UCLA basketball: Bruins pull out 58-54 overtime victory against Washington State
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
Only good things, it seems, happen to UCLA basketball here at Pullman, Wash.
The Bruins trailed Washington State by 13 points at halftime and appeared destined for their first defeat at Pullman since 1993, before storming back to force overtime and eventually pull out a 58-54 victory.
Junior guard Malcolm Lee made four free throws in the final 6.9 seconds to help UCLA (22-9 overall, 13-5 Pacific 10 Conference) clinch the No. 2 seeding for next week’s Pacific Life Pac-10 tournament at Staples Center.
Washington State had the ball in the final minute, with the score tied, before Bruins forward Tyler Honeycutt forced a turnover and UCLA got the ball to Lee, who was fouled underneath the basket with 6.9 seconds left. Lee made both free throws and then Bruins guard Jerime Anderson forced a turnover in the backcourt. The Cougars then fouled Lee with 3.6 seconds remaining, and he made two more free throws.
UCLA took a 54-49 lead in the extra period on a one-handed shot by Honeycutt off the backboard, but Washington State’s Abe Lodwick countered with a reverse layup and Faisal Aden tied the score at 54-54 on a three-point shot with 1 minutes 16 seconds left.
It was redemption for Aden, whose three-pointer at the end of regulation was short.
Washington State was missing starters Klay Thompson (drug suspension) and Reggie Moore (sprained ankle).
We’ll have more later at www.latimes.com/sports.
--Ben Bolch in Pullman, Wash.