After getting off to a quick start offensively Sunday night against Texas, UCLA let up in the one area it prides itself in most ““ defense.
The No. 2 Bruins (7-1) have made it a habit of converting in transition on the opposition’s turnovers but were unable to do so against the No. 8 Longhorns (7-0).
“We didn’t play defense and I take credit for that,” junior point guard Darren Collison said. “We didn’t nearly get as many transition points as we needed to because we didn’t play good defense. When we play really, really good defense, we get easy points in transition.”
Instead, it was the Longhorns who were able to convert more points on fast-break opportunities in the first half, scoring 10 fast-break points to the Bruins’ seven.
UCLA was able to make an adjustment in the second half, however, and did not allow any additional fast-break points.
“The bottom line is that we have to stop the ball,” Collison said. “The bottom line is that we have to contain them.”
The Bruins were also outrebounded in the first half, 19-13, but kept the margin at -6 after the second half with the help of juniors Alfred Aboya and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who were able to box out their men.
“Five rebounds is unacceptable on my part,” Love said. “I should at least have 10 rebounds every game because I need to be boxing out and seeking every rebound I can.”
MATA-REAL DEAL: Senior Lorenzo Mata-Real played important minutes down the stretch for the Bruins as he was asked to come in to play defense in the final minutes to replace Kevin Love, who struggled to contain the Longhorn big men and was getting beat off the dribble.
“I was pleased with Lorenzo’s play, especially in the late minutes,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said. “He did a good job.”
Mata-Real’s experience over the past several years has helped him earn the minutes defensively, and Howland is pleased with his ability to hedge and rotate.
In the second half, it was a Mata-Real block that helped revive the Bruins as they began a comeback that ended up falling short.
ROLL BACK: Junior Michael Roll returned to the Bruins’ lineup for the first regular-season game of the season, as he had been sitting out with a ruptured plantar fascia. He played just five minutes in the game, though.
“It was a tough game to get thrown into for your first game back against these types of athletes,” Howland said.
UP NEXT: UCLA will now take the road to face Davidson (4-3) in the John Wooden Classic in Anaheim.
Davidson has had two close contests with top-10 teams, nearly knocking off No. 1 North Carolina and No. 7 Duke.
In the Wooden Classic’s other game, Saint Mary’s will face San Diego State.