Fouls, then fatigue for UCLA basketball team

Maybe UCLA Coach Ben Howland should take one of the “Watch Your Step” signs posted outside Pauley Pavilion during renovations and bring it inside as a practice reminder.

His short-handed team cannot afford needless fouls, particularly with injuries to shooting guards Malcolm Lee and Matt Carlino leaving the Bruins with eight available scholarship players.

Sophomore forward Reeves Nelson played 19 first-half minutes Tuesday during the Bruins’ 57-44 victory over Pacific after fellow big men Joshua Smith, Brendan Lane and Anthony Stover each picked up two fouls.

Although Nelson had an outstanding half, collecting 17 points and six rebounds, he sputtered throughout most of the final 20 minutes, missing short-range shots he normally makes. He finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds in 37 minutes.

“It just kind of got to me,” Nelson said of the fatigue resulting from playing heavy minutes for a second consecutive night, “but that’s no excuse for how I played.”

The foul trouble was nothing new for Smith. The freshman center has picked up four fouls in each of his first three college games. How much of it was the 305-pounder’s being an easy target for referees and how much of it was freshman mistakes?

“I think it was 50-50,” sophomore forward Tyler Honeycutt said. “He’ll probably tell you it was 80-20.”

Honeycutt also played 37 minutes in the wake of the Bruins’ depth issues, his shot betraying him throughout the second half. He made five of eight shots in the first half but only one of four in the second, finishing with 15 points and 15 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.

Not half bad

While the Bruins’ offense generated only 17 second-half points against Pacific, the UCLA defense remained in lockdown mode.

UCLA held the Tigers to 20 points on 22.6% shooting in the second half, and thee Tigers missed all nine of their three-point attempts. For the game, Pacific made only 15 of 60 shots.

“They shot 25%,” Howland said. “Our defense was fantastic.”

Bruins guard Lazeric Jones said it was comforting to know the Bruins’ defense can carry the team when the offense struggles.

“We always come to games thinking defense is going to win the game,” Jones said.

Get well soon

Howland said it was too early to tell whether Lee could return for UCLA’s semifinal game in the NIT Season Tip-Off on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden against Villanova.

“That will be anybody’s guess,” Howland said. “I know him and our trainer will get very well acquainted over the next five to six days trying to get him ready and really attacking that ankle.”

If Lee cannot play in UCLA’s next game, Howland said, a return by the following game two days later “is very realistic.” Lee’s ankle has been immobilized in a walking boot.

A little R&R

For the first time since practice started last month, the Bruins will take two consecutive days off in attempt to heal their early season nicks and bruises.

“Just chill, go to sleep,” Honeycutt said of his agenda. “We have to watch film Thursday. Hopefully no guys fall asleep.”

ben.bolch@latimes.com