Quick Hits: Parker, UCLA Roll
By Andrew Kahn
The Pac-12 teams with NCAA Tournament aspirations won last night, and others are in action tonight. In addition to the two games recapped below, Washington State survived a late rally to win at USC, 70-66.
UCLA 88, Washington 66
Tony Parker’s combined stats for the two games prior to last night: four points, two rebounds, two disqualifications. Last night against Washington, the UCLA big man stayed out of foul trouble and dominated, making 10 of 12 shots and grabbing five boards. In a profile that appeared in yesterday’s Daily Bruin, Parker is described as “the fuel [his teammates] need when their energy is running low, the jokester who knows how to relieve tension.” It was his play early last night that took the pressure off UCLA. With Washington’s already thin front court further weakened by Shawn Kemp Jr.’s absence (concussion), the Bruins went to Parker right away. On their second and third possessions, Parker buried his defender under the basket and converted easy lay-ups. He made a couple of simple turnaround baby hooks to help UCLA build a 19-5 lead. The game never got much closer than that.
With the win, the Bruins improved to 9-7 in the Pac-12 as they gun for the No. 4 spot in the standings and a bye in the conference tournament. Like last night, UCLA’s next two games are at home. But to make any noise in Vegas and beyond, UCLA will have to overcome its road woes.
Oregon 80, California 69
Oregon knows who its star player is, and he delivered again last night in Berkeley. But the key to winning three straight and seven of its last eight has been the scoring of someone other than Joseph Young. The conference’s leading scorer poured in 25 last night on 10 of 20 shooting, but Dwayne Benjamin carried the Ducks in the second half and finished with 18. Young scored 17 in the first half as Cal seemed to forget that the star guard is always hunting for shots. Jabari Bird kept the Bears in the game by scoring 16 in the first half. The 6’7” Benjamin got hot in the second half, chasing down his own miss to convert a difficult and-one, pivoting and dropping in a hook shot over a smaller defender, and nailing a dagger three to put Oregon up 76-67 with 3:12 left. The Ducks went 17 for 20 from the free throw line, which helped end a 12-game losing streak to Cal that dated back to February 2008.
Looking ahead
Arizona plays at Utah Saturday night in the biggest Pac-12 game of the year, so both teams will try to avoid peeking ahead to that match-up while taking the court tonight. Arizona visits the struggling Buffaloes in Boulder while Utah hosts Arizona State. Meanwhile, Stanford hosts Oregon State. The Cardinal is 8-6 in the Pac-12 but none of its wins have come against teams currently above .500 in the league. The Beavers are 8-7; 11-5 Oregon goes to Stanford on Sunday.
Andrew Kahn is a regular contributor to CBS Local who also writes for Newsday and The Wall Street Journal. He writes about college basketball and other sports at AndrewJKahn.com. Email him at andrewjkahn@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter at @AndrewKahn.
