of any NCAA Division I team since 1991, when Final Four participant UNLV set the NCAA record with 24.7 assists per game.
- Most recently, senior guard Bryce Alford moved into the No. 6 slot on UCLA's all-time scoring list (1,817 points) after scoring 15 points and dishing six assists in the team's 87-75 win at Arizona State on Thursday night.
- The Bruins continue to lead the nation in points per game (92.1), assists per game (21.9), total assists (612), assist-turnover ratio (1.85) and overall field goal percentage (53.2 pct), through games played Thursday, Feb. 23.
BRUINS DEFEAT SUN DEVILS
The Bruins extended their win streak to six games – all in the month of February – by defeating Arizona State, 87-75, before 10,176 at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz., on Thursday night. TJ Leaf (25 points, nine rebounds) recorded his ninth game of the season with at least 20 points. Aaron Holiday registered 17 points and six assists off the bench, connecting on 4 of 7 shots from three-point range. Bryce Alford had 15 points and Ike Anigbogu scored a career-high 12. UCLA led by a 45-36 margin at halftime before its cushion was reduced to 51-50 midway through the second half.
ROAD SUCCESS
UCLA has picked up Pac-12 "road sweeps" at Colorado and Utah (Jan. 12-14) and at Washington State and Washington (Feb. 1-4). In six seasons that the Pac-12 has included Colorado and Utah, the Rocky Mountain road sweep has been accomplished just four times – by UCLA in 2013 and 2017 and by Arizona in 2014 and 2015. UCLA has gone 11-2 in road and neutral site games this season, including a 97-92 win at then-No. 1 Kentucky on Dec. 3.
30-POINT THREATS
Bryce Alford, Isaac Hamilton and TJ Leaf have each scored at least 32 points this season, with all three performances taking place in Pac-12 play. Alford had a career-high 37 points at Colorado (Jan. 12), Hamilton recorded a season-high 33 points versus Arizona State (Jan. 19) and Leaf had 32 points at Washington State (Feb. 1). In all, six Bruins – including Lonzo Ball, Thomas Welsh and Aaron Holiday – have scored at least 20 points in a game this season.
MOST SINCE …
Alford's 37 points (Jan. 12) were the most scored in a game by any UCLA player since Feb. 10, 2005, when Dijon Thompson had 39 points in UCLA's 95-76 home victory against Arizona State. TJ Leaf's 32 points at Washington State were the second-most points scored by a freshman in school history. Don MacLean registered 41 points in a win over North Texas on Dec. 30, 1988.
HE'S BALLIN'
Lonzo Ball (15.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 7.5 apg) has emerged as a legitimate National Player of the Year and Freshman Player of the Year candidate. He has twice secured Pac-12 Player of the Week honors and will enter this Saturday's game as the nation's only player to have averaged at least 10 points, four rebounds and seven assists per game. He continues to lead the nation in both assists per game (7.5) and total assists (211), having recorded UCLA's highest single-season freshman assist total. He has surpassed Pooh Richardson's mark of 179 assists in 1985-86.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
UCLA has averaged 92.1 points per game, the fourth-highest average in school history (1971-72 averaged a Pac-12-best 94.6 ppg). UCLA's 21.9 assists per game is the second-highest mark in school history behind the 1973-74 team (22.4 apg), since the assist was regularly tracked by UCLA in 1973-74. The Bruins' 1.85 assist-turnover ratio is the highest mark recorded at UCLA (since 1978-79). In the NCAA record book (since 1992-93), UCLA's 1.85 ratio is the second-highest figure behind West Virginia's 2.01 mark set during the 2005-06 season.
DID YOU KNOW?
UCLA has shot 41.7 percent from three-point range (the third-highest mark in school history). UCLA's single-season school record of 285 three-pointers has eclipsed the Bruins' mark of 262, set in 2008-09.
AGAINST ARIZONA
UCLA looks to even the season series against Arizona this Saturday. The Bruins dropped a 96-85 decision to the Wildcats on Saturday, Jan. 21, in Pauley Pavilion. UCLA leads the all-time series against Arizona, 54-42. In the previous meeting this season, Lonzo Ball scored a team-leading 24 points and had eight assists as one of five Bruins to score in double figures. Arizona's Kobi Simmons tallied a team-leading 20 points, along with six rebounds and five assists, and Lauri Markannen had 18 points. In all, six Arizona players scored in double figures in the game at UCLA.
