UCLA played what was likely the worst first half of basketball
in Pauley Pavilion history.
The Bruins were several steps too slow, not to mention
outmuscled and outhustled.
They had seemingly no idea what to do in their half-court
offense and played frustratingly porous defense.
With as little as eight minutes left, every indication was that
this was going to be a repeat of last year’s Washington State
home loss, which was the most frustrating, humiliating, visually
unbearable basketball game I have ever attended.
I doubt anyone but the most optimistic fan in the building saw
any hope, as for 30-plus minutes the Bruins failed to show anyone a
reason to have any.
Yet UCLA won.
Because of that all-important bottom line, Bruin fans can forget
that gruesome first half and the fact that the least talented team
in the Pac-10 outplayed the Bruins for most of the game.
They can afford to overlook the avalanche of negatives that
would have indicated this season may be more of the same because
the major positive eclipses them all.
Even at its worst and with things at their bleakest, the Bruins
were able to will their way to victory.
They spent over 30 minutes in the dark blindly grasping for the
switch, and despite the discouragement that had long past filled
Pauley, they never stopped reaching.
The fact that UCLA has this switch is encouraging. The fact that
they were able to fight their way to it means the most.
“I’m really proud of the character the kids
displayed,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said. “They never
thought they were going to lose.”
And perhaps the most encouraging sign to come out of this game
is that UCLA showed it is a different team than it was in years
past. In a game like this last season, the Bruins would have quit
early in the second half and lost by a double-digit margin.
But not this year.
The difference was in Ryan Hollins wanting rebounds, contesting
shots in the lane, and sticking putbacks, even though he’d
been set back in the rotation coming into the game.
The difference was in Arron Afflalo sticking the first UCLA
basket of double overtime to tie the game despite conspicuously not
scoring a single point before that.
The difference was in Jordan Farmar controlling the comeback,
knowing when to call his own number, and not having a single
turnover despite the constant pressure from the Cougars.
And the most important difference was the Bruins exhibiting
their resolve in the final minutes, flocking to the ball, and
stymieing the Cougars on defense to ensure that when their shots
fell, the comeback would progress.
These are the things I will selectively choose to remember and
all that will hopefully carry over to the rest of their season.
UCLA must quickly move forward and focus because while heart may
overcome subpar play against the Cougars it won’t do the job
against Saturday’s opponent ““ No. 13 Washington.
The Huskies are, in my mind, the best team in the conference,
and despite their run-and-gun style, which the Bruins would rather
play than the methodical grind of WSU’s offense, UCLA will
certainly not be expected to win.
But as this game showed us, the oft-romanticized qualities of
heart and determination can overcome expectations and doubts.
For the time being, maybe we should not leap to conclusions and
allow the Bruins to show us what else this team has.
Peters is a basketball columnist for the 2004-2005 season.
E-mail him at bpeters@media.ucla.edu.