Next up: Cal

Bruins Host California on Thursday Night

The Bruins lead the all-time series with California 132-96, including a 37-8 record all-time in Pauley Pavilion.

Jan. 18, 2011
The Official UCLA Men's Basketball website


LOS ANGELES -

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
DATE: Jan. 20, 2011
SITE: Pauley Pavilion (12,819)
TIP-OFF: 7:37 p.m. (PT)
TV: Prime Ticket
TALENT: Bill Macdonald (play-by-play), Don MacLean (analyst) and Courtney Jones (reporter)
RADIO (UCLA Sports Network from IMG College): AM 570 KLAC
SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO: 91
SIRIUS XM SATELLITE RADIO: 193
TALENT: Chris Roberts (play-by-play) and Tracy Murray (analyst)
SERIES: UCLA leads 132-96


IN THE POLLS
UCLA is unranked in the AP Top 25 and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll (Jan. 10). The California Golden Bears (9-8, 2-3) are unranked in both polls, and like the Bruins, did not receive any votes in either poll.

SERIES VS. CALIFORNIA
This is the 229th meeting between UCLA and California with the Bruins leading the series 132-96 (.579). UCLA leads the all-time matchups in Los Angeles 64-36 (.640) and is 37-8 (.822) vs. Cal in Pauley Pavilion. Each team won on the other's home floor last year and Cal handed the Bruins a 85-72 setback in the Pac-10 Tournament semis to win the season series 2-1. Cal posted a 72-58 victory in Los Angeles last year on Feb. 6, 2010. Theo Robertson and Patrick Christopher scored 20 points each, helping California overcome UCLA's early dominance. The Bruins led 22-8 midway through the first half before Cal went on a 29-8 run in the final 10 minutes of the first half to claim a 37-30 lead at halftime. Jerome Randle added 14 points and six assists for the Golden Bears. Michael Roll was the only Bruin to score in double figures, scoring a game-high 22 points. Tyler Honeycutt added nine points and six rebounds. UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland is 15-6 against California. He has more wins against Cal than any other team he has faced in his 17 years of coaching.

BRUINS' INJURY REPORT
Junior guard Lazeric Jones has a ruptured tendon in his middle finger on his right hand. He injured it in the first half in the loss to Washington and was limited in the second half (played just seven minutes and didn't attempt a shot). He has started every game since, including scoring a game-high tying 13 points to go with three steals, three assists and two rebounds in the win at Oregon State (Jan. 13).

GETTING DEFENSIVE
Last week, the UCLA Bruins held both opponents to under 60 points (defeated Oregon State 62-57 and Oregon 67-59), which marked the first time UCLA has held back-to-back opponents to fewer than 60 points since duplicating the feat against Louisiana Tech (55 on Dec. 28, 2008) and Oregon State (46 on Jan. 2, 2009).

Ben Howland needs to work his magic again at UCLA — and fast

Ben Howland needs to work his magic again at UCLA — and fast

The coach has another underachieving basketball team and things could stand a significant improvement by the time renovations to Pauley Pavilion are completed in 2012.

January 18, 2011|Bill Plaschke
The Los Angeles Times


On a wall in Ben Howland's UCLA office, there is a photo collage that makes even the toughest face in college basketball melt.

"Look at those guys," he says softly Tuesday afternoon, spinning in his chair and pointing to melded images of players who once led his team to three consecutive Final Fours. "They were something, weren't they?"


There's Russell Westbrook throwing down a dunk, Kevin Love rolling out a smile, Jordan Farmar flying on a break, Arron Afflalo slapping at a pass, Darren Collison dribbling through a screen, memory after memory, snipped nets and hoisted trophies and winning.

The dozens of shining moments on that wall are held together today by hook. They were held together then by a heartbeat.

Every day since the semifinal loss to Memphis in the spring of 2008, Howland has been listening for the return of that heartbeat.

"We're still so young," he says, shaking his head.

"We need to get tougher," he says, tightening his jaw.

"The expectations are huge," he says, staring at the floor.

Howland sits close enough to those faces of past greatness that he could take two steps from his desk and touch them. Yet, entering the middle of his third season since his three magical runs, he has never seemed farther away.

The bloom is off. The buzz is gone. The constant whirring around the J.D. Morgan Center is not only the sound of the Pauley Pavilion remodeling, but of the concern that the Bruins will no longer be an attraction once it's completed. After losing in the second round in 2009, his Bruins didn't qualify for the NCAA tournament last year, and are headed for the bubble this season, and it's hard to project a return to glory by the time they move in for the 2012 season.

"You know, I've practiced longer with this team than any of those teams," Howland says, pointing to the wall. "We have really worked. And we're going to have to keep working."

What he can't say is, those guys on the wall were gifted, while those guys on his court are, well, not so much, not yet anyway.

Coming off a great weekend against some lousy Oregon teams, the Bruins are still only 11-6 overall with the heart of their schedule beckoning. There are two games remaining against Stanford, two against Arizona, one more against USC and Washingon and, oh yeah, that funky little Saturday morning game Feb. 5.

The Lavin Bowl.

The game will mark the return of former embattled Bruins boss Steve Lavin and his new team at St. John's. Right now, they are playing better than the Bruins, and if the Red Storm wins, Howland will start to hear the howling.

"I really like Steve and his team, I know everybody will be making a big deal about it, but I just can't think that far ahead," Howland says.

Of course not. Not with a team that ranks 63rd in RPI. Not with a team that, despite handing ninth-ranked Brigham Young its only defeat, has endured bad losses to Montana and USC. With a lack of on-court leadership and consistent defense, his current team bears so little resemblance to those teams on the wall, it's almost like watching a different program.

One of his captains is a guy who was given the title despite just arriving from a junior college — "It's a process," Lazeric Jones says.

Meanwhile, his leading scorer is a guy who scored exactly zero points in their last game in Oregon. Listen to this exchange between Times writer Ben Bolch and Howland at Tuesday's news conference, and you'll know all you need to know about the unsettling development of Reeves Nelson.

Bolch: "Something goes wrong on defense or offense and [Nelson] kind of checks out for a little while and needs to maintain that continuity and focus?"

Howland: "Yes."

Bolch: "How do you correct that?"

Howland: "You just keep trying."

Bolch: "Are you making progress?"

