UCLA, Lakers standout Walt Hazzard dies

Former UCLA standout and Lakers guard Walt Hazzard died Friday from complications following heart surgery. He was 69.

Hazzard, who was part of UCLA's first NCAA championship team in 1964 under Coach John Wooden, is considered one of the best point guards in the Bruins' history. He averaged 18.6 points a game as senior, leading the Bruins to a 30-0 record and the national title.

Hazzard was selected college basketball's player of the year in 1964, averaging 19.8 points a game in the postseason.

Photos: Walt Hazzard | 1942-2011

“Walt was one of the pillars of UCLA's first championship team in men's basketball,” current UCLA Coach Ben Howland said. “He was a great player and an outstanding coach at UCLA. He is a huge part of the Bruin legacy, and he left life-long memories for the Bruin faithful.”

Hazzard went on to help the U.S. win a gold medal at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo before being selected first overall in the NBA draft that year by the Lakers. He played 10 years in the NBA, averaging 12.6 points and 4.9 assists during his career.

After retiring he returned to UCLA and coached the men's basketball team for four seasons, posting a 77-74 record. He was replaced by Jim Harrick for the 1988-89 season.

Hazzard, who had his jersey retired by the Bruins in 1996, also suffered a stroke that same year.

"This is a sad day for the UCLA basketball family," Bruins Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said.

We'll have more on Hazzard's passing soon at latimes.com/sports.

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-- Austin Knoblauch

Photos: (Top) Walt Hazzard, right, accepts the AP All-America award presented by Sports Editor Robert Myers at a banquet on April 11, 1964 in Westwood. Credit: Ed Widdis / Associated Press. (Bottom) Bruins guard Walt Hazzard in action during a game in 1962. Credit: Associated Press.

UCLA basketball: Reeves Nelson reinstated, will play against Chaminade

UCLA Coach Ben Howland reinstated Reeves Nelson on Wednesday, welcoming the volatile junior forward back to the team after a one-game suspension for behavior issues.

Nelson is scheduled to resume practicing with the team Thursday and will travel to Hawaii and play in the Maui Invitational, which starts for the Bruins (0-2) on Monday with a game against Chaminade (3-0).

"Reeves understands that his reinstatement is contingent on his ability to continually meet the high standards we have established for all UCLA men's basketball players," Howland said in a statement. "He expressed to me in our meeting earlier [Wednesday] that he desires to be a better person and better teammate going forward and, given that, I feel as though I should give him that opportunity."

Nelson said in a statement that he acknowledged there were "corrections that need to be made and I'm grateful to Coach Howland and to have this opportunity to improve and work on being a positive force for our team."

Nelson had 13 points and eight rebounds in UCLA's season-opening loss to Loyola Marymount, during which he tuned out coaches during timeout huddles and sulked on the court when things went poorly for the Bruins.

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--Ben Bolch

Photo: UCLA Coach Ben Howland, left, speaks with forward Reeves Nelson during an exhibition game on Nov. 6. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

John Wooden statue to be erected at renovated Pauley Pavilion

John Wooden and Pauley Pavilion forever will be linked.

His UCLA basketball teams went 149-2 there. The basketball floor is named the "Nell and John Wooden Court" after the legendary coach and his wife.

His memorial service was held there in June 2010. His great-grandson, Tyler Trapani, even scored the final points at the arena before it closed for renovations after last season.

And when Pauley Pavilion reopens in 2012, Wooden certainly will be there in spirit -- and his image will be there in the form of a statue that will be situated on the new plaza on the building's north side along Bruin Walk, Athletic Director Dan Guerrero announced Tuesday in his weekly blog.

The statue will be sculpted by Blair Buswell, head sculptor for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

"I, along with some of my staff, was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit his studio and see his initial maquettes [concepts] for the statue when the football team played at Utah last weekend," Guerrero wrote. "The studio contains life-size replicas of some of his outstanding work, including statues of Jack Nicklaus, Mickey Mantle and Merlin Olsen ... what an amazing place"

He added: "I cannot wait until we unveil the final product."

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Photos: John Wooden, 1910-2010

Graphic: A bigger Pauley Pavilion coming in 2012

-- Chuck Schilken

Photo: John Wooden coaches at Pauley Pavilion. Credit: Los Angeles Times

UCLA basketball: Reeves Nelson suspended indefinitely over behavior

UCLA Coach Ben Howland announced late Monday that he had suspended junior forward Reeves Nelson indefinitely for unspecified behavior issues.

