It’s Ugly, but Bruins Beat 49ers : Richardson Takes His Best Shot, Makes It for a 67-65 Victory

Wins have been so scarce lately for UCLA that perhaps it was natural that the Bruins would not concern themselves with the state of their art, only with the fact that they ended a four-game losing streak.

Any deep analysis of the Bruins’ 67-65 victory over Cal State Long Beach Saturday night before a crowd of 7,658 at Pauley Pavilion would only make them realize how poorly they played in what was supposed to be an easy game. So, looking beyond the final score was the last thing Bruin Coach Walt Hazzard wanted to do.

“Well, it’s nice to have a win any way you can take it,” Hazzard said. “We don’t care how it comes. When you’ve had some games like we’ve had, you just worry about winning.”

Had it not been for Jerome (Pooh) Richardson’s 18-foot jump shot with six seconds to play, breaking a 65-65 tie, the Bruins (4-4) could have awakened this morning staring at a five-game losing streak going into Monday’s night’s game with Cal State Fullerton.

In case you’re wondering, the last time a UCLA basketball team lost five straight games was in the 1947-48 season. Not coincidentally, Coach Wilbur Johns was replaced by John Wooden the next season.

Richardson, who scored 17 points, found himself open and in possession of the ball with the game on the line. Being a ballhandling point guard, Richardson’s usual inclination is to pass. But this time, the 49ers’ defense sagged to the middle to prevent Reggie Miller from getting the ball, so Richardson pulled up and swished a jumper.

Long Beach, which amazingly found itself still in the game despite shooting 37.7% from the field, still had a chance to win and/or send the game to overtime. But Rigo Moore’s desperation 25-footer at the buzzer bounced off the front rim.

Only a few minutes earlier, UCLA seemingly had subdued the 49ers, whose improved second-half play could not recover from an awful (29%) first-half shooting display.

The Bruins had a 57-44 lead with just less than 10 minutes to play before UCLA’s turnovers and missed shots and Long Beach’s impressive bench play resulted in a close game.

Led by reserves Andre Purry (10 points), M.L. Fleming (10) and Morlon Wiley (16), the 49ers cut the Bruins’ lead to 63-59 with 3:50 left. After center Jack Haley made a reverse layup seven seconds later to make the Bruins’ margin six points, UCLA did not score until Richardson’s game-winner.

Purry scored a layup to make it 65-61, and reserve guard John Hoffman sank a three-point shot to pull Long Beach within one point with 2:11 left.

UCLA did its best to give away the lead, Richardson missing a jumper with 1:27 left and Miller missing the first a free-throw attempt with 50 seconds left. But the only point the 49ers could score was Fleming’s free throw with 25 seconds left.

UCLA’s first option for the go-ahead shot attempt was Miller, not Richardson. But Richardson said he secretly wanted to take the shot in hopes of redeeming himself for his earlier miss.

“I guess (Long Beach) thought I wouldn’t make that shot because I missed the other one,” Richardson said. “The coach told me and Reggie to play a two-man (isolation) game and they all crowded around Reggie, so . . . “

So, he shot. That is something Hazzard would like Richardson do more often.

“Pooh’s a clutch player, and he’s capable of doing whatever we ask of him,” Hazzard said.

What they asked Saturday was more points, fewer passes.

Said Richardson: “It was told to me yesterday in practice to shoot more. They told me I’ve been passing too much, not looking for my shots. I’ll do anything they want if we’ll win.”

UCLA certainly needed offense from someone, since Miller had an unusually off night. Miller, averaging 24 points in UCLA’s first seven games, scored only 14, hitting just 3 of 8 shots.

Freshman Trevor Wilson was the other Bruin scorer, adding 12 points. He made 5 of 9 shots and had 10 rebounds.

Long Beach (5-6), which plays Georgetown Tuesday night, found a good combination too late to put together a sustained effort. But the play of Fleming, Purry, Wiley and Tony Ronzone in the final eight minutes of the second half was a bright spot to Palmer.

“Had we played well early, I think we would have had a shot at it,” Palmer said. “Offensively, we got the ball where we wanted it. We just didn’t make the shots.”

Bruin Notes

UCLA was lucky to have enough players to field a lineup. Forward Craig Jackson missed the game because of what UCLA officials termed “personal reasons.” Jackson reportedly flew to Denver to be with his family. Coach Walt Hazzard said Jackson will not play Monday night. . . . Early in the second half, Montel Hatcher and Craig Rochelin butted heads under the Bruins’ basket, and both left the game and required stitches. Rochelin severely cut his chin and needed 12 stitches, while Hatcher needed eight stitches to close a cut on his forehead. Rochelin was taken to a hospital for X-rays of his jaw, which also was injured in the collision.