Aztecs Battle, But Bruins Win

The impatient and unusually blase crowd of 9,419 at Pauley Pavilion waited and waited for an inexperienced and outmanned San Diego State team to wilt to the 10th-ranked Bruins.

The UCLA fans were almost disappointed because the Aztecs were within seven points with four minutes left in the game. But the Bruins finally broke it open with a 17-4 run to win, 94-74, Saturday night.

It is a cliche, but no one was afraid to use it--even UCLA Coach Jim Harrick. “The game was closer than the score indicated,” he said. “It was more like a seven- or eight-point game.”

It was a seven-point game, 75-68, with 4:57 remaining when Aztec center Marty Dow turned around for a 10-foot jumper in the lane. After Dow’s shot was a good four feet short, SDSU Coach Jim Brandenburg leaped off the bench to yell at the referees. He was promptly given a technical.

Good night.

“That was a crucial play,” Brandenburg said. “Our center got hammered pretty good.”

Dow was more explicit.

“I turned in the lane and some guy just grabbed my arm--I think it was Don MacLean.”

MacLean made both free throws to make it 77-68 and the Aztecs never came within seven again.

Dow, who led the Aztecs with 25 points and 10 rebounds, said the non-call was not an isolated incident.

“It was happening all night,” he said. “The whistles just weren’t getting blown.”

SDSU shot only 14 free throws and made nine, compared to UCLA’s 27-of-28 performance. Brandenburg said he couldn’t understand the disparity.

“We were getting pressed and they get 28 free throws and we get 14?”

The Bruins’ only miss, by Tracy Murray, came after it didn’t matter with 1:37 left and UCLA up 85-71.

The Aztecs (5-5) came out playing like UCLA (10-1) was Lamar and Pauley Pavilion had all the tradition of the San Diego Sports Arena. They took an 11-5 lead behind six early points by Dow. Two of Dow’s three baskets came off nifty feeds from Vern Thompson, who finished the first half with five points, four assists and four rebounds.

Chris McKinney’s three-pointer put SDSU up 11-5 with 16:58 left, but UCLA ran off 10 consecutive points, with four from MacLean and Darrick Martin and two from Gerald Madkins.

The Aztecs stayed within two points for the next four minutes, thanks to four points off the bench from reserve center Neal Steinly, who had been averaging 1.6 points a game.

But with UCLA leading 23-21, SDSU went cold and suddenly trailed 29-21 with 5:57 left. The Bruins’ lead grew to 37-27 with 2:20 after two free throws by Darrick Martin.

But SDSU outscored UCLA 7-4 in the last two minutes to close to 41-34 at the half. Thompson scored five of the seven on a layup and three-pointer.

Dow finished the half with 12 points and four rebounds.

The Aztecs fell behind, 51-43, with 14 minutes left in the game, but a lay-in by Joe McNaull and a follow shot by Dow brought the Aztecs with four. After UCLA guard Darrick Martin hit a couple free throws, Arthur Massey’s running shot in the lane put the Aztecs back within four at the 12:10 mark.

UCLA increased its lead to 69-60 with 7:47 left, but the Aztecs were not ready to fall over. Dow had a dunk, Massey a layup and freshman Nelson Stewart a layup after a steal by Ray Barefield. Suddenly it was 69-66 with 6:40 remaining.

But that’s when MacLean began to take over. He scored 10 of his game-high 31 points in the final 6:20, most of them on one-on-one moves past Dow.

Harrick, whose team opens Pac-10 play Wednesday against USC, said he was impressed with the Aztecs, who started two freshmen--McNaull and guard Chris McKinney.

“I think San Diego did a good job of scouting us,” said Harrick, whose son, Jim Jr. is an assistant for San Diego State. “Not too many teams do the things they did to us. They really outhustled us, especially on the boards. I don’t remember us getting too many offensive rebounds. I think my son knows our plays. Everywhere we went, they were there. Every time MacLean tried to cut across the lane, they wouldn’t let him.”

The Bruins had six offensive rebounds, but were outrebounded by the Aztecs, 32-21. Dow had six offensive boards and shot 12 of 19 from the floor.

“Dow had an excellent game, but I knew he was good,” Harrick said. “He’s had pro scouts looking at him.”

Aztec Notes

SDSU’s last four opponents have a combined record of 26-7 at the time they played the Aztecs . . . The Aztecs have not won on the road since January against Air Force, 72-68 . . . SDSU has not beaten a ranked team since it defeated Brigham Young 82-80 in overtime Feb. 18, 1988, 82-80. . . . When Aztec center Marty Dow scores 20 or more points, SDSU is 5-1. When he doesn’t, SDSU is 0-3.