Despite being out-rebounded for the first time this season, UCLA
could not find fault in its two big men for their defensive
efforts. Seven-footers Michael Fey and Ryan Hollins controlled the
interior throughout the game and the final statistics reflected it.
Hollins blocked five shots and also took two charges in the first
half, thwarting UC Irvine’s ability to penetrate and get off
shots in the key. “I was really happy with Ryan,” coach
Ben Howland said. “He was active today and that was
exciting.” Playing at the No. 4 spot, Hollins was also forced
out onto the perimeter on occasions and made some key plays there
as well. Two minutes into the second half, he tightly defended his
man off the dribble and forced him to turn it over. Fey did his
part on the defensive end as well, corralling seven defensive
rebounds to go along with his two offensive boards. The nine total
rebounds nicely complemented Fey’s 13 points, both of which
were season-highs. “He really deserves success because of his
work ethic and how much he cares,” Howland said of his
starting center. “He’s going to grow this year because
he’s going to play the bulk of the minutes at the No. 5
spot.”
LIFT OFF THE BENCH: During a tight stretch
midway through the first half, reserve Josh Shipp provided the
offensive spark that gave the Bruins some breathing room. The
freshman wing scored seven points in a one-minute span that helped
extend UCLA’s lead to seven with eight minutes remaining.
However, Howland, in keeping with his substitution pattern, took
him out of the game on the next timeout. “I like to get into
a rhythm when players know when they’re going in and coming
out,” Howland said. Shipp, who had played four minutes up to
that point, said he would have liked to stay in the game longer
during that run. “Sometimes it’s good to know when
you’re coming in, but when you’re playing good and in a
groove, I don’t think rotation should matter,” Shipp
said. “It should be whoever is playing best.”
MINIMIZING MISTAKES: After averaging 20
turnovers in the first two games, one of the most noticeable
improvements for the Bruins was their ability to take care of the
basketball. UCLA had eleven turnovers against UCI and freshman
point guard Jordan Farmar, who had committed the bulk of the
turnovers in the first two games, had just three. “It was me
trying to force the issue trying to get everyone involved and
sometimes things weren’t there,” Farmar said of the
first two games. “(Today) I tried to be a little more patient
and a little more aggressive .”
DRIBBLERS: Lorenzo Mata made his first
appearance of the season after suffering an ankle sprain. The
freshman center recorded one block and rebound in seven minutes.
… Cedric Bozeman, who underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL,
watched the game from the sidelines for the first time this
season.