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A fan holds up a large picture of UCLA freshman forward Shabazz Muhammad during the second half of the Bruins' game against California on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA won 79-65. ( (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill))
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JILL PAINTER on UCLA BASKETBALL: Fresh start could take Bruins long way
Posted: 01/03/2013 11:28:14 PM PST
Updated: 01/03/2013 11:49:44 PM
PST
UCLA's basketball season might be saved by four freshmen.
Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson and Jordan Adams - all newcomers who are
starting for UCLA - have the Bruins grooving, along with freshman Tony Parker
off the bench.
But these freshmen must continue their playmaking ways in the Pac-12 Conference. UCLA opened Pac-12 play with a 79-65 victory Thursday over Cal at Pauley Pavilion, and the freshmen played a key role again.
Muhammad, Anderson and Anderson combined for 44 points and 23 rebounds. Anderson had his fourth consecutive double double as UCLA won its sixth consecutive game.
In the first half, Muhamad missed six of seven shots, but he found his touch in the second half and made a key 3-pointer from the left wing with 4:11 left, to give UCLA a 68-57 lead. Cal had cut the lead to 61-57 (four points) but that was as close as the Bears would get.
"I always want the ball down the stretch," Muhammad said. "I just want to shoot the big shots all the time."
Muhammad and Adams lead the team in scoring with 19.6 and 17.7 points per game. That's 37.3 points per game, or nearly half of UCLA's offense, which averages 80.9 points per game.
Their impact is undeniable.
"We're stepping up to the challenge as a whole with 'Bazz and Jordan being the first two leading scorers and me leading in rebounds and steals," Anderson said. "That's something we all came in with. It's our attitude toward the game. We're all tough kids.
Whatever the team or coaches need us to do, we're going to get done."
But these freshmen must continue their playmaking ways in the Pac-12 Conference. UCLA opened Pac-12 play with a 79-65 victory Thursday over Cal at Pauley Pavilion, and the freshmen played a key role again.
Muhammad, Anderson and Anderson combined for 44 points and 23 rebounds. Anderson had his fourth consecutive double double as UCLA won its sixth consecutive game.
In the first half, Muhamad missed six of seven shots, but he found his touch in the second half and made a key 3-pointer from the left wing with 4:11 left, to give UCLA a 68-57 lead. Cal had cut the lead to 61-57 (four points) but that was as close as the Bears would get.
"I always want the ball down the stretch," Muhammad said. "I just want to shoot the big shots all the time."
Muhammad and Adams lead the team in scoring with 19.6 and 17.7 points per game. That's 37.3 points per game, or nearly half of UCLA's offense, which averages 80.9 points per game.
Their impact is undeniable.
"We're stepping up to the challenge as a whole with 'Bazz and Jordan being the first two leading scorers and me leading in rebounds and steals," Anderson said. "That's something we all came in with. It's our attitude toward the game. We're all tough kids.
Muhammad, Anderson and Adams have made a total of 31 starts, and Muhammad even missed three games during an NCAA investigation.
Anderson had 19 points and 11 rebounds, his fourth consecutive double double. On Thursday, he was 9 for 9 from the free-throw line, but he was most proud of the defensive rebounds.
Cal outrebounded UCLA 45-39.
"Most of (Cal's) points were coming off second-chance points," Anderson said. "When coach put me in at the nine-minute mark, my goal was to make sure they didn't get any second-chance points."
The UCLA freshmen made up a much-hyped recruiting class that was stalled by NCAA investigations, but once they were all playing together, UCLA became a better team. And with two players leaving the program within four days - Tyler Lamb and Josh Smith - the freshmen earned even bigger roles.
"(It's) Jordan's shooting ability, Kyle's rebounding and playmaking ability and Shabazz being a beast and Tony being a beast," said Larry Drew II, a junior transfer. "I really expected pretty much how they've been playing, and I expect them to keep playing the same way."
Even with conference season underway. Against Cal, Muhammad struggled with his shooting touch. Adams missed 3 of 4. And yet, the Bruins led by 10 at halftime 38-28 thanks to Travis Wear making jump shots and Norman Powell being aggressive on drives to the basket.
UCLA had a tumultuous season early, especially with that loss to Cal Poly, but got back on track with a five-game win streak before conference play started, the last of which was an impressive home victory over then-No. 7 Missouri.
UCLA has yet to play a true road game - it has played on two neutral sites - but that will change next week with games at Colorado and Utah.
But the freshmen now have one conference game, and one win, under their collective belts.
"That was really intense," Muhammad said. "It was a grind-it-out game, a low-scoring, defensive-minded game."
Still,Muhammad made the big offensive plays down the stretch, and drained a jumper, with the help of a screen by Anderson, to give the Bruins a 70-59 lead.
"Shabazz made big shots again," UCLA coach Ben Howland said. "The guy's got ice water in his veins."
Seems all these freshmen do.
And UCLA will go as they go, good or bad.
jill.painter@dailynews.com
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