Kyle Anderson (left) finished with UCLA's first triple-double since Dec. 1995 (AP photo)
Courtesy: Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Sophomore Jordan Adams scored a career-high 30 points to help UCLA secure an 81-70 win over Morehead State on Friday evening in Pauley Pavilion.
Adams’ 30-point effort came on the same evening that sophomore Kyle Anderson recorded UCLA’s first triple-double since Dec. 18, 1995. Anderson finished with 13 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and three blocks, logging the program’s first triple-double since Toby Bailey had 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a win against Stephen F. Austin.
"The sky’s the limit for both of us," Adams said. "We're the captains, so with us going out there and putting up these numbers we have to bring it every night with the same intensity."
The Bruins improved to 4-0, their best start since opening the 2007-08 season with seven straight wins. In addition, Adams registered UCLA's first 30-point effort since Dec. 2, 2010, when Tyler Honeycutt finished with 33 points in a one-point loss at No. 4-ranked Kansas.
UCLA led the visiting Eagles (4-2) by a 46-38 margin at halftime and held on for the 11-point victory. Zach LaVinefinished with 12 points and Travis Wear returned to the lineup, scoring 11 points after having missed the team’s first three games recovering from an appendectomy on Oct. 28.
The Bruins will host Chattanooga (2-3) in Pauley Pavilion on Sunday evening in the team’s second game of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational’s regional round. UCLA will move on to Las Vegas next week, facing Nevada and Northwestern on Nov. 28 and Nov. 29, respectively.
Asked if he ever had a triple-double, UCLA head coach and former Indiana standout Steve Alford replied, "I don’t know that I had one. I didn’t pass a whole lot."
Chad Posthumus had a career-high 21 points and 18 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes for Morehead State in the Eagles’ first-ever meeting with UCLA. Brent Arrington added 17 points, including five of his team’s 10 3-pointers.
"It's tough when they are hitting as many shots as they did, and we had a couple of turnovers," Posthumus said. "If we had gotten a couple of more shots we could have won the game."
Morehead State matched UCLA on the boards with 36 rebounds, but shot just 37 percent and had 13 turnovers.
The Bruins, who led by 17 points in the first half, missed their first three shots and had a turnover to start the second half.
Posthumus continued on his shooting tear that began with 7 minutes left in the first half, when the Eagles faced that 17-point deficit. He scored 10 of Morehead State's first 16 points during a stretch in which they closed to three points four times.
"Chad was the best post player on the court," Eagles coach Sean Woods said. "If we make a couple of plays then it would be a different outcome."
The Eagles suddenly went cold, and the Bruins capitalized with a 12-3 spurt that extended their lead to 71-57. Anderson scored five points and Travis Wear dunked and got fouled, making the free throw.
"It was like 100 mph," said Wear, who first practiced on Wednesday. "I got out there and I was kind of like a deer in the headlights. I kept trying to tell myself, slow down. I was excited to get out there."
Morehead State hit three 3-pointers in the final 2:47 to get back within single digits.
The Eagles took their second lead of the game, 18-17, on a 3-pointer by Angelo Warner. Arrington hit a 3-pointer to open the game.
The Bruins answered with a 20-2 run, including four 3-pointers, to go up 37-20. LaVine hit two of the 3-point baskets while scoring eight points. Adams had five, and Wear four.
"Anytime you're on runs like that you get defensive stops," Alford said. "When this team gets defensive stops, we're very good in transition."
The Eagles had the last run of the half, an 18-9 spurt that drew them to 46-38 at halftime. Posthumus scored eight points and Warner had five.
The Box.
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