M. hoops shoots down Ducks
By Daily Bruin Staff
Feb. 1, 1996 9:00 p.m.
M. hoops shoots down Ducks
Myers’ spark off the bench
ignites Bruins in 85-78 win
over University of Oregon
By Scott Yamaguchi
and Melissa Anderson
Daily Bruin Staff
If there has been any one recurring theme for the UCLA men’s
basketball team through the first half of its 1995-96 schedule –
aside from turnovers – it has been the ability of any given player
to elevate his level of play and lead the Bruins to victory.
The assortment of heroes has included, not surprisingly, the
likes of Toby Bailey, J.R. Henderson, Charles O’Bannon, Kris
Johnson, Jelani McCoy and Cameron Dollar.
And now, after UCLA’s 85-78 come-from-behind victory over Oregon
Thursday night at Pauley Pavilion, you can add to that list the
name of Bob Myers.
Myers, a former walk-on who saw the first first-half action of
his career in last weekend’s loss to Louisville, entered the game
with just under 11 minutes remaining in the second half and sparked
the Bruins on a 12-2 scoring run that erased a one-point deficit
and left them up, 65-56.
"I liked the play of Bob Myers, and I thought he gave us a
lift," UCLA head coach Jim Harrick said. "Bob is a very strong
player, and we don’t have a lot of strength – that’s one area we
were looking for."
Especially in the opening minutes of the second half.
It appeared that UCLA (14-5 overall, 7-1 in the Pac-10) had
blown the game open about 10 minutes into the first half, when
Bailey connected on the first of his five three-pointers, capping a
16-0 run that left the Bruins up, 24-12.
But turnovers once again riddled UCLA – it committed 12 in the
first half – and the Ducks went on a 21-8 run that left them in the
lead with 3:14 remaining in the half.
Though the Bruins entered the locker room with a 39-38
advantage, Oregon’s momentum continued in the opening minutes of
the second half, and by the time junior forward Rob Ramaker tipped
in a missed shot with 15:40 to go, the Ducks had a four point
lead.
Ramaker, who finished the game with 19 points and eight
rebounds, had nine points in his team’s first half run and was
wreaking general havoc on the inside, where the Bruins’ McCoy (nine
points, five rebounds) struggled for the second consecutive
game.
"Rob has been rebounding the ball consistently, but I thought he
had a lot of tips tonight and I thought he played good defense in
the post," Oregon head coach Jerry Green said. "He really played
100 percent."
With Myers in the middle, however, Ramaker was rendered
relatively ineffective and had just one basket – a tip-in – during
that stretch.
He did narrow UCLA’s lead to four points with one last tip-in at
the one-minute mark, after Myers had returned to the bench, but it
was really Jamal Lawrence that kept the Ducks in the game.
Lawrence, whose team-high 21 points all came from beyond the
three-point line, buried three treys in the final 2:14.
UCLA had enough of an answer with Bailey, however, who finished
with a game-high 25 points, but also had five turnovers. Junior
guard Cameron Dollar had an excellent night off the bench for the
Bruins, notching 10 assists to go along with seven rebounds and six
points.
* * *
UCLA will be looking to solidify its lead in the Pac-10 Saturday
afternoon when it faces off with conference cellar-dweller Oregon
State.
The Beavers (3-14 , 1-7) enter Pauley Pavilion for a 12 p.m.
tip-off on the heels of a six-game skid, including a 64-47 loss to
USC at the Sports Arena Thursday night.
OSU ranks last in the conference in six categories, including
field goal percentage. The Beavers are averaging a 42.1 percent
clip from the field while the Bruins continue to lead the nation
with a 53 percent mark.
Height should also be an advantage for UCLA as OSU starts no
player over 6-feet-7-inches. Sophomore Rob Williams is leading the
Beavers with 10.9 points per game, but is averaging just three
rebounds.
Though OSU doesn’t pose much of a threat on paper, it shouldn’t
necessarily be overlooked. Its only Pac-10 victory was over
Washington, which moved into second place in the conference
Thursday night with an overtime victory at Arizona.
SCOTT O/Daily Bruin
Junior Bob Myers scored just two points Thursday night against
Oregon, but he was the spark for UCLA in its 12-2 second-half run
which helped the Bruins to an 85-78 win.
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