Howland: "What do you think?"

Here's what I think: Howland is still one of the 10 best coaches in the country, but in five seasons he has sent six players into the first round of the NBA draft — equaling the best in the nation during that time — and he hasn't recruited well enough to shelter his program from those losses.

Here's what I also think: Since the early years of John Wooden, only one UCLA coach — Walt Hazzard — has endured consecutive seasons in which his team didn't get to the NCAA tournament, and Howland doesn't want to be the second.

The question I'm most asked about UCLA basketball these days is, how long is Athletic Director Dan Guerrero going to give Howland?

Having watched Howland turn numerous cocky kids into strong, resilient men while winning 74% of his tournament games in eight UCLA seasons, I'm hoping he finishes his career here. But, with a new arena coming and those giant expectations remaining, I'm guessing Howland needs to start turning his team back into headliners again, at least before the end of next season.

Bruins come back to beat Oregon, 67-59, sweep Oregon schools

UCLA's Malcom Lee, center, draws a foul as he drives to the basket against Oregon's Jeremy Jacob, left, Jay-R Strowbridge and Johnathan Loyd , right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at Matthew Knight Arena Saturday Jan. 15, 2011 in Eugene, Ore. (Photo AP).


The Fabulous Forum
The who, what, where, when,
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UCLA basketball: Bruins come back to beat Oregon, 67-59

Ben Bolch, reporting from Eugene, Ore.
The Los Angeles Times
January 15, 2011 | 4:15 pm


Guards Malcolm Lee, Jerime Anderson and Lazeric Jones combined for 45 points to lead UCLA to a 67-59 come-from-behind victory over Oregon on Saturday afternoon at Matthew Knight Arena, handing the Ducks their first defeat in their new home.

Lee had 18 points on seven-for-13 shooting and Anderson had 15 points off the bench for the Bruins (11-6 overall, 3-2 Pacific 10 Conference), who had trailed by 12 points in the first half and three points at halftime. Jones had 12 points while making five of 11 shots.

Freshman center Joshua Smith had 15 points and nine rebounds for UCLA but committed a potentially costly technical foul with 1 minute 50 seconds remaining. E.J. Singler made both free throws to cut Oregon's deficit to 65-59, but Smith blocked a shot by Jay-R Strowbridge, Anderson made two free throws and the Bruins held on.

Singler had 15 points and Jeremy Jacob added 12 for Oregon (8-10, 1-5), which shot 37.7% to UCLA's 50%.

UCLA sophomore forward Reeves Nelson fouled out with 4:59 remaining after a forgettable performance in which he did not score or take one shot. He finished with three rebounds and one assist.

____________

UCLA turns Oregon's new house upside down in 67-59 win

Bruins post first victory by an opponent at Matthew Knight Arena, which the Ducks inaugurated Thursday by beating USC.

January 15, 2011|By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times


Reporting from Eugene, Ore. — UCLA was like a housewarming guest who broke the crystal glassware and stained the new carpet.

The Bruins went into Oregon's Matthew Knight Arena on Saturday and took away a bit of the $227-million arena's luster, rallying for a 67-59 victory over the Ducks.

Two days after Oregon rolled over USC in the first game played at the arena, UCLA overcame a slow start to become the first opposing team to win on the court.

"We made history, I guess you could say," said freshman center Joshua Smith, who scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half to help the Bruins wipe out a three-point halftime deficit.

Junior guard Malcolm Lee scored 18 points on seven-for-13 shooting and junior guard Jerime Anderson tied a career high with 15 points for the Bruins (11-6 overall, 3-2 Pacific 10 Conference), who completed a road sweep of the Oregon schools.

Anderson was a particularly unlikely party crasher.

Maligned for much of his two-plus seasons, Anderson made three of five three-point baskets in a season-high 32 minutes off the bench in what Coach Ben Howland described as his "best game as a Bruin."

"I was a lot more aggressive tonight and I have to give all the credit to my teammates," said Anderson, who made a three-pointer and two free throws during an 8-0 Bruins push midway through the second half that gave them the lead for good.

The comeback was all the more impressive considering UCLA's two leading scorers — sophomore forwards Reeves Nelson and Tyler Honeycutt — combined for only seven points. Nelson fouled out without scoring for the first time in his career after repeatedly jostling with E.J. Singler.

"They were just doing a lot of cheap shots," said Nelson, who played a season-low 15 minutes. "I only retaliated one time and they caught me on it when Singler, who is probably the dirtiest of them all, did it.

"But that's on me. I have to learn to control it all the time and not just some of the time."

The non-sellout crowd of 11,089 was rocking for much of a first half in which the Ducks (8-10, 1-5) forced 12 turnovers and appeared on the brink of parlaying the adrenaline boost provided by their fancy digs into another victory when they took a 25-13 lead.

But UCLA started to spread the floor and attack the Ducks' press, with junior guard Lazeric Jones driving for consecutive layups that helped the Bruins close to within three points at halftime. UCLA stayed aggressive without getting sloppy in the second half, committing only two turnovers in the final 12 minutes 57 seconds and withstanding the loss of Nelson after he fouled out with 4:59 remaining.

"Everybody stepped up and made big shots," Anderson said.

Jones, playing with a "mallet" finger, dropped the hammer when he made a three-pointer with 2:29 remaining to give the Bruins a 63-55 lead. Smith extended the advantage to eight points on a tip-in with 1:51 left before immediately drawing a technical foul for yelling "Let's go!" while looking at a Ducks player.

"The referee took it as trying to incite the opponent," Howland said.

Singler made both of the technical-foul free throws, but the Ducks missed their next four shots and Smith blocked a layup by Jay-R Strowbridge to help preserve the Bruins' second consecutive victory.

"We beat two pretty good teams at their house and now we have momentum," Smith said, "so we'll see how long we can carry it."

____________

Anderson's 15 points help UCLA top Oregon 67-59

Associated Press January 15, 2011 06:12 PM
via SFG=gate.com

Eugene, Ore. (AP) --


UCLA coach Ben Howland was brimming about the standout junior from his bench.

"Jerime Anderson was the player of the game," Howland said. "It was his best game as a Bruin. He came in and really did a great job for us offensively, settling us down and making passes and making plays."