Nelson, the team's leading returning scorer and rebounder from last season, will not be with the team Tuesday when it plays Middle Tennessee State at the Sports Arena.

"This is a very disappointing situation for Reeves and for our basketball program," Howland said in a statement. "We have a high standard and code of conduct that our student-athletes are expected to adhere to and Reeves has fallen short of our expectations."

Nelson's status will be reevaluated after he meets with Howland this week, according to the statement. Nelson had 13 points and eight rebounds in UCLA's season-opening 69-58 loss to Loyola Marymount on Friday.

We'll have more later at www.latimes.com/sports.

--Ben Bolch

UCLA basketball: Ben Howland meeting with Reeves Nelson; status on team unclear

UCLA Coach Ben Howland said he would meet with junior forward Reeves Nelson on Monday afternoon to discuss a variety of issues, and Nelson's status on the team remained unclear.

Asked what the meeting was about, Howland said, "Just his behavior after the game [against Loyola Marymount], for example, walking off the court the other day, a number of things of that nature."

Will Nelson be in uniform for UCLA when the Bruins (0-1) play host to Middle Tennessee State (2-0) on Tuesday night at the Sports Arena?

"I can’t comment any further until I sit and talk to him," Howland said.

Nelson, the Bruins' returning leading scorer and rebounder from last season, appeared frustrated for much of UCLA's season-opening 69-58 loss to Loyola Marymount. He finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, missing all three three-point attempts he took.

Sophomore center Joshua Smith said the Bruins were "going to keep practicing" despite the uncertainty regarding Nelson's situation.

"I really don't know how he's feeling right now, to be honest," Smith said. "I still take it as he's part of the team."

Asked whether he had spoken to Nelson about his status, Smith appeared to indicate that Nelson was thinking of quitting the team.

"I’ve talked to him, but there’s not really any information to tell me where he’s leaning," Smith said. "I want him to stay."

Nelson has been an enigmatic figure for much of his UCLA career, sulking when things aren't going well on the court and occasionally berating his teammates. He threw the ball in teammate Brendan Lane's chest during a game last year.

Nelson can also be one of the most galvanizing players on the team, firing up the crowd with hand gestures and playing tight defense when inclined to do so. He was a first-team All-Pacific 10 Conference player last season and a big reason the Bruins were picked by the media as the preseason favorite this year in the Pac-12.

We'll have more later at www.latimes.com/sports.

--Ben Bolch

UCLA basketball: Marques Johnson Q&A regarding opening loss

Former UCLA All-American and five-time NBA All-Star Marques Johnson (above), who is also an analyst for Fox Sports Net, spoke with The Times on Saturday evening regarding his thoughts about the Bruins' season-opening 69-58 loss to Loyola Marymount on Friday at the Sports Arena.

Did Friday night show that for all the hype about UCLA's big men, college basketball is really mostly about guard play?

That's what it's all about. That's the main ingredient for success. If you have good guards in college and adequate big guys, you can win a lot of games. If you have good big guys and average to adequate guard play, you're going to struggle.

Did Loyola Marymount expose anything with its approach to the Bruins' big men?

Smart coaches know you spread them out, whip that ball around the perimeter and get these bigs firing out and then use the quickness of their guys, the dribble penetration, to create all kinds of problems. It's gonig to be tough to stop quicker teams and that's what you saw.

Did Joshua Smith seem significantly different than last year as far as conditioning, and was he a disappointment?

Yes. And again, you say that taking into account that the defensive strategy that Loyola brought into the game was to surround him, front him, get deep backside, weak-side help to discourage the pass over the top. And UCLA's got to do a better job; they missed him on five or six occasions where he was either posting up or coming across the lane. That's the one thing they need to stress more in practice -- feeding the post. That was the same thing Kevin Love kind of went through at times when he was there. He might have great post-up position, and it's a small window of opportunity. It's like, one-thousand-one and it's gone and if you don't pull the trigger with a pass, the opening is closed. And that's where UCLA was a little slow in pulling the trigger on some of those passes.

The weight, I was hoping, as we all were, that he would come back in better physical condition. It is what it is. He's probably not going to be in shape to run up and down the floor to be an effective player within a month or so, but he's still a force. I'm watching him just beat up those interior guys last night establishing position and catching it. I mean, he's going to pound anybody he plays against, but he needs to get in better condition and once he does that, he's obviously going to play a lot better.

Does UCLA need to consider zone defense?

