UCLA Is Turned Inside-Out

UCLA’s freshmen were more dazed than amazing. Their two 7-footers -- center Michael Fey and forward Ryan Hollins -- were more passive than aggressive.

Relying almost completely on jump shooting in the second half, the Bruins (4-1) lost their first game of the season, taking a 74-64 beating from Boston College on Sunday in front of 14,027 in the John R. Wooden Classic at the Arrowhead Pond.

The Bruins led by as many as 13 points in the first half and nine in the second, but scored only one basket in the first 9 minutes 34 seconds after halftime and staggered through a 13-0 Eagle run that turned a 43-34 UCLA lead into a 47-43 deficit.

Afterward, UCLA Coach Ben Howland lamented the same weaknesses that were obvious even as the Bruins won four games against lesser opponents.

“Turnovers continue to plague us,” Howland said. And, “We have to somehow develop an inside game.”

An inside game wasn’t a problem for Boston College (5-0).

Forward Craig Smith, who went to Los Angeles Fairfax High and wanted to play for UCLA, had a game-high 20 points and seven rebounds. Forward Jared Dudley, from San Diego, had a game-high 10 rebounds to help the Eagles to a 41-33 advantage on the boards. And reserve forward Sean Williams, a 6-10 freshman, had four blocked shots -- three in the second half -- and seemed to intimidate into oblivion whatever inside presence UCLA tried to establish.

In one final depressing development for the Bruins, with about four minutes left in the game forward Dijon Thompson, their leading scorer, re-injured a cut on his shooting hand that had kept him out of a substantial chunk of preseason practice.

The wound on the webbing between Thompson’s index and middle fingers needed 13 stitches. It had taken only four to close the cut in October.

“I don’t know if Dijon can practice this week or even play next Saturday” against Pepperdine, Howland said.

He also doesn’t know what can be done to prod Fey and Hollins into becoming reliable, aggressive scorers.

Hollins was late for the team bus Saturday and lost his starting role to sophomore Matt McKinney. Then, in 26 minutes Hollins had one rebound and one basket. Fey, whom Howland often compliments for his hard work, had five points and four rebounds and caused his coach to say, “We need Michael to be more vocal when he’s open. He’s got to want the ball more.”

As to how that might happen, Howland said, “Keep working hard in practice.”

“Our big men just have to want the ball,” McKinney said. “When other teams are zoning us, our big guys gotta learn how to get the ball.”

UCLA’s highly-touted freshman backcourt of Jordan Farmar and Arron Afflalo suffered from the physical pressure applied by the Eagles and also from the step up in competition, from the Big West and Mid-Continent Conference teams they played in the first four games to a Big East opponent that played in the NCAA tournament last season.

“We were really stagnant on offense,” said point guard Farmar, who had a team-high 14 points but also had more turnovers (five) than assists (four) and went without a rebound in 36 minutes while struggling to solve Boston College’s matchup zone. The Bruins made only nine of 32 shots (28%) in the second half and were two for 12 from three-point range in the final 20 minutes.

And Afflalo, who was often the only Bruin willing to drive the baseline and attempt to score inside, committed his fourth foul with 11:30 left in the game.

“You have to know how to play with three fouls,” Howland said. While questioning whether the call on the fourth foul was correct, Howland acknowledged that Afflalo did reach in and whack at Nate Doornekamp.

While Afflalo and Farmar struggled, UCLA’s other two freshmen provided Howland with his only happy moments. Forward Josh Shipp scored all of his 13 points in the second half, including seven straight for the Bruins after Boston College’s 13-0 run. And backup center Lorenzo Mata, still finding his confidence after missing two games because of a sprained ankle, had four points and five rebounds in his best performance.