sign in sign up
<<
Home , Bill Walton, Bob Cousy, Shawne Williams

UCLA MEN’S

March 25, 2006 Bill Bennett/Marc Dellins /310-206-7870 For Immediate Release

UCLA Men’s Basketball/NCAA Between Game Notes NO. 7 UCLA PLAYS NO. 4 MEMPHIS IN NCAA REGIONAL FINAL IN OAKLAND ON SATURDAY, WINNER ADVANCES TO “FINAL FOUR” IN INDIANAPOLIS; BRUINS EDGE GONZAGA 73-71 ON THURSDAY IN “SWEET 16” CONTEST

No. 7/No. 8 UCLA (30-6/Pac-10 14-4, Regular Season, Tournament Champions/No. 2 Seed) vs. No. 4/No. 3 MEMPHIS (33-3/Conference USA 13-1, Regular Season, Tournament Champions/No. 1 Seed) - Saturday, March 25/Oakland, CA/Oakland Arena/4:05 p.m. PT/TV- CBS, and /Radio-570AM, with Chris Roberts and Don MacLean.

Tentative UCLA Starters F- 21 Cedric Bozeman 6-6, Sr., 7.8, 3.2 F-23 Luc Richard Mbah a Moute 6-8, Fr., 9.1, 8.1 C- 15 7-01/2, Sr., 6.7, 4.5 G-1 6-2, So., 13.6, 2.5 G-4 Arron Afflalo 6-4, So., 16.2, 4.3

UCLA vs. Memphis – The Tigers advanced with an 80-64 victory over Bradley, led by ’s 23 points. Memphis has won 22 of its last 23 games and has a seven-game winning streak. This will be the team’s second meeting this season – on Nov. 23 in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, Memphis defeated UCLA 88-80 in an NIT Season Tip-Off semifinal. Last Meeting - Nov. 23 – No. 11 Memphis 88, No. 16 UCLA 80 – Before 9,766 at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, Memphis withstood a torrid UCLA second half rally and a career- high 28 points, including 23 in the second half, by Bruin sophomore guard Jordan Farmar, to beat UCLA 88-80. Memphis’ 88 points is a UCLA opponent high and the Tigers’ 51 first half points is a Bruin opponent half high. The Bruins trailed throughout the first half – Memphis’ biggest lead was 48-29 (19 points), with 1:39 left in the first half – and the Tigers led 51-34 (17 points at halftime). In the second half, Memphis opened a 20 point advantage (54-34, 18:56 remaining). Farmar’s second half scoring helped spark the Bruins’rally. From the 6:14 mark to 1:20 left to play, Farmar scored all of UCLA’s 13 points (two, two-pointers; two, three-pointers; 3-4 foul shots) and his three-pointer with 1:20 left to play, pulled the Bruins to within seven points (80-73). With 42 seconds left, Arron Afflalo’s three-pointer cut the Memphis advantage to just six points (82-76). In the final seconds, UCLA would again get within six points, twice – final time, on a Farmar three- pointer with six seconds left (86-80) – but Memphis’ Rodney Carney sank two free throws with four seconds remaining to seal the Tigers 88-80 victory. The Bruins (3-1) shot 38.8 (26-67) from the field, 38.9 (7-18) from three-point range and 67.7 (21-31) from the foul line, with 37 rebounds (first time this season the Bruins were out- rebounded), 12 assists, 14 turnovers, season-high five blocked shots and seven steals. Memphis (3-0) shot 53.4 (31-58/61.3 in the first half) from the field, 47.1 (8-17) from three- point range and 64.3 (18-28) from the foul line, with an opponent season and game-high 40 rebounds, 12 assists, opponent season-high tying 19 turnovers, five blocked shots and six steals. The Tigers were led by Shawne Williams’ 26 points, the most points scored this season against UCLA. Series History – Memphis leads the series 4-1. In 1973, UCLA defeated then Memphis State 87-66 in the NCAA Championship game, with scoring an NCAA record 44 points (21-22 from the field). Former Memphis State head coach became UCLA’s head coach after retired and served as the Bruin head mentor for two seasons (1975-77).

