UCLA Zones Out in Defeat

Jordan Farmar, UCLA’s freshman point guard, had nine turnovers. Some were extravagantly awful, such as the pass he tried to throw to center Michael Fey 40 feet away from the Bruin basket.

Arron Afflalo, UCLA’s other freshman guard, who had been confident conference play would differ little from pre-conference play, took only four shots, scored three points and fouled out.

As a result, Oregon State won its Pacific 10 Conference home opener for the first time in a decade, defeating the Bruins, 85-80, in front of 9,042 at Gill Coliseum on Friday.

Whatever Farmar (12 points, six assists, nine turnovers, four fouls) and Afflalo thought about their first conference experience will remain a secret because the two were unavailable to the media.

While center Michael Fey, who had been verbally poked and prodded by UCLA Coach Ben Howland the last two weeks for being too passive, responded with a career-high 23 points and seven rebounds, it was UCLA’s clumsy zone defense at the beginning of the second half that sent the Beavers (8-3, 1-0) flying to the victory.

After the Bruins (6-3, 0-1) had fashioned a 42-37 halftime lead on a small flurry of Farmar highlights -- he stole the ball from Oregon State freshman Sasa Cuic and slammed home a dunk that gave UCLA a 38-37 lead; he drove the floor for another layup that made it 40-37; he then converted a third gimme when Fey made a steal and a perfect pass to the running Farmar -- the Beavers opened the second half with a 16-3 run.

While the Bruins were in the zone that Howland prefers not to use, the Beavers made six three-point baskets -- they made 10 of 16 overall -- with a basic strategy of throwing the ball inside, either to the 6-foot-10 Cuic or powerful forward David Lucas (21 points) then kicking the ball out to a wide-open shooter. J.S. Nash of Moreno Valley, who was five for five from three-point range, made two of the three-pointers during the run.

By the time the flurry ended, Oregon State led, 53-45, the crowd had become a major factor and the Bruins were flustered by the assault.

“The zone helped us get a lead in the first half,” Howland said. “They did a good job of hitting wide-open shots against it in the second half.”

The Bruins couldn’t seem to stop doubling quickly inside so defenders were caught running wildly with hands waving and screaming uselessly as each of several Beavers swished shots.

“They exploited our zone,” senior forward Dijon Thompson (20 points) said. “We tried to sit back and rest and save some fouls. What did they do -- hit six of seven threes? That was the big difference right there. We’ve got to man-up and play defense.”

With 7:30 left, Oregon State led, 71-57. Lucas, in only his second game since returning from toe surgery, had just hit another of his effectively off-balance hook shots and been fouled. He missed the free-throw attempt, but Iowa transfer Nick DeWitz saved the rebound and made the stanchion shake with a dunk.

It was in the next 3 1/2 2 minutes that UCLA played its finest basketball Friday. Fey countered DeWitz’s slam with one of his own. Thompson made a three-pointer, tried another and missed, but Fey tipped in the rebound then converted an Oregon State turnover into another dunk.

Beaver guard Jason Fontenet exposed another flaw in the UCLA defense. He took Brian Morrison off the dribble for a layup. Fey committed a desperate foul so Fontenet converted a three-point play to put Oregon State ahead, 76-69.

In succession, Farmar tripped, fell and lost the ball and Afflalo was called for a charge when he got out of control in the lane. Even though the Bruins twice got as close as three points, the missed opportunities took away the momentum for good.

“Usually if we score 80 points it’s enough points for us to win basketball games,” Howland said. “Our defense hurt us. We’ve got talented young kids, but they’re relying on other freshmen.”

Quiet freshmen who had silently left the building through a back door.