Anderson made three 3-pointers, finished with 15 points and helped steady the Bruins on offense as part of a 67-59 win over Oregon on Saturday.

Malcolm Lee led UCLA (11-6, 3-2 Pac-10) with 18 points while Joshua Smith had 15 points and nine rebounds and Lazeric Jones added 12 points.

"I feel like I've been playing well," Anderson said. "I've been practicing well and shooting the ball well and it's about time it correlated to the game. I was happy I was able to make some shots tonight."

Anderson's 3-pointer with 9:12 to play pushed the Bruins' lead to 46-40 and was the first of four times in the final minutes of the game that UCLA hit a 3 after Oregon trimmed its deficit to three points or less.

Lee hit two of those late threes and Anderson hit one, as did Tyler Honeycutt.

Jones then put the game out of reach, hitting a 3-pointer with 2:28 left to give the Bruins a 63-55 advantage.

"That's the thing, everybody stepped up and made big shots tonight," Anderson said. "Honeycutt made a big three, Malcolm made a couple big threes, and (Jones) hit that dagger at the end of the game and pretty much sealed it for us. I was just happy to be a part of it."

Both Lee and Anderson made three 3-pointers each and the Bruins made nine overall on 24 attempts.

"What is that, 39 percent?" Howland asked afterward. (It was actually 37.5 percent.)

"I mean, that's just OK. ... (But late in the end) that's where you love it. In the last 10 minutes our guys really seized the opportunity."

E.J. Singler scored 15 points and Jeremy Jacob added 12 for the Ducks (8-10, 1-5), who were without leading scorer and rebounder Joevan Catron. The senior forward missed his third straight game with a strained calf muscle.

The Ducks took a 25-13 advantage with 5:55 to play in the first half following a 3-pointer by Garrett Sim that drew fist pumps from Oregon coach Dana Altman. Sim's shot capped a 16-3 run by the Ducks.

Jacob scored eight points during that stretch and Jay-R Strowbridge also made a 3-pointer.

But the Ducks scored just two more points in the half and the Bruins slowly picked away at the lead. Jones scored on bank shots on consecutive possessions, Anderson followed with a 3-pointer and Lee scored inside with 53 seconds left as UCLA cut Oregon's lead to 27-24 at the break.

"I am disappointed," Altman said. "We had our opportunity and we didn't seize it."

Anderson tied the score at 32 early in the second half and Tyler Honeycutt gave UCLA the 34-32 lead on a bank shot with 15:09 to play.

____________

A low down, dirty win

Bruins take lumps but hold on to hand Ducks first loss at Matthew Knight Arena and complete an Oregon sweep

By Jill Painter, Staff Writer
Posted: 01/15/2011 10:30:50 PM PST
Updated: 01/16/2011 03:32:54 AM PST


EUGENE, Ore. - UCLA forward Reeves Nelson still was fuming after Saturday's game against Oregon, even though he sat on the bench the final five minutes of the game after fouling out.

On his way out of the arena, he stopped in the tunnel and began to stomp around, yelling and furiously waving his towel at Oregon's student section.

Nelson, UCLA's leading scorer, was held scoreless for the first time in his career and didn't even take a shot. He had just three rebounds and four turnovers in 15 minutes.

He saved his shots following UCLA's 67-59 win at the new Matthew Knight Arena that completed a sweep of the Oregon schools.

"They were just doing a lot of cheap shots," Nelson said. "If that's what they have to resort to to try to get me out of my game, I guess, yeah (I was frustrated). I only retaliated really one time and they caught me on it.

"(E.J.) Singler is probably the dirtiest of them all. That's on me. I have to learn to control that all the time."

Despite Nelson's disappearance and UCLA's 12-point deficit in the first half,The Bruins prevailed by riding the hot hands of guards Jerime Anderson, Lazeric Jones and Malcolm Lee, who combined to score 45 points. Josh Smith had a solid game too, with 15 points and nine rebounds, but he also had four turnovers.

Anderson had what UCLA coach Ben Howland deemed his best game as a Bruin, tying his career high with 15 points and adding three assists.

Lee scored a game-high 18 points and added six rebounds. Jones had 12 points.
"Everyone stepped up and made big shots," Anderson said. "I was just happy to be part of it."

UCLA (11-6) improved to 3-2 in the Pac-10 Conference after sporting a sub-.500 conference record before heading to the Northwest. The Bruins played well in front of a crowd of 11,089. There were no light shows here on Saturday, but the fans still did their fair share of heckling, something for which they're known.

Kevin Love and his family were treated so poorly by fans three years ago, then-athletic director Pat Kilkenny, for whom the new floor is named, apologized.

"They're nothing special," Nelson said of the Oregon fans. "Fans always make me laugh with the stuff they try to make up. It doesn't occur to them that they have nothing better to do than insult people and that makes them look stupid to the players.

"Other than that, they're nothing special."

Nelson said he was heckled over his tattoos and other things.

Smith maintained his composure Saturday, even though he was called for a technical foul with 1:50 left. It didn't affect the outcome.

Smith was reprimanded by the Pac-10 for calling officials "terrible" after last Sunday's USC game. He laughed after Saturday's technical.

He said he screamed, "Let's go!" after he scored on a putbacktip-in to give UCLA a 65-57 lead.

"I think he called it because I was yelling, and he didn't hear what I said," Smith said.

Despite the drama with Nelson fouling out, the Bruins picked up the slack and four players scored in double figures.

Anderson made a 3-pointer with 4:14 left to give UCLA a 57-52 lead.

Malcolm Armstead answered with a three, but UCLA used Smith's height advantage inside - something the Bruins didn't take advantage of in the first half - to extend the lead.

Smith wasn't blocked out, so he grabbed an offensive rebound and scored. After an Oregon miss, Smith got a rebound and then made 1 of 2 free throws. Anderson rebounded the miss, and Jones made a three from the top of the arc for an eight-point lead, 63-55.

"I know I'd love to come back in my next life as Josh Smith," said Howland, who said he loved his skills and size.

The Bruins had 18 turnovers but just three in the final 13 minutes.

"We got better at attacking their pressure," Howland said.

Oregon (8-10) fell to 1-5 in the Pac-10 and played without leading scorer Joevan Catron, who is nursing a calf injury.

