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UCLA basketball: Golden Bears maul Bruins, 72-58

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UCLA saw what it takes to remain a Pacific 10 Conference contender. California showed it to the Bruins.

The Golden Bears shook off a slow start, then zoomed past the Bruins for a 72-58 victory at Pauley Pavilion this afternoon. The victory leaves California atop the Pacific 10 Conference standings, the first team to record seven wins in league play. The Bruins, meanwhile, are faced with five of their last seven Pac-10 games on the road.

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The Bruins, who led early by double digits but trailed by as many as 12 points early in the second half, got back in the game midway through the second half, cutting the deficit to 48-44 with 12 minutes left. But UCLA had only one field goal and was four of 10 from the free throw line over the next 10 minutes.

The Bears then heated up, with Patrick Christopher scoring 10 points in a 14-6 spurt. Jerome Randle’s three-pointer gave California a 70-53 lead with two minutes left.

California (15-8 overall, 7-4 in conference play) shot 55% from the field. Christopher and Theo Robertson each scored 20 points, while Randle had 14. Michael Roll had 22 points to lead UCLA (11-12, 6-5).

The Bears closed the first half with an 18-2 run to lead, 37-30, at halftime in wiping out a hot UCLA start.

The Bruins had the Bears down early. Roll’s NBA-distance three-pointer gave UCLA a 24-8 lead midway through the first half. But the Bears made 11 of 13 shots to close the half, with Robertson scoring 12 points before intermission.

UCLA led, 28-19, with seven minutes left in the half when the Bears went into their finishing kick, making four consecutive three-pointers at one point.

Roll had 12 points and three assists in the first half, but after his baseline jumper, the Bruins went the final 5:51 without a field goal.

-- Chris Foster

Chris.foster@latimes.com

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Twitter.com/cfosterlatimes

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