Utah 31, UCLA 6 (final)

So much for all that talk about playing for a Pac-12 Conference football championship.

UCLA’s hopes came crashing back to reality Saturday night on an icy field in Salt Lake City.

Utah won its third consecutive game and became bowl eligible at the Bruins’ expense.

UCLA fell to 5-5 overall, 4-2 in Pac-12 play. Utah is 6-4, 3-4.

UCLA moved the ball well from time to time –- the total offense figures were fairly even, 295 for UCLA, 291 for Utah –- but the Bruins hurt themselves with penalties early and a huge turnover late.

Utah’s defense came up with two key stops in the fourth quarter. First, the Utes turned UCLA away with only a field goal after the Bruins had driven to the Utah 18.

Tyler Gonzalez’s 35-yard field goal cut Utah’s advantage to 21-6, and the Bruins had the ball back near midfield a few minutes later.

However, Kevin Prince then threw a pass right into the chest of Utah's Conroy Black, who returned it 67 yards for a touchdown.

It was Black’s third interception in two games and his fourth of the season. And it completely sank UCLA.

Prince completed 12 of 24 passes for 146 yards but had two passes intercepted.

Utah was paced by running back John White IV, who ran for 167 yards and two touchdowns in 33 carries.

UCLA was penalized 12 times for 91 yards.

--Mike Hiserman

Utah 31, UCLA 6 (4:05 left in fourth quarter)

Forced to go for a first down on a fourth-and-long situation, UCLA gave up the ball near midfield and Utah cashed in the good field position.

UCLA vs. Utah: Live updates from the game today in Salt Lake City

Utah 7, UCLA 3 (halftime)

The game began in a snow storm when the temperature was 32 degrees, the second coldest since Rice-Eccles Stadium opened in 1998. The game-time temperature was 29 degrees at the start of the Utah-BYU game in 2010.

The snow stopped in the second quarter, but the field remained slick.

Field position put Utah in command in the second quarter. An exchange of punts gave the Utes the ball at the UCLA 39-yard line. Seven runs later by John White and Utah had the lead with 5 minutes 34 seconds left in the first half. He scored on a one-yard run.

White has 67 yards rushing at halftime.

A fumble by Utah punter returner Griff McNabb set the Bruins up with a scoring chance as Isaiah Bowens recovered the ball at the Utah 17-yard line.

The Bruins managed only three yards and settled for a 30-yard field goal by Tyler Gonzalez.

UCLA had 65 yards in penalties in the first half. The Bruins had five false starts and one delay of game.

Gonzalez missed a 47-yard field goal as time ran out in the half.

Utah 7, UCLA 3 (5:34 left in the second quarter)

Field position tilted Utah’s way on a slick surface. An exchange of punts gave the Utes the ball at the UCLA 39-yard line.

Seven runs by John White later, Utah had the lead. White scored on a one-yard run.

UCLA basketball: Recruit Kyle Anderson stands by Bruins

(Over)reaction was predictably swift after No. 17 UCLA's ugly opening loss to Loyola Marymount on Friday at the Sports Arena.

Fans started a "Potential Ben Howland Replacements Thread" on a message board, alluding to their momentary desire to replace the coach who had just presided over the Bruins' first loss to the Lions since 1941.

Sophomore center Joshua Smith logged on to Twitter to vent his frustration, writing, "Just lost to some straight bums lol."

That left UCLA recruit Kyle Anderson as the voice of reason Saturday. The 6-foot-8 senior standout from Jersey City (N.J.) St. Anthony High who attended the Bruins' 69-58 defeat was standing by his future teammates.

"It was a surprise, but it was a tough loss," Anderson said. "Everyone goes through them. I'm sure UCLA will bounce right back."

What did Anderson see as the difference in UCLA's first loss as the home team at the Sports Arena since an 88-79 defeat to Utah on Dec. 29, 1961?

"LMU played their best game and it just so happened that UCLA didn't play their best game," Anderson said. "LMU made a lot of tough shots, a lot of long shots and a lot of layups. We just missed a couple of layups, nothing really major."

Anderson, who signed a letter of intent with UCLA earlier this week, said the defeat that is sure to knock the Bruins out of the national rankings did not change his perception of the team or the program.

"No," Anderson said. "Not at all."

Of course, UCLA clearly has issues to address before heading to Hawaii next week for the Maui Invitational. Heck, the Bruins have things to sort out before thinking they can even beat Middle Tennessee State on Tuesday.