UCLA'S ROTATION, AT A GLANCE
- Bryce Alford ranks No. 6 on UCLA's all-time scoring list (1,817 career points). He scored a career-high 37 points, connecting on nine three-pointers, in UCLA's win at Colorado (Jan. 12). The senior guard has scored in double figures in 23 of 28 games and is currently shooting 50.5 percent from three-point range in Pac-12 games (55/109).
- Isaac Hamilton scored a season-high 33 points, connecting on 9 of 14 three-pointers, in UCLA's 102-80 win over Arizona State (Jan. 19). Hamilton had 25 points in the first half in that victory. He has averaged 13.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Hamilton is one of three Bruins to have made at least 55 three-pointers this year.
- Lonzo Ball, a national player of the year candidate, leads the nation in assists per game (7.5) and total assists (211). Averaging 15.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, Ball's 211 assists are the most in one season by a UCLA freshman (he surpassed Pooh Richardson's previous freshman record of 179 assists during a victory on Feb. 1).
- TJ Leaf has scored at least 20 points in nine games. He ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in scoring (17.0 ppg) and is tied for fifth in rebounding (8.8 rpg), through Feb. 23. Leaf scored a season-high 32 points and had 14 rebounds in the win at Washington State (Feb. 1), connecting on 14 of 18 shots. He has totaled a team-leading 11 double-doubles.
- Thomas Welsh (10.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.5 bpg) has made 30 of 32 free throw attempts. He made his first 28 free throw attempts after having ended the 2015-16 campaign with 16 consecutive made free throws. That established a new school record (44 straight), eclipsing Darren Collison's streak of 43 consecutive free throws in 2008-09.
- Aaron Holiday has averaged 13.1 points, 4.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game, appearing in all 28 games off the bench. He ranks third in the Pac-12 in three-point percentage (44.3%, 47/106) and fourth in assists per game (4.5) through Feb. 23. His 43.2 career three-point percentage (175/473) ranks fifth on UCLA's all-time list.
- Ike Anigbogu, (pronounced EE-kay ahn-ee-BOH-goo) a 6-foot-10 forward/center from Corona, Calif., has averaged 4.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 12.9 minutes per game off the bench. He scored a career-high 12 points in the win at Arizona State (Feb. 23) and has twice blocked a season-high four shots.
- G.G. Goloman has averaged 3.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, averaging 11.1 minutes off the bench for the Bruins. A 6-foot-10 forward from Körmend, Hungary, Goloman has totaled 21 blocks in 27 games (0.78 bpg). Goloman, who has shot 57.5 percent from the field, scored a career-high 12 points in a win over CSUN (Nov. 13).
HOME SWEET HOME
UCLA has gone 14-1 in Pauley Pavilion this season. The Bruins' 11-game home win streak was snapped with a 96-85 loss to No. 14 Arizona. That had been the Bruins' longest home win streak since securing 15 straight wins in 2013-14, Steve Alford's first season in Westwood. UCLA last had an undefeated home record in 2006-07, going 16-0 in Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins have gone 72-13 in Pauley since the arena reopened Nov. 9, 2012, after an 18-month renovation.
SHARING THE BALL
UCLA totaled 30 assists in its 102-80 win over Arizona State on Thursday, Jan. 19. That marked the Bruins' first game with at least 30 assists since Feb. 23, 1995, when UCLA totaled 32 assists in a 104-88 win over California. The Bruins have also recorded 29 assists in three games this season. Prior to the game against California in 1995, the Bruins also had 32 assists on Nov. 27, 1993 (against Loyola Marymount) and on Feb. 23, 1989 (versus Washington). UCLA totaled 38 assists on Dec. 2, 1990 in the team's 149-98 win over Loyola Marymount.
THREE-POINT THREAT
Bryce Alford ranks first (and second) in school history in single-season three-pointers made and is second in career three-pointers. He made a school-record 93 treys in 2014-15 (sophomore) and has closed on that record this season, having made 91 three-pointers as a senior. Alford has made 304 career three-pointers, second-most at UCLA behind Jason Kapono (317, played from 2000-03). Alford has made at least 70 three-pointers in three consecutive seasons, becoming just the second player in school history (along with Kapono), to have accomplished that feat.
