Wooden Was Impressed by UCLA’s Tight Defense

UCLA’s 71-70 victory over Kansas Sunday in Atlanta impressed at least one television viewer in Encino.

“I was very pleased that they were able to beat a quality team that way,” John Wooden said of the underdog Bruins. “I liked their defensive play. Championships are usually won on defense and big games are usually won on defense in almost every sport, and their defense was excellent. They did an excellent job of defending a very, very fine offensive team.”

Wooden, who has not attended an NCAA tournament game since the death of his wife, Nell, five years ago, watched alone in his den as the Bruins upset the fifth-ranked Jayhawks in the second round of the East Regional. Kansas, which averaged more than 90 points a game and led the nation by making 53.3% of its shots, sank only 48.1% against UCLA, including just 41.7% in the second half.

The victory moved the Bruins into the regional semifinals for the first time since 1980, when they reached the championship game under former Coach Larry Brown before losing to Louisville.

The seventh-seeded Bruins (22-10) will play third-seeded Duke (24-8) Thursday at 7 p.m., PST, at the Meadowlands.

UCLA is one of several surprise teams in this year’s tournament, but Wooden said he anticipated that the Bruins would fare well.

“I thought that they would win their first game (against Alabama Birmingham) and those that know me know that I said they matched up well with Kansas,” he said. “I said I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see them beat Kansas and I wasn’t.

“From what I’d heard, we were quicker than Kansas, but I knew we’d have to keep the pressure on, and we hadn’t been doing that very well.”

UCLA has advanced despite a limited offensive contribution from Don MacLean, who has scored only 20 points and made six of 22 shots. The sophomore forward averages 19.8 points a game and is a 51.6% shooter.

Perhaps that bodes well for the Bruins, Wooden said.

“If we keep the defensive pressure on and MacLean gets his shooting eye back, we can play with anybody,” he said.

That’s especially true if Trevor Wilson continues to improve, Wooden said. Last month, when Wilson’s sprained right wrist was especially bothersome, the Bruins endured a five-game losing streak, their longest in 42 years.

But after making the game-winning shot against Arizona State in the semifinals of the Pacific 10 Conference tournament, then scoring 28 points and taking down a career-high 17 rebounds against Arizona in the final, Wilson has averaged 20.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the tournament.

He scored 18 points and took down 12 rebounds against Kansas.

“I don’t think he’s completely right yet, but he has played like he is,” Wooden said. “And he means a lot to the other players by what he does in there. He means more than (what is reflected) in the stats. He’s sort of a fiery player and, emotionally, he helps the other kids. When he plays well, (Tracy) Murray’s going to play well, for instance.

“It’s not the type of leadership you’re looking for, generally, but it’s still there. It’s not the type I’d want--not like the leadership of a (former UCLA guard) Mike Warren, or someone of that sort.

“His is different. It’s out of control at times. He’s highly spirited, but Keith Erickson was like that and he helped our team tremendously. Trevor is sort of the same way. (His competitiveness) sort of rubs off on the other players. And when he’s not playing well, that hurts them all.

“He’s a catalyst.”

On Sunday, he fueled an effort that Wooden greatly enjoyed.

Bruin Notes

Coach Jim Harrick downplayed Don MacLean’s shooting slump. “He has played the other parts of the game,” Harrick said of the Bruins’ leading scorer, who has made only 14 of 45 shots in UCLA’s past four games. “His defense against Kansas was unbelievable. I’ve never seen him play defense like that.” MacLean had a career-high three steals against Kansas and one against Alabama Birmingham, matching his total from UCLA’s previous 22 games.

Though his team was a 98-73 loser to Kansas in December, Coach Tom Asbury of Pepperdine told Harrick that UCLA could beat the Jayhawks. “When you hear it from a coach, you know that you’ve possibly got a chance,” Harrick said. . . .