UCLA Dials M and Wins With Good D

Don MacLean and Tracy Murray supplied 52 points and 28 rebounds, but that was only the half of it for UCLA’s M Squad during a successful Pit stop Saturday.

Darrick Martin took charge in the final minute and Gerald Madkins took the whirl out of whirling dervish Terrell Brandon

down the stretch of the Bruins’ 90-83 victory over Oregon at McArthur Court.

This was the kind of workmanlike victory in a hostile environment that UCLA badly needed after losing three of its previous four games.

It also put the Bruins, who were rated as high as fifth in the nation after winning their first eight games, on the plus side in the Pac-10 at 4-3.

After a double-overtime loss to Oregon State in Corvallis Thursday night, Coach Jim Harrick had a little chat with MacLean, his All-American forward.

“I’d like to see a double-double from you again,” Harrick told MacLean, who hadn’t been in double figures in rebounding since the Louisville game Jan. 5.

MacLean responded by getting 14 rebounds to complement his 30 points.

The other forward, Murray, also had 14 rebounds and scored 22 points.

These were the two players most responsible for UCLA out-rebounding Oregon, 30-13, in the first half and taking a 48-38 lead into the intermission.

But the Ducks, urged on by 9,363 fans, weren’t through.

In the same building where Jack Nicholson once directed a motion picture called “Drive, He Said,” Brandon kept driving to the hoop.

The 6-foot guard who leads the Pac-10 in scoring got considerable help from Richard Lucas underneath and the Ducks closed to 79-77 with five minutes remaining and trailed by only 86-83 with 1:12 left.

That’s when Martin took over.

The Bruins passed the ball around to kill time, but were in danger of overdoing it when Martin, still not near the basket, was fouled by Brandon with 5.4 seconds left on the shot clock and 33 on the game clock.

Shooting one-and-one, Martin, who missed the first of two at crunch time Thursday at Oregon State, sank both.

Oregon then tried to work the ball quickly to Brandon, but Martin stole Jordy Lyden’s pass and raced downcourt. He missed a layup, but Murray dunked the rebound and the Bruins were home free.

Brandon, who finished with a game-high 32 points, didn’t score in the final 6:15.

“Madkins’ job on Brandon near the end was one of the keys,” Harrick said after the Bruins dropped the Ducks to 8-9 overall and 3-4 in the conference.

This might have been Brandon’s last stand against UCLA in Eugene, although he says he will avoid the temptation to come out for the NBA draft a year early.

Harrick shook hands with the player he calls his favorite in the conference and offered him some advice.

“I told him that he needed to stay in school, that he’s not ready for the NBA,” Harrick said later. “Of course, I’ve said the same to MacLean.”

MacLean came out Saturday as though he were ready for a higher league.

The 6-10 junior forward with the rapid-fire delivery scored 10 of the Bruins’ first 14 points as they took a 14-7 lead.

“He scores even when he misses,” a fan sitting behind press row said after a MacLean free throw hit the front rim and bounced in.

“I wasn’t that concerned about my shooting,” MacLean said after passing Marques Johnson as No. 7 on the all-time UCLA scoring list. “I concentrated on my rebounding. We did well on the boards and that led to a lot of easy baskets on fast breaks.”

Next up for the Bruins (15-4 overall) is USC on Wednesday night at the Sports Arena.

“That’s another big game for us,” MacLean said after a split in the state of Oregon that could have been a sweep.

* USC WINS: Story, C6.