SB Nation’s UCLA blog, Bruins Nation, is happy about the Bruins’ win over visiting Arizona State on New Year’s Eve. It was a game that the Bruins looked to have wrapped up, until the Sun Devils took advantage of some late Bruin lapses to make it uncomfortably close. The Bruins Nation recap post tells the tale of two completely different halves.
Bruins Nation: UCLA Gives Fans Heart Trouble In Beating Arizona State
Our effort in first half was a thing of beauty. And I am not talking about those 3 point shots. I am talking about the effort we showed on the defensive end and the tenacity we showed in how we attacked ASU’s zone. It was encouraging to see (Ben) Howland adjusting his defensive philosophy to fit the talent and skills of his team.
Compare that to
On the other hand it was discouraging to see the seniors fail to show any modicum of leadership in the crucial minutes. While boneheaded basketball is (Nikola) Dragovic’s hallmark at this point, it was particularly disappointing to see lack of composure from well coached players such as Roll and Keefe. I am hoping these guys will get back in the gym and work to address the tentative effort we saw in the second half. I think it’s clear that we might have the ingredients to put together a decent season. The question is whether we will see it on a consistent basis for the entire 40 mins game after game.
UCLA has another shot at playing a consistent 40 minutes Saturday morning. Yes, you read that right. The Bruins’ game against Arizona starts at 10 a.m. Pacific so CBS can air it.
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