The Ducks' smaller lineup worked well in the first half but not the second. UCLA inexplicably allowed Oregon to pull down nine offensive rebounds in the first half. UCLA outrebounded Oregon, 37-30, and curtailed the turnovers.

"This was real big," Lee said. "You're expected to take care of the games at home. It's tough winning on the road, especially against Pac-10 fans."

Said Nelson: "It's really big. (It was) our first road trip in the Pac-10, unless you count 'SC, but our first road trip. We got a sweep and did it in a really hostile environment. Everything was against us.

"I'm really proud of our team."

____________

Anderson sparks UCLA to win at Oregon

By SCOTT M. REID
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Jan. 15, 2011
Updated: 8:36 p.m.

EUGENE, Ore. – For all of $200 million Matthew Knight Arena's state of the art design and amenities, Matt Court retains Mac Court's edge and attitude. The lunatic fringe of a student section continues to relish its well-deserved reputation as the Pac-10's most notorious crowd.

An intersection of high tech and low road.

"A really hostile environment with everything against us," UCLA forward Reeves Nelson said.

So it is perhaps not surprising given the setting that it was junior guard Jerime Anderson, so often the target of over the top criticism and abuse at home, who would lead UCLA to a 67-59, come-from-behind victory against Oregon on Saturday afternoon.

UCLA (11-6, 3-2 Pac-10) trailed by 12 points before Anderson came off the bench and, combined with a downpour of 3-point field goals, led the Bruins to a sweep of the Oregon schools this week.

The Ducks (8-10, 1-5) had won their first game in their new arena on Thursday against USC.

"This is really big," said UCLA freshman center Joshua Smith, who finished with 15 points and nine rebounds. "We put ourselves above .500 in the Pac-10. We beat two pretty good teams and now we got momentum so we'll see how long we can carry that."

Guards Anderson, Malcolm Lee and Lazeric Jones combined for 45 points. Lee finished with a game-high 18 in addition to six rebounds, but it was Anderson (Canyon High) who provided the much-needed lift.

"Jerime came off the bench and gave us a pretty good spark," Lee said.

It started with a 3-pointer late in the first half that gave the Bruins momentum going into halftime as they cut a 12-point deficit to 27-24.

After the teams traded leads midway through the second half, Anderson tied the score at 40 with a pair of free throws and then after a Lee 3-point play, Anderson made it 46-40, knocking down the first five Bruin 3-point jumpers in less than seven minutes.

"Jerime Anderson was the player of the game," UCLA coach Ben Howland said "He came in and really did a great job for us offensively, settling us down, making passes and making plays. That was Jerime's best game as a Bruin. In a huge game today, he played very well."

Anderson has not always been referred so favorably.

"That's how it always is," he said the criticism that has dogged him since arriving in Westwood. "There's always going to be haters, and there's always going to be naysayers, even after tonight's game, there's still probably people out there saying stuff.

"It's part of life, it's part of basketball and part of this culture and I just try and take it as I go and I just try to work hard and keep better."


UCLA's Malcom Lee, center right, celebrates with teammates after beating Oregon on Saturday. (Chris Pietsch/The Associated Press)




Click on boxscore to enlarge (Yahoo Sports)

Coming soon

UCLA Bound 6'4" Norman Powell; Exciting & Athletic Guard Putting In Work

Added by Arek Kissoyan on January 13, 2011 at 9:07am
ballislife.com

Check out one of the top ranked shooting guards and players in the 2011 class 6'4" Norman Powell of SD Lincoln High School putting in work at ESPN Rise' "The Holiday Classic" & Santa Monica H.S. "The Tournament".

The UCLA commit is an athletic scoring guard with a strong frame and long arms. He excels at attacking the rim thanks to his strong frame and his bounce, which also allows him to score over bigger defenders.

He's also a great defender with quick hands and quick feet.

Look out for more from Norman this season!

Men's Basketball "Deep In The Woods" on Saturday

The new Matthew Knight Arena

Men's Basketball at Oregon on Saturday

The Bruins lead the all-time series with Oregon 81-27 and are 32-20 all-time in Eugene, Ore.

The Official UCLA Men's Basketball website
Jan. 14, 2011

EUGENE, Ore. -

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
DATE: Jan. 15, 2011
SITE: Matthew Knight Arena (12,364)
TIP-OFF: 2:00 p.m. (PT)
TV: Prime Ticket
TALENT: Bill Macdonald (play-by-play), Don MacLean (analyst) and Courtney Jones (reporter)
RADIO (UCLA Sports Network from IMG College): AM 570 KLAC
SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO (UCLA): 127
SIRIUS XM SATELLITE RADIO (Oregon): 143
TALENT: Chris Roberts (play-by-play) and Tracy Murray (analyst)
SERIES: UCLA leads 81-27


IN THE POLLS
UCLA is unranked in the AP Top 25 and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll (Jan. 10). The Oregon Ducks (8-9, 1-4) are unranked in both polls, and like the Bruins, did not receive any votes in either poll.

SERIES VS. OREGON
This is the 109th meeting between UCLA and Oregon with the Bruins leading the series 81-27 (.750). UCLA is 32-20 (.615) all-time in Eugene, Ore. The Bruins have won nine of the last 12 games overall and won four of the last six in McArthur Court. However, Oregon swept the Bruins last season. The last seven games in Eugene have all been decided by nine points or less. The Ducks won 71-66 in overtime last year in Mac Court on Jan. 28, 2010. Tajuan Porter and Matt Humphrey scored 15 points each to lead the Ducks. Humphrey opened Oregon's scoring in overtime with two 3-pointers to put the Ducks ahead 61-57. E.J. Singler scored six points in the final 1:10 of overtime to put the game away. UCLA got double-doubles from Nikola Dragoviæ (19 points and 10 rebounds) and Tyler Honeycutt (13 points and 10 rebounds). Senior guard Michael Roll, who forced overtime when he hit a three-pointer with 10.7 seconds left to tie the game 55-55, ended the game with 16 points for the Bruins. UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland is 10-4 all-time against the Ducks and 4-3 at Oregon.

BRUINS' INJURY REPORT
Junior guard Lazeric Jones has a ruptured tendon in his middle finger on his right hand. He injured it in the first half in the loss to Washington and was limited in the second half (played just seven minutes and didn't attempt a shot). He has started every game since, including scoring a game-high tying 13 points to go with three steals, three assists and two rebounds in the win at Oregon State (Jan. 13).

