Bruins Survived Trip to Fresno

Former UCLA basketball coach Gary Cunningham had been trying to get the Bruins to come to Fresno for a basketball game since he became Fresno State’s athletic director in May of 1986.

The Bruins politely declined until this season, and you can’t blame them for being a bit hesitant. Fresno State is tough at home.

UCLA found that out Wednesday night, beating the Bulldogs, 74-65. The 16th-ranked Bruins trailed by two points with eight minutes remaining and led by only four with four minutes left.

The loss for Fresno State at Selland Arena was only the 79th against 230 wins in the 22 seasons the Bulldogs have been playing there.

“I thought it was a very physical game, especially defensively,” UCLA Coach Jim Harrick said of the contest that didn’t end until well after 11 p.m. because of a 9:15 start for television.

“We played well the last five minutes of the first half (the Bruins led, 42-31, at halftime) and the final 10 minutes of the second half.”

Harrick had kind words for Fresno.

“No doubt that was their best game of the year,” he said. “I thought we turned the ball over too many times, but that was due to their defense. They had us flustered at times.”

Harrick also saw some positive things in his own team, which is 7-1 going into tonight’s game at Pauley Pavilion against East Tennessee State (8-2).

“Darrick Martin really handled the ball and got us in our offense, got us settled down and got the ball to some people,” he said. “And I thought Gerald Madkins did a nice job on (Wil) Hooker the whole second half.”

Hooker, a sophomore guard and Fresno’s leading scorer with an average of 16 points a game, was held to 13.

“I thought (Tracy) Murray hit some key baskets at key times--two three-pointers, a tip-in and a dunk,” Harrick said of the freshman who was the No. 1 scorer in California prep history with 3,053 points.

Murray, who scored 18 points, was in double figures for the fourth consecutive game.

“And of course (Don) MacLean had a steady game both scoring-wise and rebounding-wise.”

MacLean led the Bruins with 25 points and nine rebounds. He had three big plays down the stretch as the Bruins went from a five-point lead at 60-55 to a nine-point lead at 69-60.

First, MacLean rebounded a missed free throw by Madkins and scored. Then he hit a soft-touch jump shot from 10 feet after a steal by Madkins. And then after Murray’s tip-in, MacLean scored, was fouled and made the free throw for a three-point play.

Fresno State Coach Ron Adams said: “I don’t think UCLA is a team that allows you to make a lot of mistakes at key times. I thought our kids played well and played hard for a majority of the game.”