Tucson CitizenTucson Citizen

Arizona-UCLA game blog: Cats pull out a two-point victory

UCLA’s Jerime Anderson misses a contested 18-footer at the buzzer … and Arizona has a happy Senior Day with a 65-63 victory.

The Cats missed 4 of 6 free throws in the final 23 seconds.

Kyle Fogg missed two of those, but he was otherwise huge down the stretch. He scored 16 of his team-high 20 points in the final 10 minutes; he scored 13 points in the final 6:01.

Fogg was one rebound away from his third double-double in four games.

Postgame:
Still climbing: Miller sees steady improvement after win over UCLA
.

* * *

Back to Kyle Fogg at the line, 7.8 seconds left. He misses the first. UCLA is going to have a chance to win. He makes the second, though, for a 65-63 lead.

* * *

Jerime Anderson at the line for UCLA, shooting one-and-one with nine seconds left. He makes both. Arizona leads 64-63.

* * *

On the in-bounds do-over, Josiah Turner tries to get the ball to Kyle Fogg, who is fouled with 12.3 seconds left. He misses the first, but makes the second … which is HUGE. Arizona up 64-61.

* * *

Josiah Turner has trouble getting the ball in bounds from underneath the UCLA basket, and he barely gets a timeout called before a five-second violation. That’s UA’s last timeout.

* * *

UCLA’s Joshua Smith, after grabbing an offensive rebound off a missed 3-pointer, is fouled. He makes both to cut the deficit to 63-61 with 12.6 seconds to go.

* * *

Solomon Hill misses two free throws with 23.4 seconds left. Ouch.

* * *

Kyle Fogg, double-teamed in the backcourt, threw the ball out of bounds to possession to UCLA. But the Bruins give it back as Tyler Lamb dribbles out of bounds.

* * *

More Kyle Fogg: He hits a 3-pointer from up top with 52.6 seconds left, although Tyler Lamb comes down and hits a floater to bring UCLA back within 63-59.

* * *

Arizona has the ball with 1:05 left, leading 60-57. A loss would would be lethal to its NCAA Tournament at-large hopes.

* * *

Far from over, but the Wildcats have McKale rocking, doing a lot of damage offensively inside (surprise). Jesse Perry’s basket gives UA a 60-55 lead with 2:00 to go. Kyle Fogg has been a beast down the stretch.

* * *

We’re at the final media timeout — 3:52 to go — and here’s yet another Arizona game going to the wire. UCLA has just turned the ball over as Tyler Lamb’s errant entry pass to Joshua Smith went along the baseline and out of bounds.

* * *

Kyle Fogg makes two free throws with 4:06 left to give UA a 54-53 lead. He has scored eight consecutive points for Arizona.

* * *

Kyle Fogg is looking very determined down the stretch. He drives the baseline for the basket and the foul … but he misses the free throw. It would have tied the game at 53 with 4:40 to go.

* * *

Huge break for the Bruins. After Arizona blocked a shot, the ball came to Tyler Lamb beyond the 3-point line. He had to rush a 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock … and it banked in for a 50-46 lead. Is it going to be that kind of day for UA?

* * *

Arizona shooting only 30 percent (12 of 40) as its trails 47-44 with 7:28 to go. Where’s the Ooh-Aah Man when you need him?

* * *

Tyler Lamb hits UCLA’s first 3-pointer of the game … and then Nick Johnson misses a quick 3 on the other end … and the Bruins’ Jerime Anderson responds with a basket for a 45-39 UCLA lead with 10:04 to go. That’s the Bruins’ largest lead of the game.

* * *

Tweets Christopher Wuensch of TucsonCitizen.com: UCLA’s Joshua Smith is quickly building toward five fouls because his nachos on the bench are getting cold.

* * *

UCLA’s Joshua Smith picks up his fourth foul with 12:34 to go as Kyle Fogg smartly tries to drive to the basket.* * *

* * *

UCLA continues to pound the ball inside, with Joshua Smith getting two easy layups, and Arizona coach Sean Miller picks up a technical foul with 13:35 left and the game tied at 33. Looks like he was arguing a no-call after Josiah Turner was knocked down.

Travis Wear made 1 of 2 free throws after the technical foul.

* * *

Can’t say the level of play has improved in the second half as the team combine to hit 2 of 9 shots at the start.

* * *

Arizona holds UCLA on the final possession of the half and takes a 27-26 lead at the break. This game won’t remind anyone of the great classics in this rivalry, but it’s likely to go to the wire. The teams have combined for 16 turnovers — nine by UCLA.

