It took 32 starts, 63 games and 921 minutes, but Michael Fey
finally got his first career double-double.
The junior center led the Bruins with 17 points on 6-of-12
shooting and hauled in a career-high 11 rebounds, five of those
coming on the offensive glass.
With Fey’s 7-foot, 270-pound frame and his smooth touch
around the basket, it seems a little surprising that it took so
long.
“It feels good. I wish it would’ve come a little
earlier in my career, but I’ll take it now,” he said.
“I’ve been close a few times, now I’ve finally
got one.”
Unfortunately for the Bruins, the milestone meant little in the
end, as his effort was wasted in the loss to Stanford on Thursday
night.
“Mike did a good job, 17 points and 11 boards is a good
output for him,” coach Ben Howland said. “We’ve
got to keep looking to get him the ball, and take advantage of him
when he’s got it going like that.”
Fey, who entering Thursday’s contest averaged 9.4 points
and 4.4 rebounds per game, announced his presence early, blocking
Stanford’s Rob Little on the first possession of the
game.
UCLA looked to feed the post often in the first half, and Fey
converted most of his opportunities.
“I got that block and got some momentum going,” Fey
said. “I was feeling good in warm-ups, feeling ready.
“I went into the game knowing I was probably going to play
well.”
For Howland, who consistently stresses the importance of having
an inside presence to compliment his talented perimeter,
Fey’s performance was the only positive Howland saw in the
loss.
Oddly enough, when it comes to Fey, experience flies in the face
of reason. Although Howland would like to see more performances
from Fey like Thursday night’s, whenever Fey actually
establishes himself the Bruins tend to lose.
Fey’s career high in points, 23, also came in a loss at
Oregon State earlier this season.
“I don’t know what it is,” Fey said.
“Every time I have really good games we seem to lose.
It’s just one of those things I can’t
explain.”