‘COX SUCKERS BRUINS

C.J. Wilcox spits out 24 in 2nd Half, and heads off UCLA by draining a 3-shot that seeds a Husky 14-0 spurt with 5 minutes left, to overcome a 4-point hole as UCLA goes down, taking it on the chin, 70-63

Malcom Lee and UCLA totally shut down usual nemesis Isaiah Thomas, who didn’t score a point for the first 36 minutes of the game, AND, they neutralized Washington’s other force, Matthew Bryan-Amaning, by clogging the middle and also by getting him in foul trouble.  But stopping the usual suspects was not enough, because Freshman C.J. Wilcox, who didn’t score a single point before Halftime, exploded out of the locker room to torch the Bruins for 24 Points, leading the Huskies to a season-saving, 70-63 victory.

Wilcox scored 13 of Washington’s first 16 2nd Half Points, all on outside jumpers, plus three Free Throws when he was fouled while shooting a Three.  After a very close 1st Half that saw 10 lead-changes, Wilcox’s eruption lead UW to a 40-33 bulge, with 11:45 to go.  But the Bruins, led by Joshua Smith, who dominated the Boards, and Jerime Anderson, who got blazing hot from outside, came back with a 20-9 run, to go up 53-49 with 5 minutes to go.  That’s when Wilcox hit another 3, starting a 14-0 run for Washington.  That run made it 63-53 with 1:38 left, basically putting the game on ice.

The Bruins didn’t quit, but Washington beat the Press with two long, over-the-top passes, then made enough Free Throws to keep the game in hand.  The Bruins were 8-point underdogs in Seattle, because it is notoriously a brutal place to play, AND because it was a must-win game for UW.  Due to their recent struggles, they had fallen onto the NCAA bubble, so they and their fans were ultra-fired up to win this game.  Despite all that motivation, the Bruins played a pretty good game, leading at the Break 25-24, and overcoming the 7-point 2nd Half deficit to take a 4-point lead with 5 to go.  Obviously, the Bruins played with heart, and that was proven when Smith went all-out and dived for a loose ball midway through the 2nd Half, during their comeback.

But heart wasn’t quite enough to overcome off nights by the Bruins’ two Star Forwards.  Reeves Nelson and Tyler Honeycutt just could not find the range.  When they got the ball inside, Washington was able to bother them with length and physicality, routinely knocking Nelson’s shots away.  The tenacious Husky D also forced too many Turnovers for the Bruins to be consistent on Offense.

Although Washington swept UCLA this year, the Bruins should feel good about their chances to get revenge in the Pac-10 Tournament.  The Bruins and Huskies will likely be the #2 and #3 seeds, so they could easily meet again, and in the Staples Center, the much-improved Bruins might even be favored.  The UCLA Defense was solid and forced Washington into 21% shooting in the 1st Half, before Wilcox caught fire.  He is unlikely to do that again, just like Nelson and Honeycutt are unlikely to struggle as much as they did on Thursday night. 

Therefore, the Bruins may just get a little revenge next week, on Lorenzo Romar’s team, and on his lead thug Venoy Overton, who mugs people, then FLOPS on the retalliation.  Bush League antics like that really blow, and losing to them for a third time would be very hard to swallow.