Mired on the bench for the past few weeks, Ryan Hollins
unexpectedly became the center of attention late in
Thursday’s game. The junior center, who lost his starting
power forward job last month, sparked UCLA’s second-half
comeback against Washington State with, of all things, his
toughness and his rebounding. Hollins never gave coach Ben Howland
a reason to remove him from the game late in the second half or in
overtime, scoring seven of his season-high 13 points and pulling
down six of his seven rebounds during that stretch. “There
was a sense of urgency for me being put in the position I was
in,” said Hollins, who was averaging 5.2 points and 2.7
rebounds per game. “We had a mismatch size-wise down low, and
I took advantage.” Having played only two minutes against the
Oregon schools this past weekend, Hollins knew he had to make the
most of his opportunity against Washington State. Howland had been
critical of the 7-footer’s rebounding the past few weeks, so
Hollins made that a point of emphasis. Snaring five offensive
boards ““ four of which came late in the game in heavy traffic
““ Hollins pumped his fist with excitement after each one in
what he later called a “very emotional” performance.
“He was trying very hard,” Howland said. “He did
a very good job rebounding. His performance today will definitely
earn him more time.” It was a nearly flawless performance for
Hollins until he stepped to the free throw line late in the first
overtime with a chance to put away the game. With UCLA leading
69-66 and seven seconds remaining, Hollins missed a pair of free
throws, allowing Washington State’s Thomas Kelati to tie the
game on a last-second 3-pointer. Hollins, nonetheless, was
satisfied with his own effort. Being benched, he said, offered him
plenty of motivation. “It sent a message to me. A big
message,” Hollins said. “I just kept faith in myself. I
came back, and I was blessed to play well.”
TURNOVER FREE: Though he played a career-high
46 minutes, freshman point guard Jordan Farmar did not commit a
turnover against the Cougars ““ a feat that impressed his
teammates. “It’s remarkable,” senior Dijon
Thompson said. “I’m proud of him. It’s unheard
of, but it shows a lot of character.” Farmar scored a
team-high 19 points, tallying four steals and knocking down several
key shots in overtime.
INJURY UPDATE: Janou Rubin underwent
arthroscopic surgery on Thursday to remove bone chips from his left
knee. The senior guard will be on crutches for the next four weeks,
and is not expected to play again this season.
DRIBBLERS: Freshman guard Arron Afflalo,
UCLA’s third leading scorer, did not score a point until
three minutes remained in double overtime finishing with only four
points in the victory … Brian Morrison scored seven consecutive
points during a second-half UCLA run … Kelati played all 50
minutes for Washington State, scoring a team-high 18 points …
UCLA committed only six fouls in the second half and in
overtime.