UCLA forward Reeves Nelson (22) scores over Washington State forward Brock Motum during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 5, 2011, in Pullman, Wash. Nelson had 23 points and 8 rebounds for the game. Photo APLee leads the way as UCLA rallies, wins in OT
By SCOTT M. REID
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: March 5, 2011
Updated: 7:35 p.m.
PULLMAN, Wash. – As UCLA guard Malcolm Lee stepped to the foul line for a pair of free throws with 3.6 seconds left in overtime and the Bruins leading Washington State by two points, UCLA coach Ben Howland turned to silence a group of Lee family members cheering behind the team's bench.
"Hey, quiet, Malcolm is shooting," Howland said.
Lee sank both free throws — four total in the final in the final 6.9 seconds of overtime — to secure a hard-earned if ugly 58-54 victory against Washington State and probably an NCAA Tournament invitation at Beasley Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
"Now you can (cheer)," Howland said to the group as he walked off the court after a victory that kept the Bruins (22-9, 13-5) in second place in the Pac-10.
Lee not only nailed the four clutch free throws at the end of overtime but he sank a pair to send the game into the extra period after the Bruins nearly wasted a comeback fueled by a 20-5 run to open the second half.
Reeves Nelson finished with a game-high 23 points — 14 in the second half — Lee added 11, going 7 for 7 from the foul line.
UCLA tipped off its final regular-season game with Cougars guard Klay Thompson, the Pac-10's leading scorer, suspended following his arrest for marijuana possession and WSU's other starting guard, Reggie Moore, out because of an ankle injury.
Yet UCLA trailed by 15 points in the first half and by 32-19 at halftime.
"I talked about what was at stake, that we have to win this game," Howland said of his halftime talk. "I told them I want you to come out and play with the passion and intensity like this game is either going to get us in or get us out of the NCAA Tournament."
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Bruins roar back for 58-54 OT victory
March, 5, 2011 Mar 59:22PM PT
By Peter Yoon
ESPNLA, UCLA Report
PULLMAN, Wash.--UCLA coach Ben Howland was so giddy, he kissed a reporter.
A week ago, UCLA's normally stoic coach openly wept after an emotional game, but he reached the opposite end of the emotional spectrum Saturday after UCLA made an improbable comeback and defeated Washington State, 58-54, in overtime in the regular-season finale Saturday at Beasley Coliseum.
The Bruins (22-9, 13-5 in Pac-10) fell behind by as many as 15 points in the first half and trailed, 32-19, at halftime. They started the second half with a 16-3 run to tie the score, then got a clutch 3-pointer by Tyler Honeycutt and a pair of free throws by Malcolm Lee in the final minute of regulation to send the game to overtime tied at 48-48.
Lee then made four of four free throws in the final seven seconds of overtime that sealed the victory, secured second place in the Pac-10 conference and made Howland so happy he couldn't contain himself.
"I’ve seen him excited, but I’ve never seen him that excited," UCLA center Joshua Smith said. "It was just the emotion of the game."
Yes, excited enough to kiss a reporter.
After the Bruins started this season 3-4, Howland did an interview with L.A. Daily News reporter Jon Gold, who asked if the Bruins could go on a roll and finish with 22 wins. Howland told Gold if that happened, he'd kiss him. Saturday, reminded of the conversation, he delivered. Video
"And I mean that kiss," Howland said after planting one on Gold's forehead. "I am so happy, you have no idea."
Five observations from the game:
1. Once again, defense changed the game
Perhaps this is the main reason why Howland was so excited. Howland loves good defense and in the first half, UCLA wasn't playing it. But in the second half, the Bruins turned the tide by getting stop after stop, forcing Washington State (19-11, 9-9) into difficult shots and creating turnovers.
The Cougars did not make a field goal for nearly six minutes to start the second half and made only one of their first 12 shots after the break. UCLA took advantage, turning that spell into a 16-3 run that tied the score at 35-35.
UCLA forced three turnovers in the final 3:34 of regulation, then Tyler Honeycutt and Jerime Anderson came up with crucial steals late in the overtime period that led to Lee's game-sealing free throws.
