LONG-SHOT ARIZONAWildcats' 13 three-pointers sink BruinsARIZONA 88, UCLA 79. Byline: Jon Wilner daily Information Staff Writer The momentum in the foul propelled Arizona forward Corey Williams from bounds and, for you to stay away from a collision, to the endline press table. He gained his balance, stood up and also realized your Kodak moment from hand.
Williams gradually raised his outstretched arms towards the frenzied crowd, and in the UCLA bench his white jersey had been layed out by way of a sea regarding red. The scoreboard ended up being noticeable over his left shoulder. Right now there had been 20.8 seconds remaining. The Actual Wildcats had been leading through seven. Your game had been over and 14,683 ecstatic Arizona fans within McKale center knew it.
"Everybody hyped up UCLA," Williams said a couple of minutes later, right after Arizona's 88-79 victory Saturday. "They won the national championship, nevertheless all involving the talent inside the globe doesn't make up for heart. These People are a great team and we give them his or her credit, but we don't provide these with any respect."
This may not necessarily have been the UCLA-Arizona classic, yet it absolutely was the most riveting game of the Bruins' season. Right now there had been simply no technical fouls, absolutely no controversial calls for you to interfere with the outcome. No brilliant tactical moves to draw focus in the players.
And after 15 lead changes and 5 ties, simply no comprehensive explanation of the events ended up being necessary.
The difference, simply, had been Arizona's 3-point shooting (13 of 20) and also the play regarding Wildcats guards Miles Simon (28 points) as well as Michael Dickerson (16), whom combined hitting ten associated with 13 3-pointers.
"When they will needed them, (the 3-pointers) just stored raining down," UCLA wing man Kris Johnson said. "It has been heartbreaking. We'd proceed through 2 or even three screens and also Miles could be out there with the actual shot clock winding down, along with he'd end up being 28 feet away along with hit it. This took away our spirit." The 3-point barrage came from your left wing and the right, through the corners, against any man-to-man along with against any zone, together with defenders flying and together with unobstructed views. The Actual Bruins began Charles O'Bannon on Simon, that furthermore had seven assists as well as five rebounds in the game of his college life. Then these people attempted Toby Bailey. That They switched to a 2-3 zone. Finally, Cameron Dollar gave it a new shot.
"I guess these people didn't discover virtually any answers," Simon said.
Arizona's 3-point shooting ended up being among two pregame factors of emphasis for your Bruins - your other: don't allow penetration - but they had small purpose to anticipate a new breakthrough performance. Throughout four Pacific-10 games, Simon was 3 of 12 from 3-point range along with Dickerson was 0 involving 3.
The dynamics in the rivalry - and Arizona's psyche - created the outcome lower than surprising. Arizona is actually 128-7 within McKale since 1987 and
the Wildcats historically play their finest after they feel most threatened. Saturday, these folks were without beginning middle Joseph Blair, who is academically ineligible. Also, along with a pair of conference losses to UCLA's none, they knew their Pac-10 title chances hinged in the outcome.
No. 18 Arizona (13-3, 3-2) was desperate and it was with home. Add the 3-point shooting and UCLA necessary a new performance it isn't yet capable of giving. "If we're going to lose to always be able to anybody, I'd like it to become in order to Arizona," Bailey said. "I hate in order to lose, but Arizona will always be the second-best team inside our league."
Harrick was disappointed since the No. 13 Bruins (12-4, 5-1) had several chances to win. J.R. Henderson mishandled your ball on a fast break with a six-point second-half lead. Then UCLA failed on three-straight possessions with a four-point lead. and along with 3:32 left, Bailey was called with regard to touring following an offensive rebound.
"We had turnovers within the better half in important situations," Harrick said. "That has been your MO regarding this team most 12 months and we've gotten through together with it. Nevertheless we can't find by simply with it in real big games."
The loss snapped UCLA's 2 winning streaks - 10 straight overall and 15 straight within the Pac-10. Yet your locker room was considerably more upbeat as compared to after the Maui losses, or the collapse at Kansas. Generally there had been no blurry eyes, simply no one-on-one sessions together with the assistant coaches in a remote corner. the Bruins lost for you to a great team playing from its best.
"This won't stick. The Actual last loss which stuck with me was
Tulsa," Dollar stated of the 1994 first-round NCAA Tournament defeat. "We feel we're even now within the driver's seat. Individuals tend to overemphasize one loss as if we're crumbling. but there was nothing you can do."
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Photo (color) UCLA's Toby Bailey attempts to drive the search engines actual lane against A.J. Bramlett of Arizona inside the initial half from Tucson. Associated Press