UCLA basketball: Bruins sloppy but able to beat Oregon State
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UCLA labored throughout Saturday’s game against Oregon State, yet had enough lucid moments to come away with a 62-52 victory at Gill Coliseum.
The Bruins (10-11 overall, 5-4 in Pacific 10 Conference) were generous to a fault, turning the ball over 20 times. But the Beavers (9-12, 3-6), in the end, proved incapable of taking advantage as they shot 39% from the field.
UCLA made six of eight free throws in the final two minutes to clinch the victory.
UCLA opened the second half with three turnovers on its first four possessions. More sloppiness followed.
Oregon State’s Roeland Schaftenaar tried a behind-the-back bounce pass through the key that UCLA’s Tyler Honeycutt intercepted. But Honeycutt then bounced the ball to Beavers guard Calvin Haynes for layup for a 30-28 Oregon State lead with 15 minutes left.
From the point the Bruins (10-11 overall, 5-4 in Pacific 10 Conference play) were nearly spotless. They had only three turnovers the remainder of the game and put the Beavers away with a 16-5 run.
The Bruins led, 24-18, at halftime despite having more turnovers (12) than field goals (eight). But Reeves Nelson made his presence felt at the end of a ragged first half. He scored four of the Bruins’ last six points, both on strong inside moves. He then blocked Seth Tarver’s shot at the buzzer.
Nelson finished with 14 points, Nikola Dragovic had 13 and Michael Roll added 12.
--Chris Foster
Twitter.com/cfosterlatimes
RELATED: Photos from UCLA-Oregon State game
