COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT : Pac-10 : Washington State Knocks Bruins Into Next Season

The Pacific 10 Conference basketball tournament came to an end for UCLA with a 73-71 loss to Washington State. The Bruins’ four-game winning streak also came to an end, along with any hope they had for getting a bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. tournament.

The game started at 10:35 p.m., MST, Friday night and ended Saturday morning, about 16 hours before the Cougars are scheduled to play Oregon State in a semifinal game.

Freshman Gerald Madkins sank a jumper with 14 seconds left to pull the Bruins within two points. It was left to the Cougars, then, to use up 14 seconds. They managed to get the ball inbounds underneath the Bruin basket, where two seconds ticked off the clock before guard Pooh Richardson poked the ball out of bounds. Unable to get the ball in the second time, Washington State called time out.

The Cougars then had 12 seconds to kill. A second time, they tried to get the ball inbounds. A second time, they called time out.

On the third try, David Sanders got the ball in, and Richardson committed an intentional foul. Cougar guard Brian Wright missed two free throws, but Washington State retained possession. A foul called on UCLA center Kelvin Butler sent Harold Wright to the line. Wright made both free throws to wrap up the victory.

UCLA Coach Walt Hazzard said: “It was a disappointing loss. I thought Washington State played very well. (Center Todd) Anderson played an outstanding game for them.”

“They shot 28 free throws to our 12, and that was a big difference in the ballgame. We are not pleased with where we ended up. We’re not pleased with our record. But that just means that we have a lot of work to do in the off-season.

The Bruins, who have said they will not accept a National Invitation Tournament bid, finished with an overall record of 16-14.

UCLA was led by forward Trevor Wilson, who had 16 points and 9 rebounds despite playing just 30 minutes because of foul trouble.

Anderson had a career-high 30 points for the Cougars.

Washington State Coach Kelvin Sampson said: “We had a simple game plan, to be disciplined. We don’t have great athletes; we’re just a hard-nosed team that will scrap and get after you.”

There was a small Bruin contingent in the upper level at McKale Center Friday night, but most of the evening session’s crowd of 13,061 that stayed for the late game was strongly, loudly anti-Bruin.

Thousands stood and waved goodby, taunting Wilson when he fouled out on a charging call with 3:09 left and the Cougars ahead by three points.

The Bruins had long since lost control of the game when Wilson fouled out.

It was a question, from the start, of who would control the tempo. The Cougars like to play a slow, disciplined game, carefully selecting and hoping not to have to battle bigger guys for the rebound.

UCLA likes to play a running game with its front line getting the rebounds for outlet passes to start the fast break.

In the first half, there was no decided winner in the test of tempo, with UCLA looking first to run on every possession and Washington State slowing it up and working the clock on every possession.

In the second half, the Washington State inside game started to take the edge.

And the red-clad crowd loved it. The Bruin-chiding fans gave Cougar Neil Evans a standing ovation when he tied the game, 50-50, on a hook shot over Wilson. And they were still on their feet cheering for the Cougars when Anderson answered Butler’s rebound shot with a turnaround jumper to tie it again, 52-52.

Washington State took the lead on a three-point play by Anderson, a short jumper with a foul on Richardson. But Richardson had a three-point play at the other end to tie it, 55-55.

The tradeoffs ended, though, when Evans’ strong inside basket put the Cougars ahead, 57-55, and Bruin forward Charles Rochelin missed at the other end, the rebound going to Sanders and the eventual layup to Anderson to put Washington State ahead, 59-55.