EUGENE, Ore. — Three days after an emotional, up-again, down-again win over Oregon, UCLA visits the home of one of the least talked about programs in the Pac-12.
Oregon State sits No. 6 in the conference standings at 4-4 and needed overtime on Thursday night to scratch out a one-point victory over 10-11 USC.
The Beavers, in a word, have been quiet. Maybe too quiet.
In researching the effects of taking a lazy weekend morning shootaround, the Bruins won’t need to look very far. Two weekends ago, UCLA players admitted to overlooking a similarly middle-of-the-pack Utah team and paid the price.
Three consecutive victories later and looking ahead to a team coached by Craig Robinson, brother-in-law of President Barack Obama, the Bruins’ hope is to change.
“Looking back at our last road trip, we beat Colorado and then went into Utah and dropped that one. Our goal is to come on the road and get sweeps and I think we learned after last trip that we can’t take anything for granted,” said redshirt senior forward Travis Wear following Thursday night’s 70-68 win. “We have to play every game like it’s our last and prepare for them like it’s do or die.”
UCLA (17-4, 6-2 Pac-12) faces an Oregon State (12-8, 4-4) squad that lives and dies by the shooting hand of senior guard Roberto Nelson, the Pac-12’s leading scorer with 22.3 points per game. Win or lose, Nelson shoots, scores and gets to the free throw line seemingly at will. He has not attempted less than 10 field goals since a Dec. 18 win over Towson. That was also the last game in which he failed to reach double figures in scoring.
Nelson scored four of his 24 points Thursday in overtime, including a layup with 25 seconds remaining that proved to be the game-winner. Not known for its defense, OSU held USC to just three points in the five-minute period. A free throw from USC’s Pe’Shon Howard clanked in and out with one second to play, handing the Beavers their hard-fought victory.
The Bruins hope Sunday’s game won’t be quite as close, though they say they are ready for a battle.
“(We have to) come with the same mentality,” said sophomore guard Jordan Adams. “This is a team that can beat us, so we have to fight and be focused.”
Slow Motion and Rewind
The focus for Oregon for much of Thursday night’s contest was shutting down UCLA sophomore guard/forward Kyle Anderson.
In holding Anderson to 1-of-8 shooting and just six points – tied for a season low – and pressuring him into nine turnovers – easily a season high – the Ducks’ plan worked to near perfection.
By the end of a second half in which Anderson played all 20 minutes, the sophomore appeared fatigued and forced a deep jumper with 13 seconds left to play and the score tied at 68.
“Maybe a little bit of my fault. I didn’t get Kyle out to get him rest in the second half,” said coach Steve Alford, Thursday. “I’ve got to do that. I just didn’t get him out in the second half so a little bit that’s on me because I’ve got to get him at least a two-minute blow there and I didn’t.”
Homecoming
Returning to Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Ore. this Sunday is former Oregon State assistant coach and current UCLA assistant coach David Grace.
Prior to joining Alford’s staff at UCLA last April, Grace spent five years at OSU.
In his first season with the Beavers, Grace recruited Nelson out of Santa Barbara High School. In his third year on the staff, he nabbed junior forward Eric Moreland, now a starter and key rebounder for the Beavers, out of Houston.