UCLA fends off Arizona as Shabazz Muhammad, Larry Drew II leave marks in Pauley Pavilion
Tim Bradbury / Daily BruinRedshirt senior guard Larry Drew II put up 14 points and nine assists in his Pauley Pavilion finale. Drew II, the only Bruin honored on senior night, is nine assists away from tying UCLA's single-season record.
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Shabazz Muhammad stood at the free throw line with the opportunity to seal a huge victory over Pac-12 conference rival Arizona in front of a record-setting crowd at Pauley Pavilion.
The star freshman forward/guard is likely to leave for the NBA following this season, meaning his one-and-one free throw opportunity would probably be the last image in Pauley that Bruin fans would remember him by: Saturday was UCLA’s final home game of the season.
“It was in the back of my mind,” Muhammad said of the situation at hand. “But it was Larry (Drew II)’s senior night and I told him we’d get a win before the game, so I had to make those free throws for him.”
Muhammad, as star players do when given the opportunity, hit two free throws with 9.5 seconds remaining to give him a game-high 18 points and UCLA a comfortable five-point lead.
On the ensuing possession, it was Drew, the Bruins’ only senior, who forced Arizona point guard Mark Lyons to turn the ball over, sealing the Bruins’ (22-7, 12-4) 74-69 victory over the No. 11 Wildcats (23-6, 11-6).
Drew finished the game with 14 points and nine assists, which brought him within nine assists of the all-time UCLA single season record held by Pooh Richardson at 236.
“I’m so excited about Larry Drew and what he’s brought to this team,” coach Ben Howland said. “His leadership along with his fine overall play has been great. He deserves a lot of credit.”
As if the setting and performance weren’t special enough, Drew’s father, Larry Drew Sr., who coaches the Atlanta Hawks, was able to attend the game, as the Hawks play the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center tonight.
“It’s crazy because my mother was talking about this being my last game and she said my father was coming too,” Drew said. “I could not believe what a great coincidence it was. I love that he got to come see me play.”
While Drew and Muhammad took center stage, freshman guard Kyle Anderson and redshirt junior forward David Wear had some of their best performances of the season.
Anderson scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds while Wear added 10 points and nine rebounds to aid the dinged-up Bruins, who were playing their third game of the week.
“We were well prepared for it and we just wanted to play our game,” Anderson said. “We didn’t want to let all of the (ESPN College) GameDay hype get to us and we came out with a win.”
The Bruins now sit tied with the Oregon Ducks atop the Pac-12 standings with two games remaining. But regardless of how the regular season closes out, Howland and his squad are confident about their position.
“Everybody on our team has improved a lot this year, not just our freshmen,” Howland said. “We’re winning close games and that’s what we expect. We’re peaking at the right time.”
In a three-point game, UCLA desperately needed a defensive stop to close out a win over Arizona and cap an electric day for fans inside and outside Pauley Pavilion.
The Bruins got it after freshman forward/guard Shabazz Muhammad rose up to grab a defensive rebound over two Wildcats.
On cue, a host of Los Angeles Clippers at the game – Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan,Chauncey Billups and former Bruin Matt Barnes – got up out of their courtside seats and exited with some time left on the clock. It may not have been a direct validation of Muhammad, but those pros know what it takes to finish.
An NBA-level play from an NBA-level player guaranteed the 74-69 victory, a game that will probably be Muhammad’s last at home.
But for coach Ben Howland, there was nothing probable about it.
“I’m a realist – I knew going into this that this was a one-year deal,” Howland said after the game. “It should be. He’s a lottery pick. He’s a top-five pick. When you have that going for you, it’s absolutely the right thing for him. So that was his last game in Pauley Pavilion, no doubt about it.”
Muhammad, predictably, downplayed the certainty of his leaving for the NBA that Howland played up. Though he has clearly enjoyed his time here at UCLA, Muhammad still has given no indications of returning, which would make little sense for him anyway.
Muhammad’s 18-point performance on the national stage will only increase the already-high demand for his talents. For his teammates, their play in UCLA’s win might affect their future prospects, which are much more volatile than Muhammad’s.
After the game, Muhammad came to the postgame podium along with Larry Drew II and freshman Kyle Anderson.
We already know that two of those three will be gone soon. Drew is a redshirt senior who has completely changed from his time at North Carolina and is now one of the best passers in the country. What’s more is that the point guard’s scoring ability, fueled by an improving jumper, has made UCLA’s offense even more efficient.
What I’m wondering is if that entire trio will leave after this season. That hinges on the development of Anderson, long thought to be an NBA talent.
If the prime-time, ESPN game was meant to be a showcase for Muhammad, Anderson stole the show, at least for one half. He put up 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting while easily handling Arizona’s bigger, stronger players in the first half.
It’s tough to put a position in front of Anderson’s name because we really don’t know what he is just yet. He would prefer to be a point guard, but UCLA already has one that’s quite good. So Anderson has adjusted to playing a hybrid role, a ball-handling forward that runs the offense when Drew is off the court and attacks the post and the glass otherwise.
“He’s such a good rebounder, it’s hard to take him out of the game,” Howland said.
Anderson finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists, a block, a steal and two turnovers on 8-of-16 shooting, with some missed mid-range jump shots dropping his field-goal percentage. Saturday was a taste of the full Kyle Anderson experience.
“He’s just so skilled,” Howland added. “You see his potential and upside is really special.”
Anderson showed what he could do as a playmaker at the high school level. He has only added to his game since then. But when both coach and player were asked if Anderson would join Muhammad, neither seemed so sure.
“I haven’t been thinking about that,” Anderson said.
It might seem that thinking so far ahead has little bearing on the current season, which is only getting better for UCLA. The Bruins are now tied for first in the Pac-12 and have a chance at winning the conference title in this final week of regular season games.
But what happens in the future is a direct result of right now. If Anderson continues to improve as he has, UCLA will do the same.
UCLA honored Drew on senior night before the game and Howland held his own ceremony for Muhammad afterward. If Saturday was the last time we saw Anderson play in Westwood, he showed us why his future may be brighter than those of his teammates.
E-mail Menezes at rmenezes@media.ucla.edu or tweet at @ryanvmenezes.
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