UCLA rights the ship, beats Stanford 68-57
The Titanic was sinking, the band queuing up "Nearer, My God, To Thee," the hull busting at the seams, the stern and the bow about to snap.
And it did snap, right back into place, the crew righting the ship and moving on its merry way just as quickly as it fell apart.
UCLA overcame a disastrous start against Stanford on Saturday morning at Pauley Pavilion to come from 14 behind on its way to a 68-57 win in front of 8,772.
"I kinda felt it in the warmups that we were a little sluggish," UCLA junior guard Malcolm Lee said. "But once we really got it going, we were really getting it going. Not only on the offensive side, but defensively."
It was a catastrophic start, or maybe a catatonic start, as the Bruins simply appeared asleep for the first dozen minutes.
A minute and a half in, the Bruins trailed by eight, quick 3-pointers by Stanford's Dwight Powell and Jeremy Green setting the tone early.
Eleven minutes in, the deficit was 14, UCLA had eight points, six turnovers and five rebounds, and things were getting worse and worse.
"Boy this is disappointing," UCLA head coach Ben Howland said he was thinking 12 minutes into the game. "What I was really thinking I can't say it out loud. It's an 11 a.m. game, we're coming off a quick turnaround, didn't know (freshman center Joshua Smith) was or wasn't going to play until 10 a.m., they're come off a disappointing loss, come out fired up.
"A lot of things played in to it."
Namely, hurried shot selection - the Bruins missed eight-of-10 to start the game - ole defense and a lack of hustle, as Stanford pounded the glass and got to just about every loose ball.
And just as quickly, the Bruins came alive.
After going down 24-11 with 7 minutes, 56 seconds left in the first half, UCLA held Stanford scoreless for the next seven-plus minutes, tying the score at 24 with just under two minutes left before ultimately going into the half down 27-26.
UCLA players said they were able to flip a switch after admittedly coming out lackadaisically.
"Obviously it looks like it, but I guess once someone sets the tone," Lee said. "I don't know who set it, but you could definitely feel it in the game."
With the game remaining close, neither team leading by more than four points in the second half until more than 12 minutes had gone by, UCLA made its run with just over seven minutes left, stretching a three-point lead to 10 in four minutes before holding the Cardinal off. The win was the Bruins' fourth straight and 10 in 12 games.
"We're becoming really mentally tough," junior point guard Lazeric Jones said. "When things like this don't come our way, we fight for each other. When one person goes down or isn't having a great game, we have to lift them up and somebody else has to step up."
With Joshua Smith on the bench because of what team officials are calling a "head injury" but not a concussion and sophomore forward Reeves Nelson hobbled because of a left ankle sprain, which will require a precautionary X-ray on Monday morning, the Bruins turned to a pair of juniors.
The backcourt combo of Lee and Jones came alive for UCLA (13-6, 5-2) in the second half, combining for 26 second-half points - including 14 by Jones - while playing lock-down defense on Stanford (10-8, 2-4) guards.
Lee, who tied a season-high 23 points, and Jones teamed to knock down 19-of-21 free throws, including 14-for-15 in the second half.
It was Lee's defense on Stanford's Jeremy Green that draw Howland's praise after the game, as Lee shut down his second straight hot scorer on Saturday. Green finished with 12 points on four-of-15 shooting with three turnovers; on Thursday in an 86-84 win over Cal, Lee held fantastic freshman Allen Crabbe to four points before fouling out with 3:20 left. Crabbe finished with 17 points after averaging 20 over his previous four games.
"There's not a better defender maybe in the country at the wing as Malcolm Lee," Howland said. "He's as good a defender as anybody you'll see. He proves it time and time again. He can defend anybody; he reminds me of Russell (Westbrook) that way.
"He has the toughest job and he was just outstanding."
any news on the status of reeves nelson after he sprained his ankle?
i know he came back and played well after he sustained the injury but that might just be adrenaline and he was limping towards the end of the game. its always the day or two after where it really sets in...