Washington State have lost their last 6 games and have struggled on the road.
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He didn’t start senior Tony Parker for the first time in 22 games this season, replacing him with more athletic sophomore Jonah Bolden.
The result was the biggest UCLA win since 2009. UW’s 5-2 record through its first seven games is its best start since the 2011-12 season. “Probably our best 40 minutes that we’ve had all year”. Parker played next to him as the team’s backup center, finishing with 11 points and three boards in 18 minutes.
Parker was 5 of 5 from the foul line and took a charge. That hadn’t happened all year. He’s frankly made a career out of it with the Huskies, whether it’s been sticking with UW when most of his teammates chose to transfer after last season, or being open to switching to a different position.
Washington State offered a good litmus test for the change.
The UCLA Bruins and Washington State Cougars both hold losing records against teams in the Pac-12 Conference. He’s one of two freshman nationally to average at least those numbers and out of the two, isn’t leading his team in scoring. After making just seven shots in the first half, WSU finished with a season-low 33.3 percent from the field.
Star forward Josh Hawkinson, who leads the league with 15 double-doubles, was a non-factor.
Washington: Malik Dime had 10 rebounds…. Andrew Andrews had 35 points for the Huskies in that game.
“There has been slippage in the second half, and that’s what’s hurt us”, Romar said. “Jonah had an terrible lot to do with that”.
“It’s very good when that ball goes in”, Romar said, matter-of-factly.
No buzz. Even the fans who did come to watch the UCLA Bruins host the Washington Huskies seemed disinterested, and it’s worth wondering now if the home team might have followed their lead. After the Huskies went up 84-82 on a 3-pointer by Donaven Dorsey and two free throws by Andrews, Alford hit a jumper for another tie at 84-all. “We have to get more athletic, we have to be able to play the way we like playing a little bit more … and I thought he handled it really well”. He had a number of impressive baskets, including a floater off a Euro Step, a three-point play on a dunk, and back-to-back three-point field goals from opposite sides of the court. For a two-minute stretch, Hamilton outscored the Cougars by himself, 11-0.
“Coach emphasized come with passion and a sense of urgency, and that’s what we did”, Hamilton said. “I think we’re all prepared for this situation”.
Junior guard Bryce Alford finished with 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists, doing most of his damage from the free-throw line, where he was seven for seven.
Halftime-UCLA 36-23. 3-Point Goals-Washington St. 5-24 (Johnson 3-7, Iroegbu 2-6, Hawkinson 0-1, Redding 0-1, King 0-1, Suggs 0-1, Daniels 0-1, Franks 0-1, Boese 0-2, Callison 0-3), UCLA 5-16 (Hamilton 2-6, Goloman 1-1, Ali 1-2, Alford 1-3, Bolden 0-2, Holiday 0-2).
That said perspective is needed. Slowed by three fouls in the first half, the Huskies star hit the go-ahead foul shots that allowed his team to remain tied atop the Pac-12 standings.
On the new starting lineup… “It’s going to be helpful for us being more efficient offensively and defensively going forward”.
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On the change in the post…