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UCLA BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: Despite lack of build-up, Howland still expects them to come

By Jill Painter, Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Daily News, dailybreeze.com
Posted: 01/14/2011 10:56:43 PM PSTUpdated: 01/14/2011 11:00:52 PM PST


EUGENE, Ore. - UCLA will play in Oregon's new Matthew Knight Arena today, only without all the hoopla USC faced Thursday night.

Nike co-founder Phil Knight spoke before the game, and there was all kinds of pomp and circumstance for the sold-out crowd of 12,346.

Oregon hadn't won a Pac-10 game before its victory over USC, in which it built a big lead and held off a late charge by the Trojans. UCLA coach Ben Howland said he expects a soldout crowd for today's afternoon game as well.

"It's sure exciting," he said. "I don't think it's a scheduling break."

UCLA (10-6, 2-2) won in similar fashion to Oregon (State) (8-9, 1-4) on Thursday. The Bruins squandered a 17-point lead and even lost it, but eventually beat Oregon State. Oregon never lost its 20-point lead against USC, but saw it cut to four. UCLA center Josh Smith made key free throws to tie the game, and he hit the winning basket with 39 seconds left.

Howland doesn't think the atmosphere will change for the second game in the $200 million arena.

"I'm sure they'll be fired up for us," Howland said. "We'll be going into a hornet's nest. We have to be up to their sense of urgency."

The Ducks played an effective zone defense against the Trojans, and the Bruins have struggled at times against a zone.

"It could definitely be better," Howland said of his team's offensive work against a zone. "Early in the (OSU) game, we did a great job of handling the 1-3-1 zone.

In the second half, we had a couple of bad turnovers."


Lineup change works

Smith came off the bench in UCLA's win over Oregon State, and Howland said he'll keep him out of the starting lineup again today.

"It's better for him psychologically to not get a foul in the first three minutes of the game," Howland said.

Smith still had four fouls, but he didn't foul out. Nor did he criticize the officials.

A smaller lineup might work better for the Bruins anyway. Oregon played with a smaller lineup without leading scorer Joevan Catron, who's injured and was in street clothes for the USC game. His status for today's game is uncertain.

"It's a hard matchup with (Oregon), because a lot of times they're playing five guards," Howland said.


That's a wrap

Guard Lazeric Jones had the tape changed on the injured middle finger on his right hand Thursday. It was so tight, Howland noted, that his finger was swollen Friday. Jones is playing through the injury, and the new tape job appeared to agree with Jones, who scored 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting. He was 0 for 12 in his previous two games.

___________

Bruins preparing for a lot of 'loud' in Oregon's new arena

Ducks fans are famous for rattling opponents with noise and insults — and now there are thousands more of them at the new, higher-capacity Matthew Knight Arena than at the old venue, the notorious McArthur Court.

UCLA BASKETBALL FYI
January 14, 2011|By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Eugene, Ore. — Oregon's new basketball home features a high-definition scoreboard, 6,944 square feet of maple hardwood and an on-court illustration of the view from beneath a forest of fir trees.

One thing hasn't changed: the fans.

Only now, there are more of them. The Ducks' $227-million Matthew Knight Arena seats 12,364, an increase of 3,277 over capacity at recently closed McArthur Court.

That's probably not a good thing for UCLA, which on Saturday afternoon becomes the second visiting team to play on "Matt Court." Oregon fans have showered opponents with vitriolic chants and toted mean-spirited signs over the years, giving the Ducks one of the biggest home-court advantages in the country.

It' alleged that a fan once kicked Bill Walton during a game in 1973 after the UCLA center fell into the front row.

Three years ago, Ducks fans took aim at Kevin Love, the former Lake Oswego (Ore.) High standout who had picked UCLA over Oregon even though his father Stan was a former Ducks star. There were signs and chants calling Love "fat" and others featuring more personal insults.

Oregon certainly seemed to get a boost Thursday in the first game played in its new arena, a 68-62 victory over USC that broke a six-game losing streak.

"I'm sure they'll be equally fired up for us," UCLA Coach Ben Howland said Friday. "They want to win every home game in this new building, so we know we're going into a hornet's nest. We have to be up to the sense of urgency and the energy level that they're playing with to win [Saturday], or we won't."

Bruins center Joshua Smith has a special countermeasure for Ducks fans: his mother Tracey, who traveled from their hometown of Kent, Wash., to attend the game.

"If they're saying something about me," Smith said, "you'll probably see some little lady yelling at them, talking about, 'Don't talk about my son like that.'"


Building battles

Howland said he expected the renovated Pauley Pavilion to match Oregon's new arena and USC's Galen Center, which opened in 2006, as the top venues in the Pacific 10 Conference.

The Bruins will play home games at a site to be determined in 2011-12 before returning to debut a refurbished Pauley Pavilion the following season.

"We're going to have the Bruin come out of the ceiling in '12," Howland quipped, alluding to Oregon's Duck mascot descending from the top of the arena before the first game at Matthew Knight Arena.


Lineup tweak

Howland said he would bring Smith off the bench again Saturday to help the big man avoid early foul trouble.

Sophomore forward Brendan Lane started instead of Smith during UCLA's 62-57 victory over Oregon State on Thursday. Smith did not enter until 4 minutes 25 seconds had elapsed and finished with 10 points, nine rebounds and four fouls in 23 minutes.

"I just think it's better for him psychologically to not get a foul in the first three minutes of the game," Howland said.

Howland added that he would also consider using a zone defense on occasion to help Smith avoid fouling out in games when he got into foul trouble.
__________

Bruins look to sweep Oregon schools Saturday at 'The Matt'

By MATT STEVENS
The Daily Bruin blogs
Updated: 6:42 PM

EUGENE, Ore. — Coach Ben Howland held a fireside chat with reporters Friday an hour before his team’s practice at the new Matthew Knight Arena.

The Ducks began the week 0-4 in the Pac-10 but knocked off USC Thursday night in their first game in their new home, giving Howland reason for concern.

“Obviously (Oregon was) pumped up last night, and their zone is good,” Howland said. “Anybody can beat anybody in this league.”

