Looking to end a two-game losing streak, freshman T.J. Leaf stepped up early.
He scored 12 points in the first 8:15 of play – shooting a perfect 5-of-5 from the field – before finishing with 16 points and nine rebounds as UCLA heads into halftime with a 44-34 lead over Washington State.
The Bruins’ offense returned to its usual, humming self. After coughing up the ball 17 times in the loss to USC, UCLA has limited its turnovers to just threein the first half. The Bruins shot 50 percent from the field despite hitting just 3-of-11 of their 3-point attempts.
Junior center Thomas Welsh joined Leaf in manning the paint, adding seven points. Freshman guard Lonzo Ball chipped in five points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal.
UCLA’s defense didn’t exactly shut down Washington State, but holding the Cougars’ shooting to 45.2 percent while forcing six turnovers was enough for the Bruins to take a double-digit lead.