20-WIN SEASONS
Head coach Steve Alford has led UCLA to at least 20 victories for the third time in his four seasons at UCLA. Over his last 10 years as a collegiate head coach, Alford's teams have won at least 22 games in nine of those 10 seasons (including the 2016-17 campaign). This marks the second time in four years at UCLA in which Alford has led the Bruins to at least 23 regular-season victories. UCLA went 23-8 during the 2013-14 regular season before posting a 5-1 record in postseason play, culminating in the 2014 NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16.
THAT'S TWENTY
This marks the 42nd season in the last 51 years in which the Bruins have won at least 20 games (spanning 1966-67 through 2016-17). The Bruins are seeking their 26th regular-season victory this Saturday. UCLA has won at least 26 regular-season games two times in the previous 11 seasons, having accomplished that regular-season win total in 2006-07 (26 victories) and 2007-08 (28 victories).
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: McKale Center (14,644)
Tipoff Time: 5:15 p.m. (PT)/6:15 p.m. (MT)
Television: ESPN
TV Talent: Dan Shulman (play-by-play), Jay Bilas (analyst), Maria Taylor (sideline)
Radio: AM 570
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
ABOUT THE BRUINS
- UCLA has three games remaining on its regular-season schedule. The Bruins play at Arizona this Saturday (Feb. 25) before returning home to face Washington (March 1) and Washington State (March 4) in Pauley Pavilion.
- The Bruins have gone 6-0 through February and are the only Pac-12 program this season to have logged a perfect record this month. No UCLA team has gone undefeated in February since the 1994-95 squad went 9-0.
- UCLA's overall field goal percentage (53.3%) is the highest mark in the nation. No team in NCAA Division I has shot higher than 53.0% in a single season since Duke finished with a 53.6 percentage as the 1992 NCAA Champions.
- The Bruins have averaged a nation-leading 21.9 assists per game, the highest per-game average of any NCAA Division I team since 1991, when Final Four participant UNLV set the NCAA record with 24.7 assists per game.
- Most recently, senior guard Bryce Alford moved into the No. 6 slot on UCLA's all-time scoring list (1,817 points) after scoring 15 points and dishing six assists in the team's 87-75 win at Arizona State on Thursday night.
- The Bruins continue to lead the nation in points per game (92.1), assists per game (21.9), total assists (612), assist-turnover ratio (1.85) and overall field goal percentage (53.2 pct), through games played Thursday, Feb. 23.
BRUINS DEFEAT SUN DEVILS
The Bruins extended their win streak to six games – all in the month of February – by defeating Arizona State, 87-75, before 10,176 at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz., on Thursday night. TJ Leaf (25 points, nine rebounds) recorded his ninth game of the season with at least 20 points. Aaron Holiday registered 17 points and six assists off the bench, connecting on 4 of 7 shots from three-point range. Bryce Alford had 15 points and Ike Anigbogu scored a career-high 12. UCLA led by a 45-36 margin at halftime before its cushion was reduced to 51-50 midway through the second half.
ROAD SUCCESS
UCLA has picked up Pac-12 "road sweeps" at Colorado and Utah (Jan. 12-14) and at Washington State and Washington (Feb. 1-4). In six seasons that the Pac-12 has included Colorado and Utah, the Rocky Mountain road sweep has been accomplished just four times – by UCLA in 2013 and 2017 and by Arizona in 2014 and 2015. UCLA has gone 11-2 in road and neutral site games this season, including a 97-92 win at then-No. 1 Kentucky on Dec. 3.
30-POINT THREATS
Bryce Alford, Isaac Hamilton and TJ Leaf have each scored at least 32 points this season, with all three performances taking place in Pac-12 play. Alford had a career-high 37 points at Colorado (Jan. 12), Hamilton recorded a season-high 33 points versus Arizona State (Jan. 19) and Leaf had 32 points at Washington State (Feb. 1). In all, six Bruins – including Lonzo Ball, Thomas Welsh and Aaron Holiday – have scored at least 20 points in a game this season.
MOST SINCE …
Alford's 37 points (Jan. 12) were the most scored in a game by any UCLA player since Feb. 10, 2005, when Dijon Thompson had 39 points in UCLA's 95-76 home victory against Arizona State. TJ Leaf's 32 points at Washington State were the second-most points scored by a freshman in school history. Don MacLean registered 41 points in a win over North Texas on Dec. 30, 1988.