They must stay in front of their man on defense and close out better on the perimeter. On offense, they must find a way to more effectively utilize Smith and forward Reeves Nelson while resisting the urge to shoot too many three-pointers like they did Friday, when they made only two of 15 attempts from beyond the arc.

Anderson said he hung out with the Bruins in the dorms after the game.

"They were upset," Anderson said. "They understood it's a tough loss. They just have to come together as a team."

--Ben Bolch

Photo: UCLA center Joshua Smith is blocked out by Loyola Marymount guard Jarred DuBois (4) and forward Godwin Okonji (22) during a rebound Friday night. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / US Presswire

UCLA upset by Loyola Marymount, 69-58

UCLA, nationally ranked in the preseason for the first time since 2008, was promptly upset by Loyola Marymount, 69-58, in its season opener on Friday night at the Sports Arena.

The Lions made 10 of 15 shots from three-point range against the No. 17-ranked Bruins. Ashley Hamilton scored 23 points and Anthony Ireland added 21 to lead Loyola to its first victory over UCLA in 14 games.

The Wear twins, transfers from North Carolina, accounted for nearly half the Bruins' points; David scoring 13 and Travis finishing with 11.

Reeves Nelson also had 13 points for UCLA, which shot only two of 15 from three-point range. Bruins point guard Lazeric Jones struggled from the field to finish with three points on one-of-12 shooting.

The Lions led for most of the game, including one point at halftime, despite playing without starting forward Drew Viney and coasted to the victory by maintaining a double-digit lead down the stretch.

Loyola opened its first double-digit lead, 53-42, on two free throws by Hamilton that capped a 12-0 run.

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-- Dan Loumena

Wire services contributed to this report.

Photo: Loyola's Ashley Hamilton scores inside against UCLA during a season opener on Friday night at the Sports Arena. Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

Chris Foster discusses Kevin Prince and UCLA football

Times UCLA reporter Chris Foster about Kevin Prince leading UCLA's resurgence, and if Saturday's game at Utah is a trap.

As Baxter Holmes wrote earlier this week:

"More than a month before Thanksgiving, UCLA's goose already looked cooked. Arizona's football team, with a five-game losing streak and an interim coach, roasted the Bruins by 36 points in Tucson on Oct. 20.

"The embarrassing loss prompted calls for Coach Rick Neuheisel's ouster, but UCLA responded with consecutive victories over California and nationally ranked Arizona State to pull into a first-place tie in the Pacific 12 Conference's South Division.

"Now the future suddenly looks bright with possibility. The only roadblocks between UCLA and a Nov. 26 showdown at USC with a berth in the inaugural Pac-12 championship game at stake are the conference's newcomers, Utah and Colorado.

"The Bruins travel to Salt Lake City to face the Utes on Saturday, then play host to Colorado on Nov. 19.

"Both teams have struggled in their inaugural Pac-12 seasons but Utah, liked UCLA, has reversed field by winning its last two games.

"It took far longer to get our first Pac-12 win that we had hoped it would, but we finally got it," Coach Kyle Whittingham said after Utah's 27-8 win against Oregon State on Oct. 29. The Utes improved to 5-4 overall, 2-4 in conference play by defeating Arizona, 34-21, on Saturday."

--Houston Mitchell

UCLA football: Bruins to play Texas in Cowboys Stadium in 2014

UCLA and Texas have agreed to play a spotlight game in Cowboys’ Stadium in 2014.

The game, tentatively scheduled for Sept. 13, will be nationally televised. The Bruins have a game against Virginia schedule for that day, but the two schools will work out a change.

UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero, in a blog posting to donors and boosters, said this week that UCLA had, “negotiated a deal that will feature the Bruins against a marquee opponent at Cowboys Stadium.”

UCLA and Texas just completed a home-and-home series. UCLA defeated Texas, 34-12, in Austin in 2010. Texas returned the favor this season, beating the Bruins, 49-20, in the Rose Bowl.

--Chris Foster

UCLA basketball: Reeves Nelson has bothersome left ankle

You could blame it on the Sports Illustrated jinx, except UCLA forward Reeves Nelson's left ankle started bothering him the day before he graced the cover of the sports magazine.

Nelson sat out the latter portion of practice Tuesday and did not practice Wednesday because of his ankle, though an X-ray was negative.

"We're not even sure what it is," Coach Ben Howland said. "It's not an ankle sprain, it's a part of his foot that he feels like was giving out on him all of a sudden. I don't know if it's from wearing a different pair of shoes or what."