The Bruins will likely see zone again on Saturday, which they struggled against in the second half of Thursday’s game against Oregon State.

“We had a couple bad turnovers in a row,” Howland said. “It’s just mental errors.”

And the Ducks will likely still be running off the adrenalin generated by the opening of their muti-million dollar complex.

Thursday’s grand opening featured lights, lasers, speeches by the Knight family – founders of Nike – and a special arrival by the Oregon Duck who entered from the roof.

“We’re going to have the Bruin come out of the ceiling in 2012,” Howland said jokingly.

Come Saturday, the video boards will be big and bold, the half court line nearly invisible, and the court simply hard to look at.

Howland said he knows it’s a big weekend for the Ducks.

“I’m sure they’ll be equally fired up for us,” Howland said. “They want to win every home game in this new building. We know we’re going to a hornet’s nest. We have to be up to the sense of urgency and energy level that they’re playing with to win – or we won’t.”

The Ducks beat USC without their best player, senior forward Joevan Catron. Catron was held out of the game last night with a strained calf muscle. His status remains uncertain for Saturday.


Jones injury update

Howland said that junior point guard Lazaric Jones’ injured finger appeared mildly swollen this morning because Jones had taped it tightly prior to Thursday’s contest.

But Howland added that Jones made big shots against the Beavers and will play on Saturday as he continues to let the finger heal.

“I think it gave confidence going into tomorrow that yeah, it’s better,” Howland said.


Smith to come off the bench, again

Howland also said that he will continue to start sophomore forward Brendan Lane over freshman center Josh Smith to keep the big man out of foul trouble.

“I think it’s just better for him psychologically to not get a foul in the first three minutes of the game,” Howland said. “That’s the whole deal.”

Bruins Beat Beavers, 62-57

Post updated Jan 15 2011 7:28 am Pacific

UCLA guard Lazeric Jones, left, drives on Oregon State guard Jared Cunningham during the first half of their NCAA college basketball game in Corvallis, Ore., Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011. Yahoo Sports.

Bruins Beat Beavers, 62-57

Lazeric Jones and Reeves Nelson had 13 points each for UCLA.

The Official UCLA Men's Basketball website
Jan. 13, 2011


CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - UCLA blew a 17-point second-half lead, then scored the game's final seven points to defeat Oregon State 62-57 on Thursday night.

Lazeric Jones and Reeves Nelson had 13 points each for the Bruins (10-6, 2-2 Pac-10), which led 47-30 after Nelson's basket with 15:57 remaining.

Roberto Nelson had 13 points off the bench for Oregon State (7-9, 2-3). His 3-pointer gave the Beavers their only lead, 57-55, with 2:44 to play.

Joshua Smith tied the score with two free throws, and Jones hit the go-ahead basket for UCLA with 39 seconds left.

Oregon State's Calvin Haynes missed a close shot, and Smith grabbed the rebound and was fouled. He made both free throws with 16 seconds left to put the Bruins ahead 61-57.

UCLA was 23 of 47 from the field; Oregon State 20 of 62. The Bruins had a 41-34 rebounding edge.

__________

The Fabulous Forum
The who, what, where, when,
why — and why not — of L.A. sports

UCLA basketball: Bruins escape with a 62-57 victory over Oregon State

By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
January 13, 2011 | 7:44 pm


Whether UCLA is having a good season or a bad one doesn't seem to matter.

When the Bruins play Oregon State, they just win.

But there's rarely as much drama as there was in the final minutes Thursday night at Gill Coliseum during UCLA's 62-57 victory over the Beavers, giving the Bruins their 13th consecutive triumph in the series.

Oregon State wiped out a 17-point, second-half deficit, taking a 57-55 lead on Roberto Nelson's three-pointer with 2 minutes 44 seconds left.

But two free throws by UCLA's Joshua Smith tied the score before Bruins guard Lazeric Jones made a pull-up jumper with 39 seconds left. Smith made two more free throws with 16 seconds left to seal the outcome.

Jones and Reeves Nelson had 13 points apiece for UCLA (10-6 overall, 2-2 Pacific 10 Conference). Nelson had 13 to lead Oregon State (7-9, 2-3).

The Bruins have not lost in Corvallis, Ore., since Dec. 31, 2004. They had won their previous five games here by an average of 16 points.
__________

Big man in the middle, Joshua Smith (Associated Press)

Joshua Smith leads UCLA past Oregon State, 62-57

The freshman center makes four free throws in the final 2 1/2 minutes after the Bruins squander an early 17-point lead.

January 13, 2011|By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Corvallis, Ore. — Mom and dad make everything better.

Joshua Smith played his first college game in front of his parents Thursday night at Gill Coliseum, and they had a calming effect for the UCLA freshman center at the end of a tumultuous day.

Smith made four free throws in the final 2 1/2 minutes to help the Bruins pull out a 62-57 victory over Oregon State on the same day he was reprimanded by the Pacific 10 Conference for critical comments about officiating earlier in the week.

Smith's parents made the 4 1/2-hour drive from the Seattle area to watch their son play.

"It's always good to have your mom and dad sitting behind the bench," said Smith, who finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.

After Oregon State had wiped out a 17-point, second-half deficit to take a 57-55 lead on Roberto Nelson's three-pointer, Smith made two free throws with 2 minutes 24 seconds left to tie the score.

Then, after guard Lazeric Jones made a pull-up jumper with 39 seconds left to give the Bruins the lead, Smith made two more free throws to increase the cushion to 61-57.

"That was phenomenal, the way he stepped up and knocked down four huge free throws," UCLA Coach Ben Howland said of Smith, who was making only 55.6% of his free throws before the game.

Jones and Reeves Nelson scored 13 points apiece for the Bruins (10-6 overall, 2-2 Pac-10), who stretched their winning streak against the Beavers (7-8, 2-2) to 12 games.

Drama is usually lacking when these teams meet.

The Bruins had won their previous 11 games in the series by an average of 22 points and had not lost here since 2004.

It looked like more of the same when UCLA raced to an early 17-point lead and held the same advantage early in the second half. But Oregon State went on an 18-2 run in which the Beavers held the Bruins scoreless for nearly six minutes.

"They were just outhustling us," Jones said. "They wanted it more than we did."

