IrishIllustrated.com - Bruin puts the clamps on Cougars

February 10, 2006

With the Cougars (10-10, 3-8 Pac-10) coming off one of their biggest victories in recent times over archrival Washington, the Bruins (20-4, 10-2 Pac-10) didn't allow the era of good feeling to last long in Pullman as UCLA jumped out to 14-0 lead and with a defense as stingy as Scrooge on Christmas, UCLA never looked back winning going away 50-30. The Bruins held the Cougars to pauper's share of 12 points in the first half.

The swarming and hustling UCLA defense rarely gave the Cougars a good look at the bucket holding them to an arctic 14-51 shooting from the floor for a below freezing 27.4 shooting percentage.

UCLA is playing the kind of team defense that all good teams have to play for them to be successful on a cold shooting night. This is the kind of defense that can keep in you in the game.

It is a complete team effort on defense and not just one player, but the starters and reserves are all playing defense at a very high level

Most of UCLA's offense was supplied by their superb backcourt duo, Jordan Farmar and Arron Afflalo.

Afflalo scored seven of UCLA's first fourteen points and ended up the night with 12 points, four rebounds, a team-tying game high three assists and a steal for another well-rounded game.

It was a game time decision if Farmar was even going to play, but his competitive fire wouldn't let him sit. He ended up with a game high 20 points. Strangely Farmar didn't have an assist, but he did have five turnovers.

Still you can't put a price-tag on Farmar's on-court leadership. When Farmar is on the court it's like having coach on the floor.

Freshman sensation Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, in what is becoming common place, led the Bruins in rebounds with seven.

Cougar freshman Aron Baynes scored a third of their total points with ten.

The Bruins will take on an always dangerous Husky team in Seattle on Saturday.

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