TEMPE, Ariz. “”mdash; T.J. Cummings didn’t have any
answers. Not for why he turned the ball over three times in the
game’s waning moments. Not for why UCLA could not seem to
defend the three-point shot in the final minute of regulation. And
certainly not for how UCLA frittered away a 14-point second-half
lead. All Cummings could do was shrug his shoulders and shake his
head after UCLA’s demoralizing 74-62 overtime loss to Arizona
State on Thursday night at the Wells Fargo Arena. “I’m
stunned,” Cummings said. “I really don’t have
much to say right now.” Cummings and the Bruins, instead, let
their play speak for itself, collapsing in the final minutes and
then essentially surrendering in overtime. Of course, by then,
Cummings was on the bench, having fouled out with over four minutes
to play in the extra period. His departure cost the Bruins dearly
in overtime as Arizona State pulled down a string of offensive
rebounds, scoring their only field goal on a putback. “We
didn’t block out at all in the final minutes,” Cummings
said. “I’m very disappointed right now.” He has
every reason to be. Although he scored 13 points and pulled down
seven rebounds, Cummings made his share of mistakes in what may be
UCLA’s worst loss of the season. With the Bruins leading by
four points and less than five minutes to play, Cummings lobbed a
looping entry pass to Ryan Hollins that was stolen by Arizona
State. On the ensuing possession he tried to make up for his error,
taking the Sun Devils’ Ike Diogu one-on-one and losing the
ball out of bounds. Mere moments later he was called for a moving
screen, giving the ball back to the Sun Devils, down three points
with just over three minutes remaining. Cummings finished with four
of UCLA’s 23 turnovers. He also was the primary defender on
Diogu, who scored a game-high 27 points. AN UNHAPPY RETURN: The
sprained right ankle that sidelined Brian Morrison for both games
this past weekend against the Washington schools couldn’t
keep him off the court Thursday night. Morrison scored seven
points, dished out three assists and was effective in transition
for the Bruins. He did, however, miss a pair of three-point
attempts in overtime, including an open look with under two minutes
remaining that would have given UCLA the lead. “That one was
wide-open,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said. “That’s
usually his shot.”
DRIBBLERS: Dijon Thompson played with his right
hand taped after jamming his thumb last week. “¦ UCLA
Athletics Director Dan Guerrero attended the game, sitting directly
behind the Bruin bench. “¦ T.J. Cummings, who had made just
three three-pointers all season, buried a pair against the Sun
Devils. “¦ The Bruins shot just 9-of-17 from the foul line,
including 1-of-4 in the final minute of regulation.