Monday, December 7, 1998
Bruins intimidate Cowboys in Wooden Classic
MHOOPS: Starting lineup’s flexibility, constant rotating tire
Oklahoma State players
By David Arnold
Daily Bruin Contributor
UCLA coach Steve Lavin was up at 2:30 in the morning Friday
night, stressing about the next day’s game.
It was then that he decided to start sophomore guard Baron Davis
against the No. 11 Oklahoma State Cowboys in the fifth annual John
R. Wooden Classic on Saturday afternoon.
When Davis blocked the Cowboys’ final shot in the second half to
seal the Bruins’ 69-66 win in front of 14,237 at the Arrowhead Pond
in Anaheim, it did not seem like a bad idea at all.
"It just dawned on me that it makes more sense, seeing as Baron
goes through warm-ups," said Lavin after the game. "We might as
well start him and try to knock out six or seven minutes while the
knee is still warm."
With Davis in the starting lineup for the first time in over
eight months, No. 18 UCLA jumped out to an early 10-2 lead. The
Bruins never relinquished the lead, using an effective transition
game to chalk up their first win over a ranked team this season.
Earlier they lost to No. 2 Maryland and to No. 8 Kentucky a week
earlier in the Puerto Rico Shootout.
"It was a grinder game," Lavin said. "I think at times there
were stretches where we played as well as we’ve played all year,
but there were also stretches where we played very poorly."
"I don’t think our players were overly excited about their play,
but it was just good to get the win."
It was a victory that, though highlighted by Davis’ return to
the starting lineup, was earned due to heavy rotation and solid
team play.
The Bruins have experimented with different starting lineups all
season, which seems more because of the Bruins’ ability to start
any five of their players with similar results than an attempt at
secrecy. Lavin always refers to the selflessness of his team and
his ease in changing lineups without batting an eye. "We may never
know what our starting lineup is going to be," said Lavin "We just
have one of those teams."
Guard Earl Watson led the team in scoring (14 points), assists
(six), and minutes (37). It was, however, the Bruins’ depth that
ultimately pushed the Cowboys off into the sunset.
"We really got fatigued," admitted OSU coach Eddie Sutton,
"Steve (Lavin) kept a pretty fresh ball club on the floor."
The Bruins went 10 men deep onto their roster, eight of whom saw
double digits in minutes. Though the rapid rotation of the Bruins
was sped up by the foul trouble, UCLA found itself in early and
often, and OSU had no answer for the fresh bodies Lavin put out on
the floor. For their part, the Cowboys only played eight men, with
forward Scott Robisch only seeing four minutes and no points.
Things only got more difficult after halftime for OSU, when
starting point guard Doug Gottlieb received his second technical
foul and was ejected.
His first technical was awarded for overly contesting a call
early in the game. The second came after the buzzer blew to end the
first half. Gottlieb caught Davis with an elbow after the Bruins
had just scored on a layup, and because of a rule which mandates
that all fouls after the buzzer blows be technical, he was ejected
from the game.
Davis admitted he tried to draw the foul, saying, "I flopped a
little bit." But to their credit, the Cowboys tightened up on
defense, played a gutsy second half and made no excuses for
themselves.
"It’s my own fault," admitted Gottlieb after the game, while his
coach said little in his defense.
Sutton agreed with the referee’s decision.
"(Gottlieb) should have been kicked out of the game," Sutton
said.
It was a game full of surprises; most importantly, the 25
turnovers by a usually disciplined OSU team.
"That just doesn’t happen," exclaimed Lavin, "That’s like
forcing Vince Lombardi’s football team into 12 turnovers."
Unfortunately for the Bruins, however, Lavin was unimpressed
with his team’s performance after UCLA was up by eight points at
the half, with double-digit leads through the first half.
"It’s a tendency we have even in our scrimmages and practices,"
sighed Lavin. "When we get ahead we’re not as efficient offensively
and defensively, and we just have lapses."
"We’re making progress, but we’re still not there."
Some of the Bruin players had great games at an individual
level. Freshman Jerome Moiso scored 13 points and had seven
rebounds.
Moiso played so impressively that he drew the compliments of the
opposing coach. In the understated words of Sutton: "I thought the
Frenchman played pretty good."
Freshmen Dan Gadzuric, JaRon Rush and Ray Young had nine, seven
and five points each, respectively, with sophomore Travis Reed
adding 12 of his own.DERRICK KUDO/Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Baron Davis’ drive helps the Bruins win another game. UCLA beat
Oklahoma State, 69-66.
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