"Every team needs defense," Smith said. "They just outhustled us in the first half. We came in the second half and said ‘Hey, we know we can score we just need to get stops.’ And that’s what we did."
Washington State shot 31.8 percent in the second half after shooting 48 percent in the first half. Part of the reason was that the Cougars confused UCLA by running a new offense.
"We didn’t go over anything they did offensively in our preparation," forward Reeves Nelson said. "That had a lot to do with it, just catching us off guard and then they executed it well."
2. UCLA fixed its offense by going inside, then out
The Bruins struggles out of the gate were not limited to stopping Washington State's revamped offense. UCLA made only two of its first 12 shots on offense and shot 28 percent (seven of 25) in the first half.
The outside shooting was even worse, with the Bruins missing on all eight 3-point attempts before the break. Honeycutt, Lee and Anderson were scoreless in the first half and Lazeric Jones had only four points on 1-for-6 shooting. The Bruins four major outside threats combined to make only 1 of 15 first-half shots.
"We just wanted to get out of the first half and be able to come into the locker room and talk about it and know what we needed to do," Honeycutt said. "Our offense just wasn't there. A lot of possessions were coming down to the end of the shot clock. I didn't get many looks at the basket and when I did, the two I shot missed. Same thing for Malcolm, we both didn't score in the first half."
Going inside early in the second half was the cure. Smith, the center, scored the first points of the second half on a dunk and Nelson, the power forward, scored six points inside during the first seven minutes of the second half.
After that, Honeycutt made a 3-pointer that gave UCLA its first lead since making the first basket of the game and then he made another with 49 seconds to play that tied the score at 46-46.
Nelson then began the overtime period with two strong inside scores, including a powerful dunk.
"Coach said in the locker room at halftime that we wanted to get the ball inside and play inside out and we did a good job of executing it," said Nelson, who had a game-high 23 points on 10-for-13 shooting. "Once me and Josh get going down there it opens up things for our shooters and they started hitting outside shots."
Even Lee moved his game inside and found a way to get to the free-throw line to get the game to overtime and then win it at the end.
"Coach just told me to be aggressive and attack the rim," Lee said. "I knew I was either going to get fouled or make the layup or maybe both. I wanted the ball in that situation. I knew I could knock them down. I was just focused on making the first one and then getting into a rhythm. I didn’t even hear the crowd."
3. Howland gave UCLA something to play for
No, not to see him kiss a reporter. None of the players were there for that. But Howland sensed his team lacked motivation after Arizona had clinched the regular-season Pac-10 title earlier in the day, so at halftime, he reminded the Bruins they were still on the bubble as far as making the NCAA tournament.
"I told them that ‘I want you to come out with passion and intensity like this game is going to either get us in or get us out of the NCAA tournament’ because I really believed that," Howland said. "In your heart, you just don’t know. I believe this one for sure got us in, and that was huge."
Some of the players acknowledged that they hadn't thought about the possibility of a loss Saturday knocking them out of the NCAA tournament.
"I’m not going to lie, I kind of thought we were already in the tournament," Smith said. "But nothing is certain. Unless you are a top team that’s been ranked the whole year. But with us, games like that we just have to get every win just to help us, help our resume and help us get a higher seed."
4. Washington State put up an unexpected challenge under difficult circumstances
The Cougars were playing without Klay Thompson, the leading scorer in the Pac-10 who was suspended for the game after being cited for marijuana possession Thursday night.
They also were without point guard Reggie Moore, who sprained his ankle Thursday in a victory over USC.
Those absences seemed to raise the level of other Washington State players, however, and the Cougars played with a crowd-infused energy rather than simply falling flat without two of their top players.
"You have to give Washington State all the credit in the world the way they came out and completely dominated the first half with all the adversity of having Klay out of the game and then losing their star point guard, who I think is great, with an ankle injury," Howland said.
Thompson, averaging 21.4 points, addressed the crowd before the game and apologized for his transgression.
