GAME REPORT

What happened: Cincinnati played hard from the start. The Bearcats won the opening tip and scored the first basket before the Bruins finished tucking in their shirts. The Bearcats went on an 18-4 run to take a 24-11 lead. While UCLA concentrated on stopping Cincinnati’s leading scorer, Steve Logan, Leonard Stokes, the other guard, was tearing apart the Bruin zone defense. Stokes had 10 points in the run and 16 in the half, including four-for-seven shooting from three-point range. The Bearcats were solving UCLA’s zones for open jump shots and easy offensive-rebound layups. Cincinnati led, 47-37, at halftime after leading by as many as 13. Bruin senior Rico Hines, a defensive presence, injured his knee and would not play again.

Not in the box score: UCLA’s Cedric Bozeman got nailed with a three-second call in the lane on a fastbreak. Coach Steve Lavin never used his five-man platoon substitution, which had worked well in the first round against Mississippi.

Winning numbers: Cincinnati’s 17 second-chance points and 13 offensive rebounds. UCLA players were unable to figure out how to get any rebounds while playing their zones.

Wrong number: UCLA’s leading scorers Jason Kapono and Matt Barnes were a combined one for six from the field with no rebounds and two points and played 15 minutes between them.

Leading scorers: UCLA--Dan Gadzuric 16, Billy Knight 8. Cincinnati--Stokes 18, Jamaal Davis 9.

Leading rebounders: UCLA--Gadzuric 6. Cincinnati, Donald Little 6, Stokes 5.

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What happened: UCLA played without fear and with new energy. Barnes scored his first points of the game with 19:34 left, a 12-foot jumper from the baseline, and less than a minute later, Kapono made his first three-pointer. As UCLA kept substituting, the Bearcats began to tire and the Bruins were able to score on fastbreaks. Still, UCLA was behind by 65-54 with 9:20 left when the Bruins managed what amounted to a six-point play. Barnes made a three-pointer, the ball bouncing around for a moment before dropping. Little, trying to position himself for the rebound, was called for a foul so UCLA retained possession. The disorganized Bearcats forgot Barnes was still out by the three-point line, unguarded. Barnes hit another three-pointer. In five seconds the Bruins had cut an 11-point deficit to five.

Not in the box score: Kapono picked up his fourth foul with 11:45 left in the second half, just after he had shot an airball. But he never got his fifth foul.

Winning number: Barnes and Kapono were a combined 11 for 24 from the field for 25 points, and they added five rebounds, 10 assists and three steals.

Wrong number: After outrebounding UCLA by 10 in the first half, the Bearcats were outrebounded by UCLA, 20-18, in the second half. After having 13 offensive rebounds in the first half, the Bearcats had only five in the second half.

Leading scorers: UCLA--Barnes 16, Kapono 9. Cincinnati--Logan 13, Stokes, 12.

Leading rebounders: UCLA--Gadzuric 6, Barnes 4. Cincinnati--Stokes 5, Little 4.

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What happened: The Bruins seemed blessed when Knight shot an airball but Kapono sneaked around two defenders, scored on the rebound, was fouled and made the free throw for an 85-81 lead. The Bearcats seemed blessed when Stokes made his fifth three-pointer of the game to put Cincinnati ahead, 90-88. The Bruins seemed blessed when Cedric Bozeman banked in the tying basket with 38.9 seconds left and even more blessed when Cincinnati’s Immanuel McElroy missed a three-pointer, barely, and Little missed two tip-ins. In the second overtime: With UCLA leading, 94-93, Bozeman missed a little runner in the lane that rimmed out. Even worse, Bozeman slipped and twisted his ankle. Immediately after, UCLA scored on a three-point play to go ahead, 97-93.

Not in the box score: Logan couldn’t get a shot in the first overtime. Second overtime: On UCLA’s first possession after Bozeman left, Barnes had to heave a desperate three-point attempt as the shot clock expired. The rebound went over Gadzuric’s head and into the arms of Knight, who made a layup and a free throw after getting fouled.

Winning number: UCLA had 21 assists in the game, Cincinnati 13.

Wrong number: After scoring nine points in the first half, Cincinnati forward Davis didn’t score again.

Leading scorer (1st OT): UCLA--Kapono 6. Cincinnati--Stokes 6.

Leading rebounder (1st OT): UCLA--Kapono 3. Cincinnati--Jason Maxiell 3.

Leading scorer (2nd OT): UCLA--Knight and Dijon Thompson 4. Cincinnati--Leonard, Logan and Field Williams 3.

Leading rebounder (2nd OT):UCLA--Barnes 3. Cin.--Maxiell 2.