UCLA Basketball: Bruins Defeat CSUN In Pauley Pavilion 50th Anniversary Celebration
After a subpar Maui Invitational, the UCLA Basketball team retuned to Westwood to defeat CSUN 77-45 in the 50th Anniversary celebration of Pauley Pavilion.
The UCLA Basketball team has returned from Hawai’i where they went 1-2 in Maui Invitational. After a bit of a let down in the Aloha State, the Bruins came back to Pauley Pavilion where they sharpened their claws on Cal State Northridge with a 77-45 victory.
RELATED: UCLA Basketball – 3 Things We Learned From The Maui Invitational
As part of our #PauleyAt50 Celebration, we thanked the 99 season ticket holders who’ve been with us for 50+ years! pic.twitter.com/RxwsmtWbOH
— UCLA Athletics (@UCLAAthletics) November 30, 2015
The @UCLAMBB Honorary Captain for tonight’s #PauleyAt50 game was Coach Wooden’s daughter, Nan Wooden. #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/Rqx9KoQ18b
— UCLA Athletics (@UCLAAthletics) November 30, 2015
This victory came at the perfect time as UCLA was celebrating 50 years of Pauley Pavilion with an evening full of festivities.
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UCLA had honored season ticket holders that have been with the Bruins for over 50 years and had Nancy Wooden (aka “Nan”, daughter of UCLA Basketball coaching legend John Wooden) as the team’s honorary captain.
As for the game, the Bruins looked like different team than we saw in Hawai’i. Though CSUN was a lesser caliber team than what the Bruins went up against in Maui, UCLA did not let up on the valley school as the Bruins had done an exceptional job on both the offensive and defensive ends.
Offensively, eight Bruins got on the board with four of them scoring in double-digits. Player of the game honors has to go to Tony Parker who got his fifth double-double of the season as he had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Bryce Alford also had a good effort as he had 8 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists. Isaac Hamilton scored 14, Aaron Holiday had 13 and off the bench, Prince Ali added 11 of his own.
On the defensive end, the Bruins did a better job off on-ball defense, pressuring CSUN and boxing out which had suffocated the Matadors. The Bruins had limited CSUN to 17-for-58 shooting (29.3%).
UCLA had started strong as they went on a 12-0 run to start the game. The Bruins did look back after that. This was a good bounce back game for UCLA to build their confidence as they will need it this Thursday, December 3.
That is when the #1 ranked Kentucky Wildcats come to town for a battle of legendary programs. This will be a big game Ladies and gentlemen, let us just hope the Bruins can bring some fight to this game.