UCLA basketball: Bruins hang tough in first half against Kansas

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That was more like it. UCLA didn’t let another slow start doom it in the first half tonight against Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse, clawing back and matching the Jayhawks for most of the first 20 minutes.

A Jerime Anderson three-pointer at the halftime buzzer rimmed out, leaving the Bruins with a 42-39 deficit in what appears to be a winnable game on a court where the Jayhawks have won 63 consecutive games.

UCLA didn’t fall behind 8-0 like it had in its previous two games, but the Bruins did spot the Jayhawks an early eight-point lead after Kansas’ Tyrel Reed hit back-to-back three-pointers and Markieff Morris converted a three-point play to make it 12-4.

UCLA sophomore forward Tyler Honeycutt was a one-man highlight reel, scoring16 points and converting a four-point play after making a three-point basket and drawing a foul. He later converted a three-point play after taking a backdoor pass from Anderson for a dunk in which Honeycutt was fouled.

Anderson has outplayed teammate Lazeric Jones, who was flustered on the way to four turnovers and no assists in nine first-half minutes; Anderson has four assists and two turnovers in 11 minutes.

UCLA Coach Ben Howland started forward Brendan Lane in place of Joshua Smith, but Lane picked up three quick fouls and played only four minutes. Smith was impressive in the early going, with seven points and nine rebounds in 14 minutes. More important, the foul-prone center had no fouls.

A 10-0 Bruins run late in the half, capped by a Jones three-pointer, gave UCLA a 39-35 lead before Kansas closed the half with seven consecutive points amid a flurry of Bruins mistakes. Reed has 15 points and has made three of four three-pointers for the Jayhawks, who have been outrebounded, 22-15.

--Ben Bolch, reporting from Lawrence, Kan.