Nelson finished with 13 points for Oregon State, which had 15 steals and forced 21 turnovers.

But the Beavers couldn't do anything about Smith at the foul line.

"I felt calm," Smith said. "I went up there and just did my regular routine."

Smith had received a public reprimand from the Pac-10 earlier in the day and spoke with Senior Associate Commissioner Gloria Nevarez, who told him the comments he had made about the officiating following UCLA's loss to USC on Sunday were unacceptable. Smith had called the referees "terrible" after fouling out.

"They said if I said something like that again I could be suspended," Smith said, "so I'm done with that."

Howland started forward Brendan Lane instead of Smith, but the coach said it was only to help Smith avoid foul trouble. Smith finished with four fouls in 23 minutes.

Smith said his mother, who made the 4 1/2 -hour drive from Seattle with his father, did her part to help distract Oregon State during the first half, making a noise when a Beavers player shot a free throw. "It was kind of funny," he said.

Howland did not find much humor in the way his team suffered another long second-half lull, shooting only 33.3% and making only one of seven three-point attempts. But in the end, disaster was averted.

"It's huge," he said. "I mean, could you imagine how we would feel right now if I was sitting here talking about the loss after being up 17? I hope we can look back at the end of the season and say this was a turning point. That would be great."

___________

Smith's late free throws help UCLA hold off Oregon State
By The Associated Press
via the Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 01/14/2011 01:52:37 AM PST
Updated: 01/14/2011 01:53:05 AM PST


CORVALLIS, Ore. - Joshua Smith was calm when he walked to the free-throw line with the game hanging in the balance.

Smith, a 55.6-percent foul shooter, made four straight shots from the line in the final 2:24 to help UCLA to a 62-57 win against Oregon State on Thursday night.

"There should be no pressure at all," said Smith, a 6-foot-10 freshman center, who was a combined 5 of 14 on freethrows in his previous fourgames. "I just went up there, had my regular routine and made them."

Smith helped his team avoid disaster, as UCLA blew a 17-point second-half lead.

Lazeric Jones and Reeves Nelson had 13 points each for the Bruins (10-6, 2-2 Pac-10), who led 47-30 after Nelson's basket with 15:57 remaining.

Roberto Nelson had 13 points off the bench for Oregon State (7-9, 2-3). His 3-pointer gave the Beavers their only lead at 57-55 with 2:44 to play. UCLA scored the game's final seven points.

Bruins coach Ben Howland joked with his team afterward, saying that whenever it's a close game, Smith needs to get the ball so he can get fouled and make free throws.

"That was phenomenal. He stepped up and knocked down four huge free throws," Howland said of Smith, who finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. "He did a great job for us down the stretch.

"He's been working on it. He's getting better at it, and he showed great focus and concentration on those free throws."

Smith made the score 57-57 with two free throws, and Jones hit the go-ahead basket for UCLA with 39 seconds left.

Jones, who suffered a ruptured tendon in the middle finger of his right hand in a Dec. 31 loss to Washington, was 0 for 10 shooting in the two games prior to Thursday.

Oregon State's Calvin Haynes (Taft) missed a close shot, and Smith grabbed the rebound and was fouled. He made both free throws with 16 seconds left to put the Bruins ahead 61-57.

"I think the guys showed composure and mental toughness," Howland said.

Added Smith: "We knew it was still our game. We just had to play hard and play defense. We played defense, they missed some shots, we got rebounds and made some free throws."

UCLA was 23 of 47 from the field; Oregon State 20 of 62. The Bruins had a 41-34 rebounding edge.

The Beavers, whose 10.9 steals per game entering Thursday ranked second in the nation, finished with 15.

Reeves Nelson followed Tyler Honeycutt's 3-pointer with a three-point play as the Bruins built a 43-26 cushion. Kevin McShane's basket with 11:58 remaining capped a 10-2 Oregon State run that cut UCLA's lead to 49-40.

After a Reeves Nelson layup, the Beavers reeled off 11 unanswered points during a five-minute stretch to tie the score. Joe Burton's basket off a Cunningham pass finished the run, making it 51-51 with 6:22 remaining.

UCLA scored the next four points, but Oregon State came back with two 3-pointers. The second, by Roberto Nelson, gave the Beavers a brief lead.

__________


Smith stays calm, helps UCLA escape with victory
By SCOTT M. REID
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Jan. 13, 2011
Updated: 10:53 p.m.


CORVALLIS, Ore. – Everyone seemed to want to give Joshua Smith an earful this week:

• USC fans taunted the UCLA freshman center with off-color remarks about his parents, prompting Smith to respond with an obscene gesture of his own.

• Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott, who on Thursday reprimanded Smith for criticizing game officials.

• A top Pac-10 official, who promised Smith he would be suspended if he didn't zip it.

• UCLA coach Ben Howland, who said it was time for Smith to "grow up."

Smith did just that in the closing and crucial moments of UCLA's 62-57 victory against Oregon State on Thursday at Gill Coliseum.

With UCLA (10-6, 2-2) having blown a 17-point second-half lead and in danger of dropping a third consecutive game, Smith stepped to the foul line four times in the final 2:24 and drained every shot.

"That was phenomenal because he stepped up and knocked down four huge free throws," Howland said. "He did a great job for us down the stretch."

Oregon State (7-9, 2-3) took its first lead of the night, 57-55, on a Roberto Nelson 3-pointer with 2:47 remaining.

Smith made a pair of free throws with 2:24 left, then after Lazeric Jones gave the Bruins the lead for good, Smith pulled down a crucial defensive rebound and then added a pair of insurance free throws with 17 seconds left.

"Should be no pressure at all," Smith recalled telling himself. "Just did my regular routine and just went up and made them."

He finished with 10 points and a game-high nine rebounds.

The week leading up to Smith's transformative moment didn't go nearly as smoothly. He was in foul trouble for most of UCLA's 63-52 loss at USC on Sunday and eventually fouled out.

Afterward, he blasted the game's officials, drawing widespread wrath that started with his parents.

"It's time to man up," his father, Josh, told him.

In Thursday's final and defining moments, he did.
_________

UCLA holds on to sink Oregon State 62-57 after blowing a 17-point lead

By MATT STEVENS

Published January 14, 2011
The Daily Bruin in Men's Basketball, Sports
Updated: 5:19 PM

CORVALLIS, Ore. – On Tuesday, coach Ben Howland said that his freshman center needed to “grow up.”