"As all ya'll know, I made a mistake and had bad judgement," said Thompson, who was not available to reporters. "I would do anything to be out here playing in front of you all, but unfortunately that's not the case and I want to apologize and say I'm truly sorry."
Thompson's apology impressed both Howland and the Bruins' players, who commended him for stepping up.
"That's huge for Klay to apologize to his fans and the people who come to see him play," said Anderson, who, like Thompson went to high school in Orange County. "I talked to him before the game, said, 'Hey, I know you'll make it through this. Just keep your head up.' He did what a man should do and that's step up and take the consequences."
5. UCLA ended the regular season on a high note
Saturday's comeback victory was important not only for solidifying UCLA's spot in the NCAA tournament, but also to keep from entering the postseason on a two-game losing streak.
The Bruins will enter the Pac-10 tournament seeded No. 2 and will play Thursday at 6 p.m. at Staples Center. They will face the winner of No. 10 Arizona State and No. 7 Oregon.
"I really couldn’t be prouder of our players, just their character to be down and to be able to fight back and win a close game after losing a heartbreaker on the road in the last game," Howland said.
"It’s a battle. It’s hard to win and win on the road and win against this league night in and night out. You have to credit Arizona. Arizona did a fantastic job winning our conference this year. It’s got to eat at us a little bit that we had a chance to at least get a piece of it this week, but it is what it is."
The poor first half Saturday continued a season-long trend of UCLA being unable to play well for 40 minutes and ultimately that cost them the conference title. A Feb. 20 loss at California and Thursday's loss at Washington, the most haunting in the minds of the Bruins.
"It makes you look back and second guess losing at Cal and not executing up at Washington," Nelson said. But I think that if we can’t be first we’d rather be second. We’re going to do everything we can in the short amount of time we have and try and get as good as we can and try to win the Pac-10 tournament and see what we can do in the NCAAs."
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Bruins have to go extra for victory at Washington State
They rally for a 58-54 overtime win after trailing by 13 at halftime against the short-handed Cougars.
By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
9:40 PM PST, March 5, 2011
Reporting from Pullman, Wash.
Ben Howland had his pick of halftime speeches.
The UCLA coach could have addressed his team's clueless defense, off-kilter offense or inability to match Washington State's inspired effort, the Cougars down two starters but up by 13 points.
Two words sufficed: NCAA tournament.
"I told them, 'I want you to come out with passion and intensity like this game is going to either get us in or get us out of the NCAA tournament,' " Howland said, "because I really believed that."
Based on the final 25 minutes, dancing days are here again.
UCLA roared back to force overtime before pulling out a 58-54 victory in the extra period Saturday at Friel Court after key steals by Tyler Honeycutt and Jerime Anderson and a flurry of free throws by Malcolm Lee despite a balky left knee.
The Bruins (22-9 overall, 13-5 in the Pacific 10 Conference) ensured a second-place conference finish and all but guaranteed a return to the NCAA tournament after a one-year absence. UCLA will open the Pacific Life Pac-10 tournament at 6 p.m. Thursday against the winner of Wednesday's game between Arizona State and either Stanford or Oregon.
Several Bruins stepped up with their team on the verge of its first loss in Pullman since 1993.
Washington State (19-11, 9-9) had the ball with the score tied at 54-54 in the final minute of overtime when Honeycutt read a play and knocked the ball to teammate Reeves Nelson, whose pass to Lee resulted in Lee being fouled underneath the Bruins' basket with 6.9 seconds remaining.
Lee, whose two free throws with 8.9 seconds left in regulation had sent the game into overtime, made two more from the line to give UCLA a 56-54 lead. Anderson then forced a turnover in the backcourt when he deflected a ball off Washington State's Marcus Capers with 5.6 seconds to go.
The Cougars fouled Lee again and he made two more free throws, his clutch foul shooting more than offsetting a two-for-10 performance from the field.
"I wanted the ball in that situation," said Lee, who is scheduled to undergo an MRI on the knee he injured when he landed hard late in regulation. "I knew I could knock them down."
