The UCLA men’s basketball team didn’t exactly get
the sort of competition it would have liked last Thursday night, as
the No. 19 Bruins ran Cal State Monterey Bay out of Pauley Pavilion
with a 104-41 victory in the team’s second and final
exhibition game.
“Obviously the Otters didn’t give us a contest, and
that’s unfortunate,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said.
“This is not indicative of who we’re playing Tuesday
night of next week.”
UCLA’s opponent Tuesday is New Mexico State, when the
Bruins host the Aggies in the first round of the preseason NIT.
For most of Thursday night’s game, the Otters looked like
little more than a glorified city league team, as UCLA essentially
had its way in every facet of the game.
Seven Bruins scored in double figures, and sophomore point guard
Jordan Farmar was impressive in his first game for the Bruins this
season. Farmar sat out the team’s first exhibition win over
Carleton University with an injured groin.
“It was good to get Jordan back tonight,” Howland
said. “That was probably the highlight of the evening for
us.”
Farmar finished with 17 points in 21 minutes, shooting 6-of-10
from the field and dishing out six assists. His most impressive
assist was a behind-the-back pass to Arron Afflalo that set up an
easy two-handed dunk.
There were a number of dunks Thursday night, a number of easy
baskets, and a number of solid defensive plays from the Bruins, who
seized control of the game and led 57-16 at the half.
UCLA used a 14-point run midway through the first half to extend
a 26-11 lead to a 40-11 lead, and the game from that point forward
was a laugher.
The Bruins shot 58.6 percent from the field Thursday night and
held the Otters to 24.6 percent shooting. UCLA out-rebounded CSUMB
53-35.
Howland said he was pleased with the intensity he saw from his
team, and the Bruin coach singled out the play of senior guard
Cedric Bozeman and freshman forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who
each had nine rebounds for UCLA.
Bozeman, who didn’t attempt a shot in the team’s
first exhibition game, finished with 10 points on 4-of-5
shooting.
The Bruins’ level of competition will now take a marked
step up, as the Aggies, coached by former NBA star Reggie Theus,
visit Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday night. New Mexico State recorded a
72-45 win over St. Mary’s in its second exhibition game last
Wednesday.
“The exhibition season is behind us now,” Howland
said. “Now the real fun begins.”
INJURY UPDATE: Howland said after
Thursday’s game that he expects center Michael Fey to play
Tuesday night for the Bruins.
The senior, who suffered a severe groin pull Oct. 14, was
scheduled to practice today for the Bruins after practicing
Saturday, and Howland said Fey should see some minutes in
Tuesday’s game.
Fey, who started at center last season, will not start
Tuesday.