[Online exclusive] M. basketball: Aggressive comeback secures 77-66 win over Oregon State

Searching for a catalyst to rescue UCLA from its first-half
doldrums, junior guard Cedric Bozeman pulled teammate Trevor Ariza
aside. He told the freshman forward not to get down because the
squad needed his energy in the second half. Bozeman’s only
regret?

“Maybe I should have talked to him sooner,” he said
after Ariza helped rally UCLA to a 77-66 victory over Oregon State
at Pauley Pavilion on Friday night in the Pac-10 opener for both
squads.

With the Bruins trailing by 10 at halftime, Ariza pumped some
life into his lethargic team, scoring UCLA’s first three
buckets of the second half on his way to a career-high 24
points.

The scoring barrage, halted momentarily when Ariza was removed
from the game after a defensive miscue less than two minutes into
the half, continued at a frenetic pace. Upon returning less than a
minute later, the freshman brought UCLA within one point with an
emphatic put-back dunk and then gave his team the lead for good
with consecutive three-pointers from the top of the key.

He scored 14 points in the first 6:32 of the second half as the
Bruins (5-3, 1-0 Pac-10) used a 32-12 spurt to transform a 10-point
deficit into a 10-point lead.

“My teammates told me we needed energy from
somewhere,” Ariza said. “We had to get it going. We
didn’t want to lose on our home court.”

Ariza had been shooting just 38.1 percent since returning from a
collapsed lung suffered in late-November. Against the Beavers (6-5,
0-1), however, just about everything he put up fell through the
rim. He finished 11 for-13 from the field, displaying a vast
offensive repertoire that included a pair of three-pointers in
addition to several dazzling dunks and a collection of post-up
moves.

“Trevor played great tonight,” UCLA coach Ben
Howland said. “He’s going to be outstanding when he
learns to have the same intensity level throughout without just
feeding off emotion.”

Ariza’s heroics overshadowed a superior defensive effort
in the second half by UCLA, limiting Oregon State to just 37.5
percent shooting from the field. The Bruins surrendered very few
easy shots down the stretch and converted many errant Beaver shots
into transition lay-ups at the other end of the floor.

Reserve guard Janou Rubin helped spark the comeback with his
tenacious defense and steady play. After not seeing any first-half
action, Rubin, whose playing time will likely increase due to the
absence of injured junior guard Brian Morrison, played the final 18
minutes of the game, pouring in a career-high 13 points including a
crucial lay-up late in the game after Oregon State had pulled
within 56-55.

“Janou was just outstanding tonight,” Howland said.
“Not only his shooting, but his defensive effort tonight and
his understanding of where he’s supposed to be. He played
very well.”

Sophomore Ryan Hollins also aided the comeback effort, scoring
all 11 of his points in the second half.

Contributions from the bench were crucial for the Bruins on a
night when several of their starters suffered through
off-nights.

Dijon Thompson went scoreless in the first half for the second
straight game, finishing with just six points on 3-of-11
shooting.

Bozeman, who suffered a strained oblique muscle in his right
side late in the first half, played just 25 minutes; T.J. Cummings
sprained his big toe and played just 21 minutes. Both are expected
to play Sunday against Oregon.

In spite of the injuries and a sluggish first half, Howland was
pleased with how the Bruins refused to quit.

“As bad as we were in the first half, we were great in the
second half,” Howland said. “I’m proud of our
comeback. It was important for us to get off to a good
start.”

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