Two things happened when UCLA upset then-No. 1 Kentucky a week ago.
First, the Bruins jumped up to No. 2 in the nation. But maybe more importantly, UCLA fans are starting to pay attention again.
Soon after the win against the Wildcats, UCLA Athletics announced that the game against the Michigan Wolverines sold out. And boy, did the Bruin fans make their presence as UCLA headed into halftime with the game tied at 50-50.
For a team featuring the second-highest scoring offense in college basketball and one of the country’s most entertaining players in freshman guard Lonzo Ball, fans just weren’t showing up to the first few games at Pauley Pavilion.
But right from the tip-off tonight, the only word to describe the crowd is loud.
Both teams seemed to feed off the energy.
Michigan shot a ridiculous 12-of-16 from the 3-point line, good for 75 percent, and UCLA tried keeping up with 10 3s on 14 attempts.
Freshman forward TJ Leaf attacked early and often, finishing the half with 11 points. Ball was hot from behind-the-arc, shooting 4-of-4, including a shot from just inside the UCLA logo near half court to tie up the game at the halftime buzzer. He finished the half with a game-high 14 points.