UCLA hopes the only image of Nelson in action it sees the rest of the week isn't a regional cover of SI's college basketball preview issue; the Bruins would like to have their returning leading scorer and rebounder in the starting lineup as usual when they open the season Friday at the Sports Arena against Loyola Marymount.

Being chosen for the SI cover seemed to take Nelson by surprise, at least judging from his Twitter post.

"Who woulda thought that some low class white boy from Modesto would be on the cover of Sports Illustrated?" Nelson wrote.

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Photo: Reeves Nelson graces the cover of Sports Illustrated's regional college basketball preview issue. Courtesy Sports Illustrated.

Pac-12 basketball: Who is the conference favorite?

A group of reporters who cover Pacific 12 Conference schools, including The Times' UCLA beat writer Ben Bolch, recently gathered for a virtual roundtable to discuss pertinent issues as the college basketball season opens this week:

True or false: The Pac-12 is destined for a disappointing season after losing so much talent to the NBA.

Bolch: True. It's another hodgepodge of mediocrity, with no team poised to earn the national spotlight for a third consecutive season. Even the conference favorites have severe flaws that likely will be exposed during the NCAA Tournament. UCLA and coach Ben Howland have shaky wing players. Cal has a nice starting five but questionable depth. Arizona? Two words: Seattle Pacific.

Percy Allen, Seattle Times: False. I think 2010, when the Pac-10 sent two teams to the NCAA Tournament, was an aberration and won't occur again any time soon. Last season four conference teams made the 68-team tournament. I predict five will receive invitations in March, although four is a safer bet.

Bob Clark, The (Eugene, Ore.) Register-Guard: I'm saying false, on the basis that not much is expected, so with the bar set low, there's a chance for the league to exceed expectations.

Jeff Faraudo, Contra Costa Times: False. I think the league has lots of intrigue this season, partly because traditional powers UCLA, Arizona and Washington saw players defect to the pros. Cal has great experience, Oregon is coming on and there is plenty of young talent. I predict a great conference race, where no team avoids losing at least two or three times.

Doug Haller, Arizona Republic: False. There may not be a Final Four contender among the bunch, but 1-through-8 this conference should be pretty competitive. Outside of the big four, Oregon, Stanford and Oregon State are poised to make an upper-division push, and I wouldn't be surprised if Kevin O'Neill finds a way to keep USC relevant, even without injured point guard Jio Fontan.

Who's the conference favorite?

 

UCLA football: Aaron Hester reprimanded by Pac-12

UCLA cornerback Aaron Hester was reprimanded by the Pacific 12 Conference for comments he made after the Bruins’ game against Arizona State.

Hester was called for pass interference in the final minute, which helped set up a last-second field-goal attempt for the Sun Devils. The kick was wide and UCLA held on for a 29-28 victory.

After the game, Hester said the call was “terrible” and that officials have singled him out during games.

“Mr. Hester’s remarks were a clear violation of the Pac-12's comprehensive restrictions on public
comments on officiating, and he is being appropriately reprimanded,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said.

-- Chris Foster

Photo: Bruins cornerback Aaron Hester breaks up a pass intended for Washington State receiver Jared Karstetter in the first half of a Pac-12 game last month at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

UCLA basketball: Reeves Nelson, Joshua Smith on Naismith list

The Pacific 12 Conference had only three players on the preseason watch list for the Naismith Trophy, and two of them reside in Westwood.

UCLA junior forward Reeves Nelson and sophomore center Joshua Smith are among the 50 players up for the award given to the top men's basketball player in the country as selected by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Washington's Terrence Ross was the only other Pac-12 player on the list.

The list will be winnowed to 30 in February by the Tipoff Club before the winner is announced in April during the Final Four in New Orleans.

UC Santa Barbara senior guard Orlando Johnson was also on the preseason list.

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--Ben Bolch

Photo: Joshua Smith, Reeves Nelson. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

UCLA basketball: Are Bruins needlessly huffing and puffing?

UCLA Coach Ben Howland recently voiced concerns about his team's conditioning, saying the Bruins "were really sucking air" as the result of practicing on a high-school length court inside the men's gymnasium on campus while Pauley Pavilion undergoes renovations.

Here's the thing: UCLA has a regulation court available to practice on and isn't using it.

School spokesman Ryan Finney said the Bruins are not using the Wooden Center, which features a college-length court and will be used by the women's team for its home games this season, because of two factors: difficulty coordinating practice times with student workouts and intramurals, as well as Howland's preference for holding closed practices.

