[ Just got word that UCLA freshman center Joshua Smith will not return to tonight’s game. He’s being held out for precautionary reasons after reporting soreness and stiffness in his neck. He will be reevaluated at tomorrow’s practice. ]
UCLA is leading 41-35 at halftime of the battle for the UC basketball crown here at Pauley Pavilion.
The Bruins used their newly-acquired transition offense to garner the first-half advantage.
Sophomore Reeves Nelson led the way for the Bruins with 12 points and five rebounds while sophomore Tyler Honeycutt pitched in four rebounds of his own to go along with eight points. Junior Jerime Anderson, who received much praise from Ben Howland this week, was scoreless in the first half but managed to dish out a game-high four assists.
Cal’s Harper Kemp leads all scorers with 15 first-half points on five-for-eight shooting.
Redshirt freshman Anthony Stover got the start at center, following Howland’s trend of bringing freshman big man Joshua Smith off the bench. Howland had been starting Brendan Lane in place of Smith in the Bruins’ previous two games.
Smith entered the game at the 17:25 mark and put in four points and five rebounds. He hit his head and remained on the floor for an extended period of time while trying to draw a foul and is being evaluated by team doctors. Smith re-entered the game after the spill but was subbed out again at the 8:57 mark and did not return.