UCLA Has Internal Combustion in Loss

UCLA is like a high-end automobile with a blown engine, looking impressive until the ignition is turned. The Bruins lurch in fitful starts and stops, going nowhere.

And after getting left in the driveway by No. 19 Kansas, 87-70, Saturday, there is foul smoke rising from their ears.

Ray Young ducked off the court and into the locker room without shaking hands after his shot in the final seconds was blocked. Dijon Thompson reacted to a turnover by yapping testily at T.J. Cummings. Jason Kapono slipped out of the locker room without talking to the media.

Unless they locate a repair shop soon, the Bruins (2-4) will find themselves stranded on a desolate road to nowhere. Or worse, in the NIT.

As it is, this will be the first time since 1984 they wake up on Christmas morning with only two victories. And this is their worst start since 1988 -- the last time UCLA missed the NCAA tournament.

Kansas (6-3) dispatched the Bruins quickly -- but hardly painlessly. The Jayhawks led, 25-11, on a three-point basket by Jeff Hawkins 13 minutes into the game, at which point Kapono had missed all four of his shots, Cummings had missed his only three and Young his only two.

By rights, everyone could have gone home then, but the boisterous sellout crowd of 16,300 at Allen Fieldhouse was having too much fun and CBS had the rest of its time slot to fill.

UCLA, which thought it had reached a low in a loss at home to Northern Arizona on Tuesday, had no choice but endure further humiliation. To the Bruins’ credit, even the angriest player refused to break ranks or point fingers afterward.

“It was frustrating for all of us,” Thompson said. “We still have the Pac-10 conference ahead of us. Our heads are high.”

Said Cummings: “We were trying to solve problems out there, that’s all it was. It was a loud place. We love and take care of each other. In the first half we were just in a fog.”

Or something similar. A large banner on a wall inside the historic fieldhouse named after legendary former Jayhawk Coach Phog Allen reads, “Pay Heed, All Who Enter: Beware of the Phog.”

Add to the warning Jayhawk guard Kirk Hinrich and forwards Nick Collison and Wayne Simien, each of whom made eight of 13 shots. Hinrich led all scorers with 27 points and made five of nine three-point attempts.

“We were so fired up early and did a good job defensively,” Hinrich said. “A lot of teams have trouble here.”

UCLA was nervous and tentative in the first half, committing 10 turnovers while making only 11 baskets. Kansas anticipated passes and made seven steals, three by Collison that led to layups.

Soon the score was 42-17, and by halftime it was 48-25. The Bruins outscored Kansas, 45-39, in the second half, the product of an effective full-court press and the Jayhawks simply losing interest.

Many of the same problems that plagued UCLA in losses to San Diego, Duke and Northern Arizona again were apparent.

Kapono couldn’t get many open shots and missed when he did get a look, scoring 13 points on five-for-14 shooting and making only one from the perimeter. He did make an impact on the boards, equaling his career high with 13 rebounds to lead UCLA’s 45-36 advantage.

Cummings, who made two of 10 shots, and Young, who made three of 12, failed to see open teammates and launched ill-advised shots.

The point guards struggled. Cedric Bozeman had five points and one assist in 22 minutes and Ryan Walcott had three points and four turnovers in 16 minutes.

“We were careless with the ball and shot too quickly, which fed right into their transition game,” UCLA Coach Steve Lavin said.

The only bright spots were Thompson, who scored 21 points off the bench, and forward Andre Patterson, who scored 12 on six-for-eight shooting in his first career start.

A year ago UCLA shocked then-No. 1 Kansas, 87-77, at Pauley Pavilion behind strong inside play from seniors Matt Barnes and Dan Gadzuric. Surprisingly, Hinrich said this UCLA team is as good.

“They were the most talented team we’ve played,” he said. “They have so many guys and don’t lose much when somebody comes in.”

Considering Kansas has been defeated by Oregon, Florida and North Carolina, that’s quite a statement.

But talent is a lot like the exterior of that late-model luxury car. It’s superficial if the engine doesn’t purr.

“We’re not hitting on all cylinders,” Young said.