UCLA basketball: Second half push gives Bruins victory
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Reeves Nelson scored 19 points, 15 in the second half, as UCLA defeated Washington State, 74-62, this afternoon at Pauley Pavilion.
UCLA (9-10 overall, 4-3 in Pacific 10 Conference play) took control of the game with a 14-4 run in the second half. Nelson scored eight points during the rally.
The Bruins led by as many as 15 points in the second half. They had not led by more than six points in any game since beating Arizona State on New Year’s Eve.
UCLA’s three previous conference victories were by a total of four points, including a 62-61 victory over Washington on Thursday night when Mustafa Abdul-Hamid sank jumper from the top of the key at the buzzer.
Abdul-Hamid chipped in again Saturday, hitting three consecutive shots in the first half -- two of which were three-pointers -- to give UCLA a 26-21 lead with five minutes left in the first half. Abdul-Hamid finished with a career-high nine points.
Washington State came into the game 27th nationally in field goal percentage, but shot 36% against the Bruins.
UCLA’s 2-3 zone clamped down on Klay Thompson, the nation’s sixth leading scorer, averaging 22.8 points. He scored 13 points, making only five of 17 shots.
Nikola Dragovic had 18 points to lead the Bruins. Reggie Moore had 24 points to lead the Cougars (14-6, 4-3).
-- Chris Foster
Twitter.com/cfosterlatimes
