Power Outage Strikes UCLA on the Road

UCLA was shooting three-pointers, lots of them, more threes than twos with three-quarters of the game played.

Michigan State was being pushy.

Paul Davis, a 6-foot-11, 267-pound junior who has been on All-Big Ten Conference teams and who knows how to handle himself and the ball when the rim is in his sights, showed exactly what the Bruins miss: a real center who scores layups and creates space for his guards.

Since none of UCLA’s post players could handle Davis, who had 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists, the Bruins (6-2) were beaten Tuesday night by the 23rd-ranked Spartans, 76-64. It was the first time this season UCLA’s freshmen left Southern California.

At first they weren’t fazed by the raucous noise of 14,759 fans that accounted for Michigan State’s 102nd straight home sellout. Because junior center Michael Fey was late for the team bus Sunday, UCLA Coach Ben Howland started all four of his freshmen: guards Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmar, forward Josh Shipp and center Lorenzo Mata. They joined senior Dijon Thompson and for a while their energy, enthusiasm and shooting kept the game close.

“When the score was 23-21, we played exactly how we wanted to play,” Howland said. “Then they got a push on us.”

It was about that time Michigan State (7-2) began the first of its two monster scoring runs. After UCLA led 25-23, the Spartans ran off a 14-1 streak. Although Michigan State was patiently working for inside shots or wide-open looks in the lane or fast-break layups, the suddenly desperate Bruins were rushing three-pointers or making turnovers. At halftime the Spartans had scored 14 points off UCLA mistakes compared with one by UCLA off Michigan State mistakes.

After the Bruins had cut Michigan State’s 37-26 lead to 37-32, the Spartans began a second, more decisive 15-0 run the carried over from the end of the first half and into a 10-0 start to the second half. It included consecutive three-pointers from guard Chris Hill (15 points) as soon as the Spartans came out of the locker room.

“They had a 10-point lead at the half,” Howland said, “then came out and hit the two threes. And after that, we didn’t have an answer to Paul Davis. We tried to cover down and he did a good job of kicking the ball out. He knows what to do with the ball under the basket.”

Before Farmar scored UCLA’s first basket of the second half, a three-pointer, the Spartans had built a 20-point lead, 52-32. The Bruins once got within 11 points, 63-62, on one of Afflalo’s four three-pointers. They could have been within eight had Farmar made a wide-open three-pointer a minute later. But he didn’t and he also missed a layup before Davis pounded down a dunk to make the score 65-52 with 8:39 left. It was a decisive power move of the kind UCLA seems unable to perform.

Although Howland said he wasn’t thrilled UCLA shot 27 three-pointers (out of 57 total shots), he wouldn’t blame his perimeter shooters for continually taking those shots.

“Our outside guys have to have confidence when they throw it to the post,” Howland said. “This is an opportunity for Lorenzo Mata and Mike Fey. Someone needs to step up and be an aggressive threat down there.”

UCLA’s three post players, Mata, Fey and Ryan Hollins, combined for six points, all from Fey, and eight rebounds, six from Mata.

Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo praised the Bruins. He said they were much further along than he expected and that he believed they would play in the NCAA tournament this year.

“Ben walked into a tough situation and I see him turning this around much quicker than I thought,” Izzo said. “Trust me. UCLA is a good team. They should do well in their conference.”

Izzo said that despite hearing more about the accomplishments of Farmar and Afflalo, he was most impressed with Shipp, who led the Bruins with his career high of 18 points.

“That kid does all those little things right,” Izzo said.

But it is the big thing that’s missing, the big guy inside.

“Most real good teams have an inside game,” Howland said. “Somehow we’ve got to get one.”