With starting UCLA center Michael Fey experiencing a rebound
drought, it was no surprise that Arizona big man Channing Frye
turned in a spectacular performance Saturday at Pauley Pavilion.
Frye was 11-of-19 from the floor, pulling down six offensive
rebounds and converting most of them into baskets. By the final
buzzer, he amassed a game-high 26 points, tying a career high.
“Channing Frye was just dominating for them,” coach Ben
Howland said. “We didn’t want to double him because
we’d leave open outside shooters.” Those outside
shooters ““ including guard Salim Stoudamire and Hassan Adams,
had plenty of open looks, which they converted into points for the
Wildcats. But the center problem for UCLA was a large factor for
the entire game. While Frye was shooting, scoring and rebounding,
the Bruin defense struggled to contain him. “Maybe we should
have zoned more “¦ hindsight is 20/20,” Howland said.
“Defensively, we broke down so many times.” The Bruin
defense struggled the entire game, as 14 of Frye’s 26 points
came in the second half. His presence was felt on UCLA’s side
of the court as well. Ryan Hollins, who played 27 minutes of the
game and started in place of Fey at the beginning of the second
half, made only two shots from the floor, both in the first half.
Fey, who came in after Hollins fouled out with a little over five
minutes to go in the second half, didn’t fare much better. He
broke a three-game rebound drought with three late in the second
half, when the game had already been decided.
MORRISON STILL NOT READY: Shooting guard Brian
Morrison, who led the Bruins in three-point shooting until injuring
his left hamstring Dec. 20, 2003 against Michigan State, is still
not ready to play. Howland is unsure whether he will be in uniform
this weekend in the Bay Area. “That was my hope when he first
injured himself against Michigan State,” Howland said.
BARNES SIGNS: Former UCLA forward Matt Barnes
signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, Sunday.
Barnes, who replaces injured forward Bobby Simmons, was averaging
18.9 points per game with the Long Beach Jam of the American
Basketball Association. Originally drafted by Memphis in the second
round of the 2002 NBA Draft, Barnes was traded on draft night to
Cleveland. He was waived four months later in mid-October, and
played the remainder of the season with the Fayetteville Patriots
of the National Basketball Developmental League.