UCLA LOOKS ALL GROWN UP FARMAR, AFFLALO LEAD BRUINS TO IMPRESSIVE WIN AT MICHIGAN UCLA 68, MICHIGAN 61.Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer ANN ARBOR Ann Arbor, city (1990 pop. 109,592), seat of Washtenaw co., S Mich., on the Huron River; inc. 1851. It is a research and educational center, with a large number of government and industrial research and development firms, many in high-technology fields such as , Mich. - A year ago, 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 came to Michigan to see where it stood. The Bruins found their knees were knocking, and not just from the cold outside. Their predominantly freshman team faced Big Ten power Michigan State last December and lost by 12 points in East Lansing East Lansing, city (1990 pop. 50,677), Ingham co., S central Mich., a suburb of Lansing, on the Red Cedar River; inc. 1907. The city was first known as College Park, but was renamed when it was incorporated. . Saturday afternoon at Chrisler Arena was proof of just how far they've come. ``I think that experience last season helped us so much today,'' guard 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. said after the No. 14 Bruins defeated Michican 68-61. ``That was the first time a lot of us were in snow and on ESPN ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network . It was our first trip to the Midwest and I think we were pretty overwhelmed. Today just felt right. We came here today and did our job.'' Not only did Farmer score 15 of his game-high 21 points in the second half after 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 scored 17 of his 20 in the first, the pair of sophomores kept UCLA centered after Michigan cut a 13-point deficit to just four with just more than a minute to play. Afflalo made five 3-pointers in the first half, but his best work came with 1:23 left, stepping in front of Michigan point guard Daniel Horton Daniel Horton (born April 21, 1984 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is a professional basketball player. He is a 6'3" 205 lb Guard. After going undrafted the 2006 NBA draft, he was signed by the Miami Heat during the 2006 preseason, but was waived before the start of the regular to steal an outlet pass, then making ashort pass to Luc Richard Mbah a Moute Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (born 9 September 1986 in Yaounde, Cameroon) is a 6' 8" Cameroonian basketball player who plays for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins in the Pacific Ten Conference of the NCAA. for a layup that put the Bruins (8-1) ahead by six. ``That was the biggest play of the game,'' said Bruins coach Ben Howland Ben Howland (born May 28, 1957 in Lebanon, Oregon) is an American college head coach of men's basketball. He has been the head coach of the University of California, Los Angeles since 2003, and recently signed a contract extension through 2013. , whose team is off to its best start since 1997-98. ''The thing I like most is that we are beating good teams. Michigan is going to the (NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association ) tournament. So is our last opponent (Nevada). We've won because we gotten after teams.'' The Wolverines, now 7-1 after entering the game undefeated, got the Bruins attention by jumping out to an 8-0 lead in the first five minutes. This certainly wasn't Albany or Coppin State, but UCLA didn't flinch. Instead, Afflalo went on a tear from 3-point range and threatened to break his career single-game high of 23 by halftime. He quickly erased the eight-point lead and forced the Wolverines to call a timeout with a three-pointer with 10:40 remaining in the half. Another Afflalo 3 gave the Bruins a seven-point lead with 3:03 left. But Michigan scored the final nine points to take a 35-34 into the dressing room. ``The scoring was there for me, I've always been a scorer,'' Afflalo said. ''But this was a tough team we were playing. They weren't going away and we knew that.'' The Wolverines made adjustments at the half, double-teaming Afflalo. Farmar, who had just six points and one assist in the first half, started to pick up his game. It started with a layup with 14:41 left that tied the score at 41 and began a 13-3 run. Farmar finished with three baskets from long range in the second half and another 3-pointer that came in the paint. With 8:02 remaining, Farmar let go a shot well beyond the arc that he immediately knew was not good. He raced to the basket, put in the layup and was fouled. Farmar hit the free throw and the Bruins led 56-44. ``We're taught to get back on defense, but I just knew it was a little off,'' Farmar said. ''We were making good decisions out there.'' And not just from Farmar and Afflalo, A strong defensive presence by freshmen Mbah a Moute (nine rebounds) and Ryan Wright (eight boards) helped frustrate Michigan's big man Courtney Sims. Sims, the Wolverines' 6-foot-11 junior center, had at least three inches on each player, but faced a stiff double team throughout the game, taking two shots and scoring six points - 10.4 below his average. ``That was huge for us,'' Howland said. Horton was 5 for 17 from the field - missing all seven of his 3-point attempts - and finished with 10 points, five below his average. He also had five turnovers. ``This was a tough loss,'' Horton said. ``That steal (Afflalo) made at the end was a big play, and you have to give him credit.'' Because of the noon start time locally, the Bruins were back in Westwood by early Saturday night, but this year's Midwestern memories should help when the Pacific-10 Conference The Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I. Membership Full members schedule begins next week. ``It was a huge game. Our first road game,'' Afflalo said. ''If we can beat this team on the road, things can only get better for us.'' Matt McHale, (818) 713-3622 matt.mchale(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color) UCLA guard Arron Affalo scored 20 points in the Bruins' 68-61 victory over Michigan. (2) Michigan's Daniel Horton attempts a layup against UCLA's Aaron Affalo on Saturday. (3) UCLA guard Jordan Farmar dunks over Michigan forward Chris Hunter Chris Hunter (born November 27, 1972 in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a former field hockey forward from Canada, who earned a total number of 69 international caps for the Women's National Team during her career in the 1990s. She started playing hockey in high school (Grant Park H.S. in the Bruins' 68-61 win. Duane Burleson/Associated Press |
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