UCLA’S LAST GAME March 23 – No. 7 UCLA 73, No. 5 Gonzaga 71 – UCLA scored the final 11 points in the game and overcame a Gonzaga nine-point advantage with 3:27 left to play (71-62), to defeat the Bulldogs 73-71 in an “NCAA Sweet 16” contest in Oakland. It was UCLA’s 10 consecutive victory. Gonzaga led by 13 points at halftime (42-29). In “Sweet 16” contests and beyond, the Bruins overcoming that 13-point halftime deficit tied for the second-biggest halftime comeback in NCAA history. With nine seconds left to play, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute’s jumper gave UCLA its first lead of the game, 72-71. UCLA had four players in double figures – led by 15 points each from Jordan Farmar (he’s led UCLA in scoring the last two games and three of the last four) and Arron Afflalo (11 in the second half, including a , with two seconds remaining, that gave UCLA its 73-71 victory) and Mbah a Moute’s eighth double/double of the season, 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds (he’s led the Bruins in rebounding the last four games and in 30 of UCLA’s 36 games).

UCLA in the NCAA This is UCLA’s second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament under Ben Howland. The No. 2 seed is UCLA’s highest since 1997, when the Bruins were No. 2 in the Midwest. That year, UCLA advanced to the Elite Eight, defeating Charleston Southern and Xavier in Auburn Hills and Iowa State in San Antonio before losing to No. 1 seed Minnesota 80-72. Overall, this is UCLA’s 40th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. UCLA holds the record for most championships won (11 in 1964-65-67-68-69-70-71-72-73-75-95) and longest winning streak – 38 games between 1964 and 1974. In addition, UCLA ranks third in NCAA Tournament games won (88, Kentucky is No. 1, 99 and North Carolina is No. 2, 89) and second in tournament winning percentage (.733, Duke is No. 1).

Ben Howland – In his third season as the Bruin head coach, he’s 59-34 (.634) and in the last two seasons, he’s 48-17 (.738). In his 25th season in , he’s in his 12 year as a head coach (227-133, .631). Entering the 2006 NCAA Tournament, he was one of only 28 coaches to lead three different schools to the Tournament (UCLA/ Pittsburgh/Northern Arizona). The 2006 Pac-10 Coach of the Year, Howland has also earned Conference Coach of the Year honors in the Big East and Big Sky Conferences. In 2006, he led the Bruins to their first regular season Pac-10 title since 1997 and their first Pac-10 Tournament crown since 1987 and in 2005, he led UCLA back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002. He’s 7-4 overall in the NCAA Tournament and will be making his first “Elite Eight” appearance.

The Bruins – UCLA has played 36 games (30-6), the most in school history and Arron Afflalo, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Darren Collison have appeared in all 36 games, setting a school record for most games played in a single season . . . UCLA’s No. 7 AP ranking (No. 8 ESPN/USA Today) is the highest since the Bruins’ No. 3 ranking to start the 2001-02 season . . . UCLA’s 10-game winning streak is the longest since the end of the 1997 season, when the Bruins won 12 games before losing to Minnesota in the “Elite Eight” . . .UCLA’s 30 wins is the fifth time in school history the Bruins have won exactly 30 games (1973, 30-0, NCAA Champs; 1972, 30-0, NCAA Champs; 1967, 30-0, NCAA Champs and 1964, 30-0, NCAA Champs). The school record is 32 wins (32-1) in 1995 when UCLA last won the NCAA title.

Gonzaga Game Notes – Entering the Gonzaga game, the Bruins had held nine consecutive opponents to 60 points or less. . . The Bruins have been outrebounded the last two games and three of the last four (before UCLA’s win over California in the Pac-10 title game, the Bruins had outrebounded 10 consecutive opponents). . . UCLA was outshot from the field vs. Gonzaga (.404- .471), entering the game, the Bruins had outshot nine consecutive opponents. . . The Bruins are 7-5 this season when trailing at halftime (the last four times the Bruins have trailed at halftime, they have come back to win, averaging 44.5 points in the second half and holding the opponent to just 26.5 points).

10-Game Winning Streak – It’s the first time this season the Bruins have had a 10-game winning streak. In the current streak, UCLA is averaging 72.4 points, shooting .503 from the field, .398 from three-point range and .724 from the foul line and averaging 32.2 rebounds. Bruin opponents are averaging 55.5 points (Belmont’s 44 points is the lowest opponent total during the 10-game winning streak and Gonzaga’s 71 is the highest) and shooting .404 from the field, .339 from three-point range and averaging 27.5 rebounds. Individually, the Bruins have three players scoring in double figures – Arron Afflalo (14.7/team-best .462 from three-point range), Jordan Farmar (12.5/4.7 assists) and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (10.6, a team leading 6.8 and 1.3 steals and shooting .683 from the field). Also in the 10-game winning streak - Ryan Hollins has averaged 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and shot a team-best .700 from the field; Cedric Bozeman has averaged 7.1 points and 3.0 rebounds and shot .941 (16-17) from the foul line and Darren Collison is averaging 6.6 points, 2.0 assists and also shooting .875 (14-16) from the foul line.

