Misery for Bruins

It might have been a Sweet 16 party, but for the longest stretch it appeared the dance floor was crammed with the most awkward kids in town.

By night’s end, though, No. 12-seeded Missouri had taken on an attractive glow, the kind reminiscent of Cinderella this time of year.

And UCLA was reduced to wallflowers, the crestfallen starters standing on the sideline, removed in the last minute of a game and season that had slipped away suddenly and with stunning finality.

Aside from an inspired second-half stretch by forward Matt Barnes, the Bruins were excruciatingly inept throughout an 82-73 loss Thursday night that paved the way for Missouri to advance to a round of eight matchup against Oklahoma on Saturday.

It will mark the first time a No. 12-seeded team plays in the Elite Eight. No. 8-seeded UCLA (21-12), meanwhile, dropped a Sweet 16 game for the third year in a row and fourth time in Coach Steve Lavin’s six seasons.

“It’s really tough to lose three times in the same round,” senior center Dan Gadzuric said. “I’m really disappointed and it will take a little while for it to sink in. When it ended, I couldn’t believe it was over.”

To the Bruins, the final buzzer was like an obnoxious telephone recording:

The time allotted for you to win has been exceeded, please hang up your high-tops and try again next season.

But there is no next season for Barnes, Gadzuric and fellow seniors Billy Knight and Rico Hines. Jason Kapono might be gone as well if he decides to give up his senior year for the NBA.

Only Barnes, who led UCLA with 23 points and 11 rebounds, can say he saved his best for last. He scored nine points in a row early in the second half to give UCLA a seven-point lead, but Lavin took him out of the game for more than a minute and the Bruins lost their momentum.

Kapono couldn’t shake Missouri defenders on the perimeter and scored only seven points, missing his only three-point attempt. Gadzuric had 11 points and eight rebounds, about his season average.

Knight made only six of 14 shots, the last miss coming on an open three-point shot from the corner with 46.6 seconds left and Missouri (24-11) ahead by nine.

Bruin reserves scored 42 points in the double-overtime second-round victory over Cincinnati, but contributed only eight against Missouri.

“It felt weird when I was out there,” said freshman Dijon Thompson, who was scoreless. “None of us could capitalize on their mistakes.”

Opportunities were squandered, to be sure. Missouri had 20 turnovers, but a barrage of three-point baskets by Kareem Rush and Clarence Gilbert in the second half triggered a 29-12 Tiger run that turned a 49-41 UCLA lead into a 70-61 deficit.

In the second half Rush made all four of his three-pointers and 16 of his 20 points and Gilbert made three of his four three-pointers and 17 of his 23 points.

“In the second half they hit their shots and opened up the game,” freshman guard Cedric Bozeman said.

The first half was played by the UCLA and Missouri alter-egos, the beastly Bruins and terrible Tigers, the teams that floundered around .500 for the last two months of the regular season.

Gilbert hurt his hand 17 seconds into the game but returned two minutes later. He and his teammates never did get a handle on the ball, committing 10 first-half turnovers.

Yet Missouri led, 30-28, because UCLA scored only once in its last eight possessions, on a putback by Gadzuric. Otherwise the last four minutes were all Ricky Paulding. After Knight’s two free throws gave UCLA its largest lead, 26-18, the sophomore guard scored eight points in a row to pull the Tigers even, then scored the last points of the half on a jump shot.

UCLA shot horribly, making 11 of 35 in the half. Barnes and Knight each launched airballs from three-point range.

The tone was set for a high-powered second half when in the opening seconds Gadzuric blocked a shot by center Arthur Johnson then hustled downcourt to take Knight’s alley-oop pass for a dunk.

A layup by Bozeman off an inbounds play gave UCLA a 32-30 lead and Knight made a steal and layup seconds later, prompting Missouri to take a timeout.

Barnes’ nine-point run stretched the lead to 43-36 four minutes into the half. The margin grew to eight on a layup by Knight, but a revitalized Missouri battled back, forging ahead, 63-59, on two three-pointers each by Gilbert and Rush.

Johnson added five points in two possessions on post moves against Gadzuric and Missouri was up comfortably, 70-61.

So a UCLA season that began with a No. 5 ranking, expectations of a Pacific 10 Conference championship and a Final Four appearance ended with a sixth-place conference finish--the lowest in UCLA history--and a solid but unspectacular NCAA run.

“We never got to the Elite Eight or Final Four in my four years, but I’m proud of what we did also,” Gadzuric said. “We gave it our best and now it’s time to move on.”