HE'S BALLIN'
Lonzo Ball (15.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 7.5 apg) has emerged as a legitimate National Player of the Year and Freshman Player of the Year candidate. He has twice secured Pac-12 Player of the Week honors and will enter this Saturday's game as the nation's only player to have averaged at least 10 points, four rebounds and seven assists per game. He continues to lead the nation in both assists per game (7.5) and total assists (211), having recorded UCLA's highest single-season freshman assist total. He has surpassed Pooh Richardson's mark of 179 assists in 1985-86.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
UCLA has averaged 92.1 points per game, the fourth-highest average in school history (1971-72 averaged a Pac-12-best 94.6 ppg). UCLA's 21.9 assists per game is the second-highest mark in school history behind the 1973-74 team (22.4 apg), since the assist was regularly tracked by UCLA in 1973-74. The Bruins' 1.85 assist-turnover ratio is the highest mark recorded at UCLA (since 1978-79). In the NCAA record book (since 1992-93), UCLA's 1.85 ratio is the second-highest figure behind West Virginia's 2.01 mark set during the 2005-06 season.
DID YOU KNOW?
UCLA has shot 41.7 percent from three-point range (the third-highest mark in school history). UCLA's single-season school record of 285 three-pointers has eclipsed the Bruins' mark of 262, set in 2008-09.
AGAINST ARIZONA
UCLA looks to even the season series against Arizona this Saturday. The Bruins dropped a 96-85 decision to the Wildcats on Saturday, Jan. 21, in Pauley Pavilion. UCLA leads the all-time series against Arizona, 54-42. In the previous meeting this season, Lonzo Ball scored a team-leading 24 points and had eight assists as one of five Bruins to score in double figures. Arizona's Kobi Simmons tallied a team-leading 20 points, along with six rebounds and five assists, and Lauri Markannen had 18 points. In all, six Arizona players scored in double figures in the game at UCLA.
UCLA'S ROTATION, AT A GLANCE
- Bryce Alford ranks No. 6 on UCLA's all-time scoring list (1,817 career points). He scored a career-high 37 points, connecting on nine three-pointers, in UCLA's win at Colorado (Jan. 12). The senior guard has scored in double figures in 23 of 28 games and is currently shooting 50.5 percent from three-point range in Pac-12 games (55/109).
- Isaac Hamilton scored a season-high 33 points, connecting on 9 of 14 three-pointers, in UCLA's 102-80 win over Arizona State (Jan. 19). Hamilton had 25 points in the first half in that victory. He has averaged 13.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Hamilton is one of three Bruins to have made at least 55 three-pointers this year.
- Lonzo Ball, a national player of the year candidate, leads the nation in assists per game (7.5) and total assists (211). Averaging 15.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, Ball's 211 assists are the most in one season by a UCLA freshman (he surpassed Pooh Richardson's previous freshman record of 179 assists during a victory on Feb. 1).
- TJ Leaf has scored at least 20 points in nine games. He ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in scoring (17.0 ppg) and is tied for fifth in rebounding (8.8 rpg), through Feb. 23. Leaf scored a season-high 32 points and had 14 rebounds in the win at Washington State (Feb. 1), connecting on 14 of 18 shots. He has totaled a team-leading 11 double-doubles.
- Thomas Welsh (10.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.5 bpg) has made 30 of 32 free throw attempts. He made his first 28 free throw attempts after having ended the 2015-16 campaign with 16 consecutive made free throws. That established a new school record (44 straight), eclipsing Darren Collison's streak of 43 consecutive free throws in 2008-09.
- Aaron Holiday has averaged 13.1 points, 4.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game, appearing in all 28 games off the bench. He ranks third in the Pac-12 in three-point percentage (44.3%, 47/106) and fourth in assists per game (4.5) through Feb. 23. His 43.2 career three-point percentage (175/473) ranks fifth on UCLA's all-time list.
- Ike Anigbogu, (pronounced EE-kay ahn-ee-BOH-goo) a 6-foot-10 forward/center from Corona, Calif., has averaged 4.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 12.9 minutes per game off the bench. He scored a career-high 12 points in the win at Arizona State (Feb. 23) and has twice blocked a season-high four shots.
