Feb. 28, 2008
TEMPE, Ariz. --
By Matt Storey, ASU Media Relations
No. 4 UCLA was too much for the ASU men's basketball team Thursday night, as the Bruins defeated the Sun Devils 70-49 in front of a crowd 11,419 at Wells Fargo Arena.
The Bruins had four players score in double figures, with freshman center Kevin Love leading the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Junior guards Josh Shipp and Darren Collison each had 17 points, and they combined for nine 3-pointers as UCLA was 10-20 from outside the arc.
"Darren [Collison] got a couple early ones that got them going," ASU sophomore guard Derek Glasser of UCLA's outside shooting. "They're tough to beat already, but when they hit 50 percent from 3, it's almost impossible."
The Bruins defense stifled the Sun Devils most of the night, holding them to their third-lowest total scoring output this season, including just 18 points in the first half.
"Their defense was excellent for 40 minutes," head coach Herb Sendek said. "Very few things came easy for us offensively."
Sendek also credited UCLA's defense for limiting freshman guard James Harden to just 11 points on 4-10 shooting.
"They just do a good job playing team defense," Sendek said. "They really do. He (Harden) didn't have many easy looks tonight. I wasn't able to create a lot of opportunities for him."
Harden was one of only two Sun Devils to score in double figures, along with freshman forward Rihards Kuksiks, who scored 11 points and was 3-5 from 3-point range.
Junior forward Jeff Pendergraph was held to just five points and three rebounds, and he had six turnovers.
"It wasn't one of his best games, and obviously it's very important for our team that he be at his typical high level," Sendek said.
It was a defensive battle early in the game, with the score tied 11-11 with five minutes left in the first half. However, two Collison 3-pointers sparked a 10-2 run by UCLA to give the Bruins an eight-point lead with 2:31 to play in the half.
The turning point of the game seemed to come with just over a minute remaining before halftime and ASU trailing by five. Harden missed a dunk attempt and the Bruins cashed in with a Shipp 3-pointer on the ensuing fast break.
"That was a key play," Harden said. "I should have finished the bucket. It was a big swing in the game."
Collison then made another 3-pointer just before the first half buzzer sounded, and UCLA went into the locker room up 29-18.
The Bruins then came out on fire to start the second half, as 3-pointers by Collison, Shipp and Russell Westbrook and four ASU turnovers helped them stretch the lead to 20 within the first five minutes of the half.
"Our turnovers really put us on our heels defensively," Sendek said. "Then, to start the second half, our defense wasn't as good, and they were able to open up the lead."
The Sun Devils never trailed by less than 14 from that point on, as the Bruins completed the season sweep of ASU for the fourth straight year.
ASU returns to action Saturday, hosting USC at 4 p.m.