Nelson also was a go-to guy for UCLA, finishing with 23 points on 10-for-13 shooting to go with eight rebounds. The other Bruins combined to make only 11 of 41 shots (26.8%).
Howland was so ebullient after UCLA escaped with its 18th consecutive victory here that he kissed a reporter on the forehead.
"That's a first," Bruins freshman center Joshua Smith said. "I've never seen that."
There was also a surprise moment before the game when Washington State standout Klay Thompson, suspended indefinitely for drug possession, took a courtside microphone and addressed the crowd.
"I would do anything today to play, but unfortunately that's not the case," said Thompson, the Pac-10's leading scorer who was cited for marijuana possession late Thursday night. "I just want to apologize and say I'm truly sorry."
The Bruins had all the regrets once the game started. Galvanized by the loss of Thompson and guard Reggie Moore (sprained ankle), the Cougars took a 32-17 lead thanks to a new offense that generated easy baskets.
"When they're back-picking and cutting behind you," Anderson said, "then you start losing track of your man, he gets behind you and next thing you know, they got a layup."
UCLA opened the second half by repeatedly working the ball inside to Smith and Nelson, wiping out its halftime deficit in the first 7:57. A putback by Nelson gave UCLA a four-point lead with 7:22 left, but the Cougars rattled off eight consecutive points to take a 47-43 advantage.
Honeycutt made a three-pointer to pull the Bruins to within a point, and Washington State's Faisal Aden converted only one of two free throws with 14 seconds left to extend the Cougars' cushion to 48-46.
Lee then drove toward the basket and was fouled. He made both free throws to tie the score, a nail-biting prelude to his overtime heroics.
"These games take life off my expectancy," Howland said. "It's brutal."
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Escape from Pullman leaves UCLA ecstatic
By Jon Gold, Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 03/05/2011 11:34:21 PM PST
Updated: 03/05/2011 11:34:49 PM PST
PULLMAN, Wash. - It was a jubilant scene for the UCLA basketball team after its 58-54 overtime win at Washington State on Saturday, a victory that locked up second place in the Pacific-10 Conference.
The locker room was raucous, a chorus of hoots and hollers, chairs crashing to the ground, the cacophony of noise audible far down the hall.
Before boarding the team bus that would take them to Spokane, the players tossed snowballs at each other.
Normally reserved head coach Ben Howland was all wide smiles, talking a mile a minute, clearly fired up after his team rebounded from a 15-point deficit, its biggest comeback of the season.
Howland even kissed a reporter on the forehead. Read that again.
It was quite
a different scene at halftime.
A morgue, though that might be an affront to the Grim Reaper.
Washington State was down its two best players - Pac-10 leading scorer Klay Thompson suspended indefinitely after being caught with marijuana during a traffic stop on Thursday night, and point guard Reggie Moore out with an ankle injury - and yet it managed a 32-19 lead at the half.
The Cougars, unveiling a variation of the Oregon offense and taking the Bruins by surprise with backdoor layup after backdoor layup, sprinted to the 26-13 lead, swallowing UCLA's offense whole. The Bruins started 2 for 12 from the field, finished the half 7 of 25 - including 0 for 8 from 3-point range - and the walk back to the locker room wasn't a jaunt so much as a full-on sprint.
"It was one of those games where we weren't prepared; they had just put in Oregon's offense," UCLA junior forward Tyler Honeycutt said. "Same thing with Cal - we weren't able to adapt. We just wanted to get out of the first half and be able to come into the locker room and talk about it."
Howland's halftime speech must have been a dandy.
Reverting back to the inside-outside game that has served the team well during a 13-3 regular-season finish, UCLA tied the score at 35 on a Honeycutt 3-pointer with just more than 12 minutes left in regulation.
Every other basket during the 16-3 run was either a dunk or a layup, though, the Bruins finally finding Reeves Nelson, the bread, and Joshua Smith, the 6-foot-10, 300-plus butter.
Nelson had a game-high 23 points, including 11 in the second half, and Smith finished with 10 and added five rebounds and three blocks.
