The Arizona Wildcats turned a close 1st half game into a blowout by routing the UCLA Bruins 85-74. The Cats led the Bruins 38-33 after the first half. The second half was a different story. Arizona came out blazing with a quick 5-0 run credited to a three pointer by Derrick Williams and a bucket by Jesse Perry. Once the Cats got going, they never looked back.
Whatever Coach Miller said to the team at half worked. Arizona was efficient and played excellent defense in the second half. Kyle Fogg showed great cool when Lazeric Jones hit him in the face with a cheapshot elbow after an intentional foul. Fogg went to the line and promptly hit four free throws in a row. Seriously. Did y'all see that? He was in the ZONE. He shot each free throw in succession with about 2 seconds in between. F'in clockwork... The Cats really started laying it on after that. Arizona continued to play D, run the floor on offense and knock down every open look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=O-apDiv-jgE
This was by far the best second half basketball that the Cats have played all year. Derrick Williams had about five incredible dunks and was as solid as he has been all year. (offensively). On a side note, Williams was exposed big time by UCLA's Reeves Nelson who continued to work his position and scored 24 points. on 10 of 12 shooting. Most of his second half points came off of moving Williams completely out of the play and laying in or dunking in an easy two. Momo, Fogg, Hill, Perry and Mayes all provided solid minutes in this game as well. Props to Alex Jacobson for bringing some much needed energy on the defensive side and coming up with a nice offensive rebound in the second half. The Cats need to improve on moving the ball past the full court press. This was the only major negative that I observed in the second half.
The Cats will take on USC on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. E.S.T.