Thursday night, with his parents watching, Joshua Smith grew leaps and bounds.

Smith, who struggled all season with free throws and foul trouble, hit two critical free throws to tie the game and then two more to seal a 62-57 win against Oregon State.

In so doing, he saved his team from what would have been its most demoralizing loss of the year.

“I told the team after the game to give the ball to Josh so he can get fouled,” Howland joked after the game. “That was phenomenal. We needed a win desperately.”

UCLA (10-6, 2-2 Pac-10) watched a 17-point lead evaporate during the second half against Oregon State (7-9, 2-3), but this time the Bruins wouldn’t cave.

As the game wound down, Smith was on the court rather than the bench – and that ultimately made all the difference.

“That showed a lot of guts to go up there and make those two shots with everything that was going on (for him) right now,” junior guard Lazeric Jones said.

Jones also made a big shot down the stretch, nailing a long two-pointer from the top of the key on a broken play. The jumper put the Bruins up two with 43 seconds remaining, and Smith’s final two free throws put the game out of reach for good.

“I knew if I hit these, I’d ice the game,” said Smith, who finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.

The Bruins were lucky to escape Corvallis with a win that looked all but guaranteed by halftime.

The Bruins pounced on a Beaver team that shot an abysmal 23 percent from the field in the first half and took a 15-point lead into halftime.

But UCLA struggled mightily against Oregon State’s 1-3-1 zone in the second half, often passing and dribbling around the perimeter until the shot clock forced a low-percentage shot.

While the Bruins remained stuck on 51 points for more than five minutes, the Beavers continued orchestrating an 18-2 run that pumped life into the crowd of 7,000 in Gill Coliseum.

During the run, Smith showed signs of his bad habits, picking up his third and fourth fouls in a span of only 16 seconds.

A three-pointer by freshman guard Roberto Nelson gave the Beavers their only lead of the game with 2:48 to play, but the Bruins refused to capitulate.

“We definitely could have easily lost this game, but we didn’t, that’s all that matters,” junior guard Malcolm Lee said.

Falling behind late isn’t new for UCLA, but winning an important game after falling behind is.

It’s also something Howland is extremely proud of.

“I hope we can look back at this at the end of the season and say it was a turning point,” Howland said.

Smith reprimanded by Pac-10

Smith confirmed that he received a call from the conference Wednesday admonishing him for speaking out against officials after Sunday’s loss to USC. He said the representative he spoke to warned him that if he criticized referees again, the league would take action and issue a suspension.

Smith added that after Thursday’s game officials told him that he did a good job communicating. He also said that he has adopted a new strategy for dealing with any frustration.

“I’m not trying to talk to them as much, because if I’m not talking to them then I’m not fouling,” he said.

“I’m done with that.”

Smith’s father Joshua Smith Sr. said that he spoke with his son, and told him to “man up a little bit.”

“He’s going to be really, really good in about a year,” the elder Smith said. “He’s just going to putter around up and down his freshman year. But give him about a year – you watch him – with the coaching and everything, he loves being down there.”

Ducks next for the Bruins

The victory over Oregon State gives UCLA a .500 record in the Pac-10 going into Eugene, Ore., for its Saturday contest against Oregon.

The Bruins will be looking to pick up another important conference win against the Ducks, who rank last in the Pac-10.

The game will be the second one played in Matthew Knight Arena, the Ducks’ new basketball facility.

Oregon broke in the structure with a 68-62 win over USC on Thursday, its first conference win of the year.

The Ducks are led by senior forward Joevan Catron, who is first on the team with 15.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.



Click on boxscore to enlarge (Yahoo Sports)

Men's Basketball Travels to Oregon State

Men's Basketball Travels to Oregon State

The Bruins lead the all-time series with Oregon State 87-33 and are 37-24 (.607) all-time in Corvallis, Ore.

The Official UCLA Men's Basketball website
Jan. 12, 2011


LOS ANGELES -

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
DATE: Jan. 13, 2011
SITE: Gill Coliseum (10,400)
TIP-OFF: 5:33 p.m. (PT)
TV: FSN Northwest and Prime Ticket
TALENT: Bill Macdonald (play-by-play), Don MacLean (analyst) and Courtney Jones (reporter)
RADIO (UCLA Sports Network from IMG College): AM 570 KLAC
SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO (UCLA): 126
SIRIUS XM SATELLITE RADIO (OSU): 143
TALENT: Chris Roberts (play-by-play) and Tracy Murray (analyst)
SERIES: UCLA leads 87-33


IN THE POLLS
UCLA is unranked in the AP Top 25 and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll (Jan. 10). The Oregon State Beavers (7-8, 2-2) are unranked in both polls, and like the Bruins, did not receive any votes in either poll.

SERIES VS. OREGON STATE
This is the 121st meeting between UCLA and Oregon State with the Bruins leading the series 87-33 (.725). UCLA is 37-24 (.607) all-time in Corvallis, Ore. The Bruins have won the last 11 games by an average of 22.4 points per game (817-571), including the last five in Corvallis by an average of 16.0 points per game (350-270). Last year, the Bruins won at Oregon State 62-52 on Jan. 30, 2010. The Bruins shot 75.0 percent (15-for-20) from the field in the second half and a then-season best 65.7 percent (23-for-35) for the game. UCLA led 38-35 before going on a 12-2 run that gave the Bruins a 50-37 lead with 4:57 to play. Oregon State got no closer than six the rest of the way. UCLA ended the first half on an 11-2 run to lead 24-18 at halftime. UCLA was led by Reeves Nelson's double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds. Nikola Dragoviæ added 13 points while Michael Roll scored 11 points. Calvin Haynes scored a game-high 16 points to lead the Beavers and Roeland Schaftenaar added 11. UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland is 13-3 all-time against the Beavers and 5-2 at Oregon State.

BRUINS' INJURY REPORT
Junior guard Lazeric Jones has a ruptured tendon in his middle finger on his right hand. He injured it in the first half in the loss to Washington and was limited in the second half (played just seven minutes and didn't attempt a shot). He started in the Bruins' loss at USC (Jan. 9) but is 0-for-10 shooting from the field in the last two games.