The sentiments from UCLA coach Ben Howland and his players were a mirror image after Thursday’s 74-73 victory over UC Irvine.
The Bruins were just happy to get a win.
“I’m thrilled we got the win,” Howland said. “It would have been an absolutely horrible Christmas in the Howland household had we lost this game.”
In a game in which the Bruins led by as many as 15, UCLA was able to squeak out a win over the Anteaters in Pauley Pavilion, bringing the Bruins’ record on the season to 8-4 and extending their current win streak to five games.
But the victory did not come without dramatic effect.
As the Anteaters slowly chipped away at the Bruins lead throughout the second half, the game essentially came down to the last minute, in which UCLA converted on only two of eight free throws in the final minute.
After two missed free throws by UCLA freshman Tyler Lamb with six seconds to go, the Anteaters, trailing 74-73, had an opportunity to win the game on a last-second bucket, but UCI guard Patrick Rembert was unable to get a clean look at the basket, and UCLA held on for the one-point victory.
“Our free-throw shooting down the stretch was obviously a problem for us,” Howland said. “You have to be able to close out games by making foul shots.”
“We could have definitely made it not so intense if we would have made our free throws and if we would have played hard and consistent throughout the whole game when we had a lead,” said junior guard Malcolm Lee, who led the Bruins in scoring along with junior point guard Lazeric Jones, each pouring in 20.
Lee set the tone for UCLA offensively in the first half, scoring 14 points before halftime. Jones and freshman center Joshua Smith seemed to take over for Lee as the primary offensive threats after halftime. Jones scored 10 after the break, and Smith dropped in nine of his 14.
One obvious reason that Jones, as well as Smith, looked to be so productive offensively was the absence of sophomore forward Tyler Honeycutt, who sat out Thursday’s game with a sprained right shoulder.
“With someone out, we all have to step up,” Jones said. “I needed to be more aggressive, and I was trying my best to do so today without forcing anything.”
Although Honeycutt is one of the Bruins’ top rebounders, UCLA was still able to win the battle on the glass. It was in other areas that Jones felt the absence of Honeycutt in the Bruins’ lineup.
Having held big leads in several games this season, one thing that has plagued the Bruins is their ability to close out their opponent.
Thursday night was a perfect example, prompting questions regarding this team’s ability to perform in crunch time.
“I would say yes and no,” Smith said when asked if the Bruins lack killer instinct. “With this game, we had our opportunities. We had the lead. The only thing it came down to is a lot of times, they played harder than we did. … Basically, we were fortunate to get a win.”
Regardless of the fashion of victory, Jones echoed the sentiments of Smith and Howland, that a tally mark in the win column is what matters most.
“We came out with the win. It was a tough one, but that’s the most important thing,” Jones said.
Next up, the Bruins begin Pac-10 play on Dec. 29, taking on Washington State at Pauley Pavilion.