Reveling amid the wreckage of UCLA’s worst season since
the pre-Wooden era, Arizona State coach Rob Evans decided to take
one last parting shot.
“We don’t get excited about beating UCLA
anymore,” Evans told reporters last January following his
squad’s first victory in Westwood in 16 years.
Nearly one year later, after Thursday night’s 66-58 Bruin
victory over Evans’ Sun Devils ““ UCLA’s fifth in
a row in conference play ““ the Pauley mystique slowly is
returning.
The Bruins’ improbable resurgence has landed them alone
atop the Pac-10, undefeated in conference play through five games
for the first time since 1996.
“We’re playing with pride,” sophomore center
Ryan Hollins said. “That’s something we were missing
last year. We’re UCLA. We’re one of the top programs in
the nation, and that’s how we’re playing right
now.”
The Bruins’ latest Pac-10 victory followed much the same
recipe as their previous four ““ tough defense, solid
rebounding, and just enough scoring to stave off a spirited
comeback from the opposition.
T.J. Cummings led the way for the Bruins (9-3, 5-0 Pac-10) with
21 points, 11 of which came in the game’s opening eight
minutes. But it was once again UCLA’s defense that proved to
be the difference.
The Bruins frustrated the Pac-10’s leading scorer, Arizona
State’s Ike Diogu, limiting him to just 15 points, more than
eight below his season average. Whenever the Sun Devil forward
caught the ball within range of the rim,waves of swarming throwback
jersey-clad Bruins ensured that Diogu could not get off a clean
look at the basket.
“For him to go 3-for-14 speaks volumes about our
defense,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said. “We did a great
job defending as a team.”
Diogu eventually would foul out with 4:29 to play in the middle
of Arizona State’s comeback attempt.
The Sun Devils (6-7, 0-4), once down 12 points with 6:38
remaining in the game, cut the Bruin lead all the way to three on
Stevie Moore’s three-pointer with 21.8 seconds to play. Point
guard Jason Braxton scored nine consecutive points in the final
minutes, repeatedly penetrating the UCLA defense just as Washington
guards Will Conroy and Brandon Roy had Saturday.
Braxton, who was benched by Evans last week and came into the
game averaging just 6.7 points per game, finished with 13 points on
6-for-9 shooting from the field.
“He’s some quick athletic jet,” Howland said.
“He did a great job of getting to the basket.”
But even as the lead dwindled, UCLA showed its poise, converting
its free throws down the stretch.
Arizona State never had the chance to tie or take the lead as
the the Bruins hit 10 of their last 11 attempts from the foul line.
Even point guard Cedric Bozeman got in the act, making five in a
row to help preserve the victory.
“It’s a composure thing with us,” Cummings
said. “They hit a couple shots, but we didn’t let it
devastate us. We were able to hold on.”
For a squad that was expected to finish in the lower half of the
conference, UCLA is certainly opening some eyes with its quick
start. Fans who bitterly had chastised the Bruins during last
season’s ugliest moments basked in the squad’s
unexpected effort. Even the Bruin players themselves admit to being
surprised by how well they’ve jelled as a team in the first
half of Howland’s inaugural season in Westwood.
“We knew we had the talent to do this, but we definitely
didn’t expect it,” guard Dijon Thompson said. “It
feels good to be winning again.”