- G.G. Goloman has averaged 3.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, averaging 11.1 minutes off the bench for the Bruins. A 6-foot-10 forward from Körmend, Hungary, Goloman has totaled 21 blocks in 27 games (0.78 bpg). Goloman, who has shot 57.5 percent from the field, scored a career-high 12 points in a win over CSUN (Nov. 13).
HOME SWEET HOME
UCLA has gone 14-1 in Pauley Pavilion this season. The Bruins' 11-game home win streak was snapped with a 96-85 loss to No. 14 Arizona. That had been the Bruins' longest home win streak since securing 15 straight wins in 2013-14, Steve Alford's first season in Westwood. UCLA last had an undefeated home record in 2006-07, going 16-0 in Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins have gone 72-13 in Pauley since the arena reopened Nov. 9, 2012, after an 18-month renovation.
SHARING THE BALL
UCLA totaled 30 assists in its 102-80 win over Arizona State on Thursday, Jan. 19. That marked the Bruins' first game with at least 30 assists since Feb. 23, 1995, when UCLA totaled 32 assists in a 104-88 win over California. The Bruins have also recorded 29 assists in three games this season. Prior to the game against California in 1995, the Bruins also had 32 assists on Nov. 27, 1993 (against Loyola Marymount) and on Feb. 23, 1989 (versus Washington). UCLA totaled 38 assists on Dec. 2, 1990 in the team's 149-98 win over Loyola Marymount.
THREE-POINT THREAT
Bryce Alford ranks first (and second) in school history in single-season three-pointers made and is second in career three-pointers. He made a school-record 93 treys in 2014-15 (sophomore) and has closed on that record this season, having made 91 three-pointers as a senior. Alford has made 304 career three-pointers, second-most at UCLA behind Jason Kapono (317, played from 2000-03). Alford has made at least 70 three-pointers in three consecutive seasons, becoming just the second player in school history (along with Kapono), to have accomplished that feat.
20-WIN SEASONS
Head coach Steve Alford has led UCLA to at least 20 victories for the third time in his four seasons at UCLA. Over his last 10 years as a collegiate head coach, Alford's teams have won at least 22 games in nine of those 10 seasons (including the 2016-17 campaign). This marks the second time in four years at UCLA in which Alford has led the Bruins to at least 23 regular-season victories. UCLA went 23-8 during the 2013-14 regular season before posting a 5-1 record in postseason play, culminating in the 2014 NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16.
THAT'S TWENTY
This marks the 42nd season in the last 51 years in which the Bruins have won at least 20 games (spanning 1966-67 through 2016-17). The Bruins are seeking their 26th regular-season victory this Saturday. UCLA has won at least 26 regular-season games two times in the previous 11 seasons, having accomplished that regular-season win total in 2006-07 (26 victories) and 2007-08 (28 victories).
Chirpings from Arizona: A prelude to No. 5 UCLA vs No. 4 Arizona Feb 25 2017
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Sean Miller says Arizona Wildcats must be 'at the top of our game' to beat UCLA
Arizona Wildcats basketball coach Sean Miller and guard Allonzo Trier look ahead to facing UCLA on Saturday.
Hansen: Arizona-UCLA game could be greatest showdown in Pac-12 history
Greg Hansen and Ryan Finley discuss the Arizona Wildcats' upcoming showdown with UCLA.
Hansen: Could this be Arizona's biggest USC-UCLA homestand ever?
Greg Hansen and Ryan Finley discuss the Arizona Wildcats' upcoming home series against USC and UCLA.
from
Jay Bilas and Jay Williams Discuss Top 5 Matchup
ESPN's College Gameday Jay Bilas and Jay Williams met the media in advance of Saturday's top 5 match-up of Arizona - UCLA.
Sean Miller says Arizona Wildcats must be 'at the top of our game' to beat UCLA
Arizona Wildcats basketball coach Sean Miller and guard Allonzo Trier look ahead to facing UCLA on Saturday.
Hansen: Arizona-UCLA game could be greatest showdown in Pac-12 history
Greg Hansen and Ryan Finley discuss the Arizona Wildcats' upcoming showdown with UCLA.
Hansen: Could this be Arizona's biggest USC-UCLA homestand ever?