In The NCAA – After three games, the Bruins have four players in double figures – Jordan Farmar (13.7, he’s led UCLA in scoring the last two games/ 4.7 assists/ .833FT%), Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (13.3 points/8.0 rebounds/3.3 assists/1.7 steals/ .696FG%), Arron Afflalo (11.7 points) and Ryan Hollins (11.3 points/5.3 rebounds/1.7blocked shots/.846FG%/.857FT%). UCLA is averaging 71.0 points and 32.7 rebounds and the opponents are averaging 58.0 points, 31.3 rebounds and shooting .403FG% and .225 3PTFG%.

UCLA Is – 30-5 when holding the opponent under 80 points. . . 22-1 when leading at halftime . . . 17-1 when shooting .500 or better from the field . . . 14-1 when holding the opponent to under .400 from the field . . . 25-2 when outshooting the opponent. . . 23-3 when outrebounding the opponent. . . 27-1 when leading with five minutes to play . . . With Cedric Bozeman in the lineup, the Bruins are 25-3 overall and with Bozeman as a starter, UCLA is 24-3.

UCLA Career Charts – Arron Afflalo (Three-point lists – 117 (No. 8)-312 (No. 7), .375 (No. 12), Cedric Bozeman (Assists – 382 (No. 10), Jordan Farmar (Three-point lists – 93 (No. 12)-275 (No. 11), .338), Ryan Hollins (Blocked Shots – 98 (No. 4).

Single Season Charts – Arron Afflalo (78 three-pointers, No. 4 tie), Jordan Farmar (59 three- pointers, No. 10; Assists-178, No. 11), Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (Rebounds- 292, No. 21, most since Trevor Wilson’s 299 (9.1) in 1990).

Honors - Here's a list of the Bruin in-season team and individual player honors. On March 6, Jordan Farmar and Arron Afflalo were named first-team All-Pac-10 (UCLA leads the conference with 104 first-team selections). Ben Howland – On March 6, was named the Pac-10 and USBWA Dist. IX Coach of the Year and on March 1, he was named a finalist for the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year award. He’s also been honored by CollegeInsider.com, CBS SportsLine.com and SI.com as the Pac-10 Coach of the Year. Jordan Farmar – A member of the All Pac-10 Tournament team, on March 10, named a CollegeInsider.com All-American. On March 7, was named first-team USBWA All. Dist. IX, on March 6, he earned first-team All-Pac-10 and was named to the Wooden Award finalist list (22 players) and on March 1, was named the Pac-10 Most Valuable Player by CollegeInsider.com. On Feb. 18, Farmar was named first-team NABC All-Dist. 15. He was on the mid-season Naismith Trophy (30 players) and Wooden Award (30 players) lists. He is also a finalist for the Award (nation’s top ). Farmar is one of just four players, he’s the only underclassman, mentioned for all three honors (joining senior guards, Illinois’ Dee Brown, Pittsburgh’s Carl Krauser and Syracuse’s Gerry McNamara). Arron Afflalo – Named a Scout.com fourth-team All-American. A member of the All-Pac-10 Tournament team, on March 7, was named a first-team USBWA All-Dist. IX and CollegeInsider.com Defensive All-American, on March 6 was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection and named Pac-10 Player of the Week (for his play in the Bruins’ sweep of the Bay Area), and on Feb. 18, Afflalo was named first-team NABC All-Dist. 15. He was named an early-season All-American by scout.com and named to the NIT Season Tip-Off All-Tournament team. Farmar and Afflalo - were named the nation’s No. 3 backcourt by SI.com (Jan. 25). Luc Richard Mbah a Moute – on March 7 was named the CBS SportsLine.com and SI.com Pac- 10 Freshman of the Year, on March 6 was named the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year (and Honorable Mention All-Pac-10) and a Freshman All-American by CollegeInsider.com. He was named to Seth Davis’ SI.com All-Glue team on Feb. 15 (given to players who emphasize team play over individualism). He was named the Rivals.com National Freshman of the Week (Jan. 30) for his efforts in UCLA’s two victories at the Oregon schools. Darren Collison – on March 6 was named a Pac-10 Honorable Mention All-Freshman selection.