UCLA leads USC 36-35 after first half of play
By Daily Bruin Staff
Feb. 2, 2011 8:58 p.m.
The UCLA men’s basketball team may finally be prepared to hold serve on its home floor in the crosstown rivalry, something it hasn’t done since 2009.
The Bruins took a 36-35 lead into the locker room at the half.
UCLA started off hot, converting on its first five field goal attempts and jumping out to an early six point lead. The Bruins pushed the lead to nine ““ their largest of the half ““ with 9:33 remaining, forcing USC coach Kevin O’Neil to call a timeout. The Trojans chipped away at the lead though and closed the half on a 9-2 run.
Junior guard Malcolm Lee has led the Bruins at both ends of the floor, scoring 11 points and holding the Trojans’ second-leading scorer, Jio Fontan, scoreless. Lee isn’t the only Bruin playing strong defense, as UCLA totaled three blocks in the first half, two of them belonging to redshirt freshman Anthony Stover.
Freshman center Joshua Smith had two rim-rocking dunks in the first half and went into the locker room with nine points and three rebounds off the bench.
