Muhammad looking to regain his shooting form

Muhammad looking to regain his shooting form

By RYAN KARTJE
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Jan. 15, 2013 Updated: 8:15 p.m.

LOS ANGELES – One shot after another clanked off the rim last weekend as UCLA freshman phenom Shabazz Muhammad tried frantically to get himself back into rhythm, back on the same scoring path that led him to score 20 or more points in four consecutive games in December.

He shot 23 percent from the floor against Utah, scored just six points and was called out by Utes guard Cedric Martin after the game. He improved to 37 percent from the field against Colorado, but still looked as though he was struggling. Was he pressing?

"His offense is going to be fine," Howland said with a laugh Saturday. "I'm not worried about him at all offensively. That's the least of our worries."

But on Tuesday afternoon, Muhammad acknowledged he may have settled for too many jump shots, trying his hardest to get something going in his first hostile road tests.

Muhammad by nature is a high-volume shooter. Fellow freshman Kyle Anderson said last week it's something the Bruins would live and die with.

"I just think I settle for too many jump shots," Muhammad said. "Those away games, you're not used to the court and the rim might not be the same as Pauley. It's just not settling for jump shots and getting rebounds on the offensive and defensive ends to get my game going."

Howland, however, hasn't changed in his opinion of Muhammad's last two games. Playing on the road was a new challenge for the freshman, Howland said, and that certainly played a part in his struggles. But with even more difficult road tests ahead, why is Howland so certain?

"Because he's a really good player," Howland said. "I don't see him wavering one iota."



BEAVERS DANGEROUS

No Pac-12 team has had a tougher start to the new year than Oregon State, as the Beavers fell in their first three conference matchups – all at home, all by 10 points or more.

Those three games came against three of the Pac-12's best teams, though, and before the conference season Oregon State lost just three games.

Now the Beavers come to Pauley Pavilion with a bit of desperation – something Bruins' players are conscious of heading into Thursday's matchup.

"They're coming off of three losses, and they've all been at home," Howland said. "They're probably going to be happy to be on the road."

"They're going to come out with a vengeance," Muhammad added. "Them losing three games in a row ... they're really going to come out and play hard."

UCLA won't have to deal with Oregon State forward Eric Moreland, who ranks sixth in the nation in rebounding (11.1 per game), as he will remain suspended until Saturday's game against USC. That's good news for a team that's just starting to improve on the glass.


Contact the writer: rkartje@ocregister.com