Greg Hansen and Ryan Finley discuss the Arizona Wildcats' upcoming home series against USC and UCLA.
from
Jay Bilas and Jay Williams Discuss Top 5 Matchup
ESPN's College Gameday Jay Bilas and Jay Williams met the media in advance of Saturday's top 5 match-up of Arizona - UCLA.
Friday, February 24, 2017
No. 5 UCLA Outlasts Arizona State, 87-75
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feb 23, 2017 | UCLA MEN'S BASKETBALL
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TEMPE, Ariz. – TJ Leaf scored a team-high 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead No. 5 UCLA past Arizona State, 87-75, before 10,176 at Wells Fargo Arena on Thursday night.
Lonzo Ball and Thomas Welsh each grabbed a team-leading 11 rebounds and three other Bruins scored in double figures. Aaron Holiday finished with 17 points after connecting on 4 of 7 shots from three-point range, Bryce Alford tallied 15 points and Ike Anigbogu scored a career-high 12 points.
UCLA (25-3, 12-3 Pac-12) extended its win streak to six games, pushing its mark to 6-0 in the month of February. The Bruins recorded their seventh win over Arizona State in the last eight meetings between the two Pac-12 programs.
Torian Graham led Arizona State (13-16, 6-10 Pac-12) with 28 points and had six rebounds as one of four Sun Devils to score in double figures.
The Bruins led by a 45-36 margin at halftime, but Arizona State responded early in the second half by cutting UCLA's cushion to 45-43 after a layup by Shannon Evans II with 17:21 to play.
Leaf answered with a basket for UCLA and ASU's Obinna Oleka countered with a dunk at the 16:23 mark to keep UCLA's cushion at just two points.
After Arizona State reduced UCLA's lead to 50-49 with 15:22 remaining, the Bruins pushed their margin back to six points – 55-49 – with 14:25 to play.
Leading 55-50 at the 14:05 mark, Holiday nailed a three-pointer to push the Bruins ahead, 58-50, with 13:45 remaining. UCLA extended its advantage to 12 points with 8:55 to play and led by at least 10 points for the game's final 8:10.
UCLA finished Thursday night's game with 26 assists and 13 turnovers. Alford and Holiday each had a team-leading six assists while Ball dished five assists.
The Bruins will return to action at No. 4 Arizona on Saturday evening. Game time is 5:15 p.m. PT (6:15 p.m. MT). UCLA's game at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., will be nationally televised on ESPN with Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas calling the action and Maria Taylor serving as the sideline reporter.
Lonzo Ball and Thomas Welsh each grabbed a team-leading 11 rebounds and three other Bruins scored in double figures. Aaron Holiday finished with 17 points after connecting on 4 of 7 shots from three-point range, Bryce Alford tallied 15 points and Ike Anigbogu scored a career-high 12 points.
UCLA (25-3, 12-3 Pac-12) extended its win streak to six games, pushing its mark to 6-0 in the month of February. The Bruins recorded their seventh win over Arizona State in the last eight meetings between the two Pac-12 programs.
Torian Graham led Arizona State (13-16, 6-10 Pac-12) with 28 points and had six rebounds as one of four Sun Devils to score in double figures.
The Bruins led by a 45-36 margin at halftime, but Arizona State responded early in the second half by cutting UCLA's cushion to 45-43 after a layup by Shannon Evans II with 17:21 to play.
Leaf answered with a basket for UCLA and ASU's Obinna Oleka countered with a dunk at the 16:23 mark to keep UCLA's cushion at just two points.
After Arizona State reduced UCLA's lead to 50-49 with 15:22 remaining, the Bruins pushed their margin back to six points – 55-49 – with 14:25 to play.
Leading 55-50 at the 14:05 mark, Holiday nailed a three-pointer to push the Bruins ahead, 58-50, with 13:45 remaining. UCLA extended its advantage to 12 points with 8:55 to play and led by at least 10 points for the game's final 8:10.
UCLA finished Thursday night's game with 26 assists and 13 turnovers. Alford and Holiday each had a team-leading six assists while Ball dished five assists.
The Bruins will return to action at No. 4 Arizona on Saturday evening. Game time is 5:15 p.m. PT (6:15 p.m. MT). UCLA's game at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., will be nationally televised on ESPN with Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas calling the action and Maria Taylor serving as the sideline reporter.
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