UCLA gets confidence boost with win over Utah

This was a must-see game ... in 1983.

It was merely a get-well moment for UCLA on Thursday night.

The Bruins and Utah were NCAA tournament news the last time they played, when the Utes pulled off a second-round upset in 1983. But Utah star Pace Mannion is now 51 years old and both teams probably will be left strolling down memory lane rather than hitting the road to the Final Four this season.

So what transpired during UCLA's 76-49 Pac-12 Conference victory in the Sports Arena was more about renovation than revenge.

UCLA (11-9 overall, 4-4 in conference play) could not have asked for a better opponent against which to scrub clean memories from its 0-2 swing through Oregon last week.

Utah joined the Pac-12 this season and the welcome wagon was rolled out — and it continues to roll over the Utes (5-15, 2-6), who are 0-10 outside Salt Lake City this season.

Joshua Smith scored 14 points, while Jerime Anderson and David Wear both scored 13. UCLA shot 58.7% in what amounted to a extra practice session before its game Saturday against Colorado, which is in a four-way tie for first place.

“This was a real confidence booster for us,” Wear said.

The Utes have been a care package in high-tops for much of the season. They have been pummeled by Colorado (73-33) and California (81-45). The Bruins joined that crowd, taking control of the game with a 14-4 run that gave them a 36-21 lead at halftime.

The second half was more about group therapy.

The Bruins had a 13-point lead at Oregon on Saturday and collapsed in the second half. They pushed the lead to 20 points in the first four minutes of the second half Thursday.

UCLA shot 73.7% in the second half.

“I didn't talk about the Oregon game, but it was on my mind,” said Ben Howland, who picked up his 200th victory as UCLA's coach. “I told them to build on that lead, especially the first five minutes.”

The Bruins dissected the Utes from there.

Anderson made five of six shots in what Howland said was “one of the best games he has played at UCLA. He was very efficient.”

Smith, who stuck out like a 305-pound sore thumb in Oregon, was five of six from the field. He also had five rebounds and was an immovable object on defense.

“Josh can do that on offense every night,” Anderson said. “When he plays like he did on defense tonight, it definitely helps our team a lot.”

Smith entered the game with the score tied, 9-9, and scored four consecutive points to start a 17-8 run. He also got an offensive rebound to extend a possession that ended in a three-pointer by Anderson.

“Josh was a difference-maker for us tonight,” Howland said. “He was very motivated after last weekend.”

The Bruins were spectators on defense at Oregon State on Jan. 19 and gave up 51 second-half points to Oregon two nights later. Utah shot 37%, though the Utes did not have a player averaging in double figures after Josh Watkins was dismissed from the team last week.

“This was a good win for us,” Howland said. “The guys played well defensively for 40 minutes.”

The only down side for the Bruins was that they don't get another crack at Utah this season.

chris.foster@latimes.com

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