If the Bruins practiced at the Wooden Center, Finney said, they would not be able to close the facility to other students.

Asked Sunday after UCLA's 80-72 exhibition victory over Cal State San Bernardino if he thought his team's conditioning had improved from its closed scrimmage against Cal State Fullerton, Howland said: "I thought our guys were really excited. I thought Reeves [Nelson] got tired early in the game because sometimes you have the adrenaline flowing so much. Everybody was kind of like that to start the game. I think our conditioning will continue to get better as we keep pushing it, but I don't want to overdo it either."

Nelson said the Bruins had taken measures to improve their conditioning, including extra running in practice to make up for the shortened length of the court inside the men's gym.

No. 17 UCLA opens its season Friday night at the Sports Arena against Loyola Marymount.

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-- Ben Bolch

UCLA basketball: Bruins pull away for ragged 80-72 victory

There was a roll call, a recognizable voice over the loudspeakers and even the fan with blue hair heckling opponents when they shot free throws.

There was a comforting familiarity for UCLA at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario on Sunday afternoon when the No. 17 Bruins started their season-long road show.

UCLA turned in an uneven but ultimately triumphant performance, pulling out an 80-72 victory over Cal State San Bernardino before 6,259.

Sophomore Joshua Smith helped the Bruins rally from a 60-58 deficit with 7 minutes 33 seconds left by continually taking feeds and bulling his way around the interior during a 9-0 run. Smith finished with a game-high 26 points and seven rebounds, making 14 of 18 free-throw attempts.

Junior forward Reeves Nelson had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Bruins, who were missing Jerime Anderson as the backup point guard started serving his two-game suspension in connection with the theft of a laptop computer on campus this summer.

Senior guard Lazeric Jones and sophomore forward Travis Wear added 10 points apiece for UCLA, which outrebounded the Division II Coyotes, 40-30, and committed three fewer turnovers.

Senior forward Theron Laudermill scored 16 points for Cal State San Bernardino, which shot 44.4% to UCLA's 39.6% but had two key players, forward Kwame Alexander and Tre' Brewer, foul out in the final 5:11.

We'll have more later at www.latimes.com/sports.

-- Ben Bolch

UCLA 29, Arizona State 28 (final)

UCLA controls its own destiny.

The Bruins improved their record to 5-4 overall and 4-2 in the South Division of the Pacific 12 Conference, which moves them into a tie for first place with Arizona State (6-3, 4-2). What's more, UCLA holds the tiebreaker with their victory Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.

But the Bruins didn't get there easily.

In fact, even if that game going on in the Deep South is said to be the Game of the Century, there's a good chance it won't live up to what transpired tonight in Pasadena.

At the finish, Arizona State kicker Alex Garoutte was short on a 46-yard field-goal attempt as time expired. 

Just before that, the Sun Devils moved down field from their 24-yard line to the Bruins' 29 largely on three plays: a 20-yard pass from Brock Osweiler to Gerrell Robinson, a controversial pass interference call on UCLA cornerback Aaron Hester and a 12-yard pass from Osweiler to Mike Willie.

But Garoutte couldn't come through. He missed all three of his field-goal attempts tonight. He had missed only three all season coming into the game.

Some final stats: 

--The Bruins tallied 416 total yards, and 220 of them came on the ground. Derrick Coleman had 119 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 17 carries. Quaterback Kevin Prince had 61 yards in 15 rushes.

--Arizona State had 465 total yards, 264 through the air from Osweiler, who completed 22 of 38 passes and threw for two touchdowns. Robinson was his main target, catching six passes for 131 yards.

--Prince completed 11 of 17 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown. Nelson Rosario caught five passes for 151 yards and a touchdown.  

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UCLA vs. Arizona State photos

Here's a recap of the game:

UCLA 29, Arizona State 28 (late in the fourth quarter)

The Bruins have shown plenty of fight tonight and just retook the lead with 49 seconds left after a one-yard touchdown run by Derrick Coleman with 49 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Chris Foster previews the UCLA-Arizona State game [video]

 

 

Times UCLA reporter Chris Foster previews the UCLA-Arizona State game, including:

--How Coach Rick Neuheisel is downplaying this game.

--How UCLA can still play in a bowl game.

--Whether UCLA will use the same defense they did against Cal.

--What happens if punter Jeff Locke can't play.

You can hear all Foster's thoughts in the above video.

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--Houston Mitchell