UCLA basketball loses free throw shooting game vs. Arizona. NIT Time?

Home » UCLA Basketball » UCLA basketball loses free throw shooting game vs. Arizona. NIT Time?

March 8, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Lazeric Jones (11) steals the ball from Arizona Wildcats guard Nick Johnson (13) during the first half of the game of the quarter finals of the 2012 Pac 12 Tournament at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Losses are never pretty, and this was no exception. Arizona made more than twice as many free throws as field goals, sinking UCLA as UCLA could not guard the paint area.

With all this focus on defense, the Bruins really need to strengthen their ability to guard the paint… without fouling.

This is especially disappointing for me, as I will not have had a successful revenue sport team the four years that I was here.

While I can accept that the Bruins fouled more than the wildcats, I definitely felt the refs favored Arizona. A high fouling game never favors UCLA as WE SUCK AT free throws. Josh Smith only played 9 minutes before he fouled out. Heck, forget conditioning, stop fouling! UCLA shot around 60% on free throws again, and we attempted less than half of the attempts Arizona made. That was the entire game right there. Not much more needs to be said.

What makes this game extra frustrating was that this was a game that we could have won easily. We dominated the ball again, taking 59 shots to their 43 AND shot a better percentage. Fouls literally changed the game from a win to a loss.

I’m guessing we can get a NIT invite. Sure, it’s nicknamed “not in tournament”, but the last time we won this tournament we had Reggie Miller on our team, so it’s not all doom and gloom.

All that said, I’m looking forwards to next year. I’m going to be bold here and predict we are conference champions next year.

Topics: Arizona Basketball, Pac 12 Conference Tournament, UCLA Basketball

emelamed

stop fouling? did you even watch the game? half of those were phantom fouls! even the broadcast crew couldnt believe half of them! it was the refs overcompensating for letting things go in the first half, so they clamped down in the second. unfortunately, ben howland didnt tell his guys to just attack the paint and draw fouls while the az coach did, knowing he could get them to the line. it was a disgrace, and if ben howland or dan guerrero (yeah right) dont make a stink about how it was called, i would be appalled.

carlosatUCLA

@emelamed It was honestly the worst officiating I’ve seen in a basketball game, right up there with the Lakers-Kings series in 2002 (I’m a Lakers fan, and I can admit that) and Suns-Spurs 2007.

I felt like we attacked the paint quite a bit and we still didn’t get calls, where Arizona was living in the paint and got calls when a UCLA player barely passed gas. It was a friggin’ disgrace.

I can’t put this one squarely on Howland because we adjusted like hell offensively in the second half. That said, one game does not a coaching career make. That dude, in my mind, still needs to go. Justin and the vast majority of UCLA fans/students/alum disagree, and I can see why.
carlosatUCLA

@emelamed (Also, JH did outline that the refs favored Arizona, but no one ever wants to seem like they’re making excuses.)
JustinHsueh

@emelamed “While I can accept that the Bruins fouled more than the wildcats, I definitely felt the refs favored Arizona.”

To be honest, I felt that the refs were absolutely nuts- UCLA was barely getting calls in the paint. The refs probably thought “herp derp we called a foul last play, let’s not call a foul this play!”.

The “stop fouling” thing really applies to Josh Smith- he needs to get rid of the reputation as somebody who fouls a lot, because ALL of the iffy calls are going against him.

I don’t think coaches are allowed to complain, as UCLA is part of the pac-12.

I agree w/ you 100%. I’m probably even more frustrated than you as I’ve went 4 years w/o any revenue sport success. But I didn’t want to come across as a sore loser, the headline was enough. Arizona deserves SOME credit, even when the game was handed to them.

carlosatUCLA

@JustinHsueh @emelamed I’d buy you a drink for your having to deal with four years of disappointment, Justin, but I’m not legally allowed.