"We didn't attack the zone well at all in the first half," Howland said. "They came out in man and we missed some open shots too in the first half. About everything that could go wrong was going wrong for us.
"When we got stops in the second half, we were able to fast break out of those stops. That was the key thing for us, the ability to fast-break by getting stops at the other end."
Ultimately, it was two crucial stops at the end of the game that lifted the Bruins (22-9, 13-5) over Washington State (19-11, 9-9).
After UCLA's five-point lead in overtime disappeared when Cougars guard Faizel Aden tying the score at 54 on a 3-pointer with 1 minute, 21 seconds left, the teams could not manufacture a point for more than a minute.
But with nine seconds left, Honeycutt forced a turnover by Washington State's Brock Motum, the ball bouncing to Nelson for the steal. He advanced it to junior guard Malcolm Lee, who was fouled and sank both free throws to give UCLA the lead, 56-54.
Then Cougars forward Abe Lodwick corralled and inbounded the ball with six seconds left to guard Marcus Capers, but Bruins point guard Jerime Anderson cut in front and deflected the ball off Capers. UCLA got the ball to Lee once more on the inbound pass, he was fouled and once more converted two free throws, finishing 7 for 7 from the line for the day.
Lee also made two free throws with eight seconds left in regulation and the Bruins down 48-46, sending the game into overtime.
"I wanted the ball in that situation," said Lee, who scored 11 points but suffered a knee injury that will require an MRI today when the team arrives back from Washington. "I knew I could knock them down. I was just focused on making the first one and then getting into a rhythm. I didn't even hear the crowd."
The Bruins certainly heard it early from a loud Beasley Coliseum audience that served as sixth man - and maybe seventh - with Thompson and Moore out. When Thompson addressed the crowd after introductions to apologize for his indiscretion, they screamed words of support. When the Cougars harassed the Bruins early, they screeched.
When Aden drilled his tying 3-pointer, they exploded.
By the time Lee hit his four clutch free throws, they were silent, a fan walking by press row exclaiming, "I'm so sad right now."
Then there was UCLA, and Howland, happier than ever.
"I've seen him excited, but I've never seen him that excited," Smith said. "It's just the emotion of the game. How the game went, how we fought back took it to overtime, dominated the first three minutes, they came back and we just prevailed."
But he kissed a reporter ...
"That's a first," Smith laughed. "I've never seen that."
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Escape from PullmanBy RYAN ESHOFF
The Daily Bruin Blogs
Published March 5, 2011 in Sports: Bruin Sights
Updated: March 5, 2011, 5:38 PM
In a season full of tightrope walks and close calls, perhaps the conclusion was fitting.
UCLA survived a scare and escaped with a 58-54 overtime victory over host Washington State on Saturday in the regular-season finale.
Sophomore forward Reeves Nelson scored 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the field, and junior guard Malcolm Lee made six clutch free throws down the stretch to lead a late surge.
The Bruins (22-9, 13-5 Pac-10) overcame a miserable start and a 13-point halftime deficit to clinch the No. 2 seed in the Pac-10 Tournament, which will take place next weekend at Staples Center.
It didn’t come easy against the Cougars (19-11, 9-9), who were playing without Klay Thompson, suspended for the game after being caught with marijuana in his car on Thursday night. At least in the early going, his absence didn’t seem to affect Washington State, which used precise offense, aggressive defense and poor UCLA execution to build a 32-19 advantage after the first 20 minutes.
The second half, though, was a different story. UCLA came out of the gates on a 24-7 run that allowed it to seize a four-point lead. Things went back-and-forth the rest of the way, with Lee hitting a pair of free throws with nine seconds left to tie the game at 48 and send it to overtime.
The Bruins built a five-point lead in the extra session, only to see the Cougars come back and tie the game at 54. But Lee hit four more free throws in the final minute to seal the deal, and help UCLA salvage a road trip that begin with a loss at Washington on Thursday night.
Click on boxscore to enlarge (Yahoo Sports)
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