SB Nation Los Angeles - UCLA Bruins Topple Washington State At Homehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48949/la-fave.png2010-12-29T23:47:41-08:00http://losangeles.sbnation.com/rss/stream/16671062010-12-29T23:47:41-08:002010-12-29T23:47:41-08:00UCLA Vs. Washington State: Bruins Topple Washington State At Home
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<p>It was a tale of two halves for <span class="caps">UCLA</span>.</p>
<p>Behind 21 points apiece from <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100900/reeves-nelson" class="sbn-auto-link">Reeves Nelson</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/53689/malcolm-lee" class="sbn-auto-link">Malcolm Lee</a>, <span class="caps">UCLA</span> came from behind Wednesday night to defeat visiting Washington State 80-71 in its Pac-10 opener at Pauley Pavillion.</p>
<p>Nelson, along with sophomore forward <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100903/tyler-honeycutt" class="sbn-auto-link">Tyler Honeycutt</a>, was instrumental in the team’s second-half comeback, scoring 13 points in the final twenty minutes. Honeycutt scored 12 points in the second half as well.</p>
<p>Collectively, the Bruins amassed a total of 51 points in the second half after trailing 37-29 at intermission.</p>
<p>Despite an injured shoulder forcing to him to miss the team’s last game against UC Irvine, Honeycutt, the team’s leading scorer, helped ignite the team’s second-half surge. A 20-6 run early in the half, brought the Bruins within striking distant after trailing for the majority of the game early on. During the run, Honeycutt scored eight of the Bruins’ 20 points, including two 3-pointers.</p>
<p>Two players finished with double-doubles Wednesday. Nelson finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Point guard <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/124521/lazeric-jones" class="sbn-auto-link">Lazeric Jones</a> also notched 10 points, along with 11 assists.</p>
<p><i>For more news and notes regarding <span class="caps">UCLA</span> basketball, check out <a href="http://www.bruinsnation.com">Bruins Nation</a>.</i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/ucla-bruins/2010/12/29/1903771/ucla-vs-washington-bruins-topple-washington-state-at-homeJoey Kaufman2010-12-29T15:26:45-08:002010-12-29T15:26:45-08:00UCLA Vs. Washington State: Bruins Look To Continue Hot Streak
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<p>UCLA has won five straight games, but based on the national perception, you'd have a difficult time noticing. </p>
<p>In those five games, only one has been against a team of note, No. 18 Brigham Young, but nonetheless, the Bruins have still managed to average over 76 points during their mid-season winning streak and appear to have settled in to head coach Ben Howland's new up-tempo offense. </p>
<p>Washington State, however, led by arguably the conference's most complete and dominant player in <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/53727/klay-thompson" class="sbn-auto-link">Klay Thompson</a>, remains a serious threat to win the Pac-10 conference and could make things difficult on a still young UCLA team Wednesday night. </p>
<p>Countering the presence of Thompson, Howland expects <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100903/tyler-honeycutt" class="sbn-auto-link">Tyler Honeycutt</a> to return to the lineup after the sophomore forward declared himself "about 92%" during Tuesday's practice, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-1229-ucla-basketball-20101229,0,4149418.story">according to Ben Bolch</a> of the <i>Los Angeles Times</i>.</p>
<p>"I'm able to do everything now," he told Bolch.</p>
<p>But while the return of Honeycutt from a shoulder injury should pay huge dividends on the offensive end of the floor, sound defensive play will remain UCLA's calling card, as the youthful Bruins will be expected to contain a guard-heavy Washington State. Thompson (22.3 points per game) remains the Pac-10's leading scorer and is projected as a first-round pick in next June's NBA Draft. A local product, Thompson, however, was not recruited by UCLA coming out of Santa Margarita High School.</p>
<p>"Believe me, I kick myself in the head every time I think about it because obviously he would be a great player here, as he would anywhere," Howland said.</p>
<p>Tonight's game tips off at 8 p.m. PST and will be televised on FOX Sports West.</p>
<p><i>For more news and notes regarding UCLA basketball, check out SBN's <a href="http://UCLA%20has%20won%20five%20straight%20games,%20but%20based%20on%20the%20national%20perception,%20you'd%20have%20a%20difficult%20time%20noticing.%20%20%20In%20those%20five%20games,%20only%20one%20has%20been%20against%20a%20team%20of%20note,%20No.%2018%20Brigham%20Young,%20but%20nonetheless,%20the%20Bruins%20have%20still%20managed%20to%20average%20over%2076%20points%20during%20their%20mid-season%20winning%20streak%20and%20appear%20to%20have%20settled%20in%20to%20head%20coach%20Ben%20Howland's%20new%20up-tempo%20offense.%20%20%20Washington%20State,%20however,%20led%20by%20arguably%20the%20conference's%20most%20complete%20and%20dominant%20player%20in%20Klay%20Thompson,%20remains%20a%20serious%20threat%20to%20win%20the%20Pac-10%20conference%20and%20could%20make%20things%20difficult%20on%20a%20still%20young%20UCLA%20team%20Wednesday%20night.%20%20%20Countering%20the%20presence%20of%20Thompson,%20Howland%20expects%20Tyler%20Honeycutt%20to%20return%20to%20the%20lineup%20after%20the%20sophomore%20forward%20declared%20himself%20">Bruins Nation</a>.</i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/2010/12/29/2327167/ucla-vs-washington-state-bruins-look-to-continue-hot-streakJoey Kaufman