* * *

Nick Johnson hits 3 -pointer from the corner with 2:31 left to give Arizona its largest lead at 26-22.

* * *

Josiah Turner is really good at sliding the ball inside on the pick-and-roll, but the Wildcats haven’t been finishing today, which is a factor of UCLA’s size at the rim. Cats will need some 3-pointers to fall.

* * *

UCLA’s Joshua Smith picks up his third foul with 6:31 to go in the half.

* * *

This won’t make Sean Miller happy. Arizona has seven turnovers with 6:50 to go in the half. Too many turnovers (16) was one of the factors that contributed to a loss at UCLA last month. Miller repeatedly says he wants the Cats to be at no more than 12 turnovers.

* * *

Josiah Turner’s driving layup pulls Arizona within 16-15 with 8:16 left, as UCLA coach Ben Howland calls timeout. That’s the aggressiveness coach Sean Miller wants to continue to see from Turner.

* * *

Tweets Scott Terrell of TucsonCitizen.com: 14-11 score after 10 mins. Fans grumble but Herb Sendek thinks, “These guys are on fire!”

* * *

Some dots of white and other colors in the “Red Out.” Not as cool or visually stunning as the “White Out.”

* * *

UA baseball legend Terry Francona, the former manager of the Boston Red Sox, has nowhere be this spring, so he’s been hanging out in Tucson apparently. He threw out the first pitch at a UA baseball game last Saturday and is here at McKale today.

* * *

The teams had combined to miss their first six 3-pointers in an offensive snooze-fest to start the game, but Arizona’s Solomon Hill breaks the ice to give UA a 9-8 lead with 12:45 to go in the half.

* * *

UCLA leads 6-4 with 15:41 to go in the half. Certainly not Arizona’s worst start of the season, but not a good one, either.

* * *

Senior Alex Jacobson comes in with 17:17 left to defend UCLA C Joshua Smith, who also checked into the game. On the ensuring possession, Smith works down low and picks up a foul from Jacobson, making one free throw.

Looks like big man Kyryl Natyazhko is still in coach Sean Miller’s doghouse. Natyazhko was suspended for Thursday night’s game (not that he was playing a lot anyway).

* * *

Senior guard Brendon Lavender is scheduled to make his second consecutive start, this time in place of freshman Nick Johnson. Lavender started for point guard Josiah Turner on Thursday night.

* * *

Even Wilbur is wearing the new Nike Hyper Elite Platinum uniform.

* * *

We’re at McKale Center for one of the most anticipated home games of the season.

It’s not one of the classic matchups of the Arizona-UCLA rivalry — neither team is ranked and the Bruins aren’t going to make the NCAAs unless they win the conference tournament — but the stakes are high for the Cats.

Arizona, riding the NCAA Tournament bubble, can’t afford a loss.

The Wildcats (20-9 overall, 11-5 Pac-12) are a 12th seed in the latest ESPN.com projections. Jerry Palm at CBSSports.com, in his “if the season ended today” bracket, picks Arizona as one of the last four at-large teams in, having to play a first-round game in Dayton.

There is plenty of other fanfare for today’s game.

It is Senior Day, with the program honoring Kyle Fogg, Brendon Lavender, Jesse Perry, Alex Jacobson and Dondre Wise after the game. The Cats will be wearing their special Nike Hyper Elite Platinum uniforms, which were designed for nine national championship teams.

And the athletic department, on the heels of successful “White Out” campaigns” is calling for a “Red Out” at McKale Center.

As for on-the-court stuff, Arizona has a tough match up against UCLA’s big front line, even if it doesn’t include beefy Joshua Smith, who tweaked his back during Friday’s practice, coach Ben Howland told reporters.

Smith missed the first meeting of the season between the teams because of a concussion, but the Bruins still have a height advantage with the 6-10 Wear twins. David and Travis Wear combined for 34 points on 13-of-16 shooting as UCLA won 65-58.

Howland on Smith, who is 6-10 and 305 pounds: “Assuming he’s able to play and be healthy, he poses problems for them matchup-wise. They really don’t have a five-man that they play, per se. … So there’s matchup issues for Josh defensively, trying to match up with Arizona’s personnel, as it would be for their team when he’s in the game. A year ago they doubled him in the post and he made some really nice passes out of the double team that led to some good baskets for us.” (Read more UCLA notes from the L.A. Daily News.)

Steve Rivera at FoxSportsArizona.com has a look at the senior class.

Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star has a closer look at Alex Jacobson.

Also: Ex-Cat Mike Bibby is among the best on the all-time Best in the West team.

Search site | Terms of service