BRUINS OVERCOME SHOOTING WOES DEFENSE IS THE KEY TO PAC-10 WIN UCLA 60, ARIZONA STATE 60.Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer There was all the flow of molasses molasses, sugar byproduct, the brownish liquid residue left after heat crystallization of sucrose (commercial sugar) in the process of refining. Molasses contains chiefly the uncrystallizable sugars as well as some remnant sucrose. traveling uphill, but the foundation UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX basketball is now built upon was again present. Against a passive, and sometimes lazy, Arizona State squad, that was enough. The 14th-ranked Bruins used stifling defense in the second half to offset a lackluster offensive display and woeful woe·ful also wo·ful adj. 1. Affected by or full of woe; mournful. 2. Causing or involving woe. 3. Deplorably bad or wretched: performance at the free-throw line free-throw line n. See foul line. to beat Arizona State 69-60 Thursday at Pauley Pavilion Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, informally and commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, California. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams. The men's and women's volleyball teams also play here. . UCLA (18-4, 8-2 Pac-10) remained in first place in the conference, a game ahead of California and Stanford. The Bruins also tied their win total from last season, and with eight conference games remaining should reach the 20-win level for the first time since 2001-02. Jordan Farmar Jordan Robert Farmar (born November 30, 1986) is an American professional basketball player at starting point guard for the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. He was previously the starting point guard for the UCLA men's basketball team. led UCLA with 18 points and Arron Afflalo Arron Agustin Afflalo (born October 15, 1985) is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Detroit Pistons. He recently completed a three-year career at University of California, Los Angeles in the Pacific Ten Conference of the NCAA as the starting shooting chipped in 17. Senior wing Cedric Bozeman Cedric R. Bozeman (born March 7 1983 in Los Angeles, California) is an American professional basketball player, formerly of the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. Bozeman averaged 1.1 points in 23 games with five starts with the Hawks before being waived in January 2007. added 10 points, his first double-digit game since scoring 11 against Wagner on Dec. 21. Arizona State (7-12, 1-9) shot 50 percent from the field in the first half and trailed 32-30 at the break, but UCLA opened the second half by playing strong, intense defense. The Sun Devils missed their first six shots of the half from the field and turned the ball over four times before Serge Angounou's follow layup of a missed Kevin Kruger 3-pointer with 13 minutes remaining. By then, the Bruins built a 40-31 lead and seemed to be in control. However, the Bruins, who were shooting 69.9 percent from the free-throw line, failed to convert and allowed the Sun Devils to stay close. UCLA missed 5 of 9 free-throw attempts, including the front end of two one-and-ones. The Bruins finished 15 of 25 from the foul line. Kruger's 3-pointer with 11:03 remaining started a 9-2 run as UCLA's lead dwindled to 45-42. Again, UCLA tried to wrestle control, taking a 50-44 lead on Michael Roll's fortuitous-bounce 3-pointer before Farmar scored on a basket and foul and Hollins added a layup to give the Bruins another nine-point lead, this time 55-46 with 5:13 to play. It wasn't until Afflalo, who was suffering through the worst shooting slump of his career, finally found his jump shot late did UCLA seize the win. Afflalo's 3-pointer with 3:28 left pushed UCLA's led to 60-52, and on the next possession he made a 12-footer as the Bruins took their first double-digit lead at 62-52. Arizona State was led in scoring by Bryson Krueger's 14 points. Teammate Antwi Atuahene added 12. UCLA should have taken control against Arizona State, which rests in the Pac-10's basement as coach Rob Evans' job becomes more tenuous by the loss. However, after pulling ahead 22-14 with 7:53 left in the first half on,of all things, a tip-in by center Michael Fey (his first basket since Dec. 23), the Bruins got lackadaisical lack·a·dai·si·cal adj. Lacking spirit, liveliness, or interest; languid: "There'll be no time to correct lackadaisical driving techniques after trouble develops" William J. Hampton. on offense. Arizona State, which has lost four straight, went on an 8-3 run, highlighted by Krueger's 3-pointer, to pull within 25-22. UCLA's lead shrunk to 32-30 when Atuahene converted a layup at the buzzer. Brian Dohn, (818) 713-3607 brian.dohn(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: UCLA's Arron Afflalo splits two Arizona State defenders on his way to the basket Thursday. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
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