Western Kentucky-UCLA: second half
The Bruins' 41-20 halftime lead over Western Kentucky (29-6) is much more impressive than the 40-16 edge they had over Mississippi Valley State (17-15) a week ago. After an indifferent start, UCLA ended up shooting 15-30 for 50% in the half compared to 19% (6-31) for the Hilltoppers. Western Kentucky had eight turnovers and only six baskets, and the Bruins led in rebounding, 23-17.
Kevin Love led UCLA with 17 points, followed by Josh Shipp and Russell Westbrook with eight each. James Keefe had a great half with five points, five rebounds and three blocks in just nine minutes! For Western Kentucky, guard Courtney Lee shot 49% from the floor this season, but he is just 2-12 in the half with five points.
>> Is this game over yet? The Bruins are 27-0 when building a lead of at least 10 points and is 10-0 this season on Thursdays. You be the judge.
>> The Hilltoppers came out hard in the half and the Bruins weren't quite as intense, so Western Kentucky has outscored UCLA, 12-7, in the half so far with 15:53 to go. But Keefe's follow dunk gives him a career-high nine points.
>> Keefe now has 11 points and nine rebounds, both career highs! But the Bruins are still sloppy, so Coach Ben Howland calls timeout with the Bruins up, 51-36, with 13:37 to play in the game.
>> Darren Collison had to leave with his fourth personal foul at 13:06 to go and the Bruins up 53-36. Now it's 56-45 with 10:02 to go and the Bruins need to pay attention without their point guard.
>> Collison, Westbrook and Shipp now each have four fouls with 9:47 to go, and Western Kentucky is within nine points at 56-47. The Bruins are having a lot of problems with turnovers and are up to 14 in the game.
>> It's 35-20 in the second half for the Hilltoppers and they have sped up the game to where the Bruins are now rushing and playing too wildly. A 21-point lead is now down to six and the crowd in Phoenix is squarely behind Western Kentucky as they smell a possible upset.
>> Now Collison has fouled out with 5:39 to go, with the Bruins up 63-57 and three foul shots coming to Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers have one turnover in the second half to UCLA's 11.
>> All sins forgiven? Shipp's buzzer-beater, lean-in line drive for three from 22 feet with 4:30 to play has the Bruins suddenly up, 68-59. That could be the difference.
>> Defense does it: a turnover leads to a Keefe layin — he has 18 points and 11 rebounds — and the Bruins suddenly have a 13-5 run that gives them a 74-62 lead.
>> It's a foul-shooting contest now. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute made one of two with 2:12 to go, Love lasered a long pass to Shipp for a basket and, with 1:25 to go, Mbah a Moute will shoot some more. Two more gives the Bruins a 79-71 lead.
>> Keefe was named the player of the game for UCLA, a nice honor for him. He has set career highs of 18 points and 12 rebounds in this game, his first career double-double.
>> The Bruins survived and advanced with an 88-78 final in a game that exposed most of UCLA's weaknesses, but also showcased the possibilities for Keefe as a Bruin.
Final score: UCLA 88, Western Kentucky 78
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Moute needs to sit on the bench. He is so careless with the ball. He is not ready to play coming back from the injury. He is hurting his team.
Posted by: Tom | March 27, 2008 at 09:00 PM
CBS absolutely blew the broadcast of these games. I'm in Vegas and in both cases they cut away from the WSU route by UNC and the UCLA v. Western Ky game. We had three channels showing only the other game on all three huh???? Who is the retard in charge at CBS sports. We sat and watched as Western Ky inched back into it and the only way we new was the tiny little scoreboard showing in the upper corner of the Louiseville route. You suck CBS what a bunch of losers. Really, you suck massively. What idiots. You're fired.
Posted by: Ben Mildton | March 27, 2008 at 09:59 PM
Dude, your blogosphere is more fluid than the webcam on www.cbs.com. Nice to see Shipp back in the swing of things. Collison deserved a night off, and it put the pressure on his teamate-bros to come through. Nice of Westbrook to dish off to Keefe the trailer instead of going for the tomahawk jam. Mbah was there to rebound when needed. K-Love was a man among boys. Enjoy the Xavier win, I mean, game.
Posted by: Nookie Farley | March 27, 2008 at 10:08 PM
Regarding the comment from Ben Mildton, may I offer an oldie-but-goodie:
C. B. S. = Can't Broadcast Sports
Personally, I love the "replays" from two or three plays earlier. Y'know, CBS, ten years ago your replay folks could show me the play that just happened. Why is it, with all the new technology at your fingertips, that you have lost this basic ability?
Posted by: Songbird | March 28, 2008 at 11:30 AM