Shipp helps change course

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- A Darren Collison pass went through Josh Shipp’s hands and UCLA Coach Ben Howland called a timeout but didn’t scream or shout. He told Shipp to get his head up, told him it was OK to make a mistake as long as he made some plays. So Shipp did.

Eighth-ranked UCLA defeated Michigan, 69-54, Saturday at Crisler Arena in front of 13,069 and a national television audience, outscoring the Wolverines, 41-18, over the final 14 minutes.

After that timeout, Shipp made a three-point basket and two foul shots. At the moment Shipp lost that pass, the Bruins (11-1) were losing by eight and the young Wolverines (4-8) had seemed to gather both momentum and confidence in equal amounts.

Coach John Beilein’s 1-3-1 zone was like a giant mesh blanket over UCLA’s every movement.

Passing lanes that looked open weren’t. Running room was a mirage, just a shimmery wish. UCLA committed 11 of its 18 turnovers in the first half. The Bruins had lost twice to Beilein’s West Virginia teams in the past two years and had been more highly ranked and favored each time. This Michigan team filled with freshmen and sophomores had already lost to Harvard and Central Michigan.

Shipp’s three-pointer, UCLA’s first of the game, loosened him up. On the next play, Michael Roll passed up a layup to drop a pass to Shipp, who was fouled and made the free throws.

“That was a big three for me,” Shipp said. “I had missed a couple of shots I should have made. I made the three and relaxed a little.”

Shipp finished with a game-high 19 points plus three steals. Freshman center Kevin Love had his sixth double-double of the season (17 points and 16 rebounds) and forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute had 12 points and 13 rebounds.

“To have our four and five guys [power forward and center] get 13 and 16 rebounds respectively is outstanding,” Howland said. “That’s what I’d like to see every game.”

Howland was also pleased that guard Russell Westbrook held Michigan’s leading scorer, Manny Harris, to 11 points on three-of-12 shooting. “Manny Harris earned his 11 points,” Howland said, “and I think one of his baskets was a follow and one came late in the game.” Howland also noted that Westbrook made a three-pointer to increase a seven-point lead to 10 late in the game.

Helping the Bruins celebrate was last year’s leading scorer Arron Afflalo. Afflalo, who had 12 points for the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, arrived after his own practice with his father Danny.

It was a Shipp jump shot that put UCLA ahead for good, 45-43, with 8:45 left and his three-pointer pushed the advantage to 48-43. It was also a Shipp 360-degree dunk after an outlet pass from Love with 21 seconds left that accounted for UCLA’s final points, caused the leftover fans to boo and led CBS analyst Billy Packer to suggest it was a “me-first” play.

“That’s fine,” Shipp said. “If I were a Michigan fan, I would have booed me too.”

In the final 10 seconds, Mbah a Moute had a chance at a similar fastbreak dunk, but he pulled back and dribbled out the clock.

Beilein didn’t criticize Shipp’s dunk, but he barely acknowledged Howland at the end of the game.

It had been much quieter in Crisler Arena when UCLA ran off the first eight points of the game. But as Michigan began making shots, the crowd got festive and when guard C.J. Lee had a three-pointer rattle around and then trickle into the basket with 5.6 seconds left in the first half and Michigan took a 27-24 lead the crowd was positively giddy.

“In the first half I think we were thinking too much and slowing it down while we were trying to get a good shot and they were pretty much calling our plays,” Collison said. “We felt like when we turned up the defensive pressure and got some turnovers we were able to get some points in transition and that got us going.”

Keying that pressure was the defensive activity of backup forward Alfred Aboya, who caused at least two turnovers. “Alfred came in the game and gave us an injection of energy,” Howland said. “He played really hard and did a lot of good things that helped us come back.”

Howland is giving the Bruins three days off for Christmas. There is one more nonconference game -- Saturday against UC Davis -- before UCLA begins Pacific 10 Conference play.

“We can go home happy with the win,” Aboya said, “but knowing we have to get better.”

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diane.pucin@latimes.com