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Star Watch

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Collision
Guard
POINTS: 18
REBOUNDS: 2
ASSISTS: 3
If Darren Collison was still feeling the effects of the hip contusion he sustained against the Huskies, he didn’t show it. He managed the Bruins’ offense well against the Cougars’ tough, physical defense, and his clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch proved critical when Washington State was mounting their comeback.


Love
Center
POINTS: 27
REBOUNDS: 14
ASSISTS: 4
Kevin Love played arguably the finest game of his short collegiate career. Offensively he was too much for the Cougar frontcourt to handle, and he also did an impressive job of containing Washington State center Aron Baynes defensively. Like Collison, Love’s solid free-throw shooting in the closing minutes was key.

Key Matchup

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Low
Guard
POINTS: 24
REBOUNDS: 0
ASSISTS: 3
Derrick Low’s statistics were inflated by Washington State’s garbage-time 3-point barrage. He was in foul trouble early, and didn’t score in the first half. Overall, the Bruins have to be pleased with how they played Low defensively, at least for the first 38 minutes or so.


Westbrook
Guard
POINTS: 12
REBOUNDS: 4
ASSISTS: 4
It wasn’t Russell Westbrook’s finest statistical showing, but he deserves commendation for the job he did shutting down Low defensively, especially in the first half. While Westbrook had an uncharacteristic five turnovers, the sophomore guard continued to give the Bruins a big lift off of the bench.

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Men's Basketball vs. Washington State University

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Photo by Leigh Alvarez

UCLA guard Josh Shipp goes up for a layup against Washington State forward Daven Harmeling. The No. 5 Bruins dominated the No. 4 Cougars for most of the game Saturday and held off a late WSU rally to win 81-74. Shipp finished with 14 points.

With just 1:46 remaining in the game and No. 5 UCLA leading by 15 points over visiting No. 4 Washington State, the contest could not have seemed more settled.

Then the Cougars rattled off seven 3-pointers to storm back into the game, turning what had been a very one-sided contest into a one-possession game with 12 seconds remaining.

Center Kevin Love found himself at the free-throw line in what had suddenly become a high-pressure situation. The freshman hit both of his free throws to put the game out of reach and send the Bruins on to a 81-74 win.

After the game, coach Ben Howland jokingly blamed the Cougars’ surge on a Bruin alumnus, who went on to be a 3-point specialist in the NBA, watching from the sidelines.

“Those last two minutes – I’m glad I’m alive,” coach Ben Howland said. “That was like a stunning barrage. I blamed it on Reggie Miller. Reggie Miller came in our locker room after the game and I said, ‘It must be his 3-point mojo that rubbed off on the wrong team in the last two minutes.’”

The game was easily the most important of the season so far for UCLA (16-1, 4-0 Pac-10). The Bruins beat the higher-ranked and previously undefeated Washington State (14-1, 2-1 Pac-10) in what was only the sixth meeting of two Pac-10 teams that were both ranked in the top five.

A big reason the Bruins had such a good day was the big freshman inside. Love had the best game of his college career, scoring a career-high 27 points and getting his eighth double-double by snagging 14 rebounds.

For most of what was supposed to be one of the marquee matchups of the early conference season, the Bruins seemed to be a class above the Cougars. Both programs and their coaches are known for stifling defense, but on Saturday it was UCLA that shined.

Tough Bruin defense completely shut down Washington State’s offense in the first half. It took over five minutes for the Cougars to get their first point – on a free throw by center Aron Baynes – and their first bucket came almost nine minutes into the game, on a lay-in by guard Taylor Rochestie.

“Our main focus all the time is really on defense,” Love said. “That’s really our point of emphasis every time we hit the practice court, especially when we’re preparing for other teams, (and) especially this Washington State team.”

Baynes was held to just 1-of-3 shooting from the floor. Guard Derrick Low seemed frustrated early, scoring no points in the first half while playing only seven minutes because of foul trouble. Washington State only had eight field goals before halftime, and UCLA went into the break up 13.

“Our defensive intensity and pressure early in the game really set the tone,” Howland said. “We came out and just played great defensively. Really, really (great) to where they were sped up a little bit and had some turnovers.”

Controlling the offense was guard Darren Collison, who was listed as probable coming into the contest. While his status was not definite due to a hip contusion he sustained against Washington on Thursday, after the game Howland noted that there was no way he would be on the bench for a game this important.

“I went through a lot of treatment,” Collison said. “I felt pain a little bit in the beginning of the game, not so much during the game because of the high intensity. I knew I had an injury. Everybody else has injuries, but (we got) a win, and that’s the most important thing right now.”

Despite the 11:30 a.m. start time, the Bruins came into the game fired up. A long 3-pointer from Josh Shipp gave the Bruins an early spark, and an initial lead that they would never relinquish.

“How could you not be fired up for this game?” Shipp said. “(No.) 4 and 5 (in the country). They’re undefeated. If that isn’t motivation, I don’t know what is.”

The Bruins’ early control continued throughout the second half, but the Cougars got into an incredible shooting rhythm in the closing minutes.

Those shots came mostly from beyond the arc, where the Cougars shot a higher percentage (61.9) than from the field (52.0).

Low in particular provided a second-half boost. Back-to-back 3s from the Hawaiian-born sharpshooter cut the lead to eight with five minutes left, foreshadowing the late attempt at a comeback. Low finished with 24 second-half points, 18 of them coming on 3-pointers.

But Washington State’s 3-point clinic was too little too late.

UCLA hit the majority of its free throws down the stretch, finishing 17-of-21 from the charity stripe, including seven of eight with less than a minute remaining.