With Game on Line, Bruins Fold, 71-67

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A team on the verge of something played its season in a day Sunday.

UCLA had impressive moments.

UCLA had a costly turnover, took poor shots down the stretch, missed free throws and made mental mistakes.

UCLA lost.

The 71-67 defeat to No. 4 Syracuse before 29,731 in the Carrier Dome, the largest on-campus crowd in the nation this season, was another disappointing setback, a chance to win that became what might have been, much like the Bruins’ 1999-2000 as a whole.

“We’re trying to get past that point,” forward Jason Kapono said. “We’re 22 games into the season. We should be playing our best basketball. And we aren’t.”

In too many ways, they’re playing their same basketball. The intensity was there--never a given with these Bruins--and the offensive execution was there most of the game--they shot 53.8% in the first half and 50.9% overall. That was different from a lot of games, as recently as eight days earlier against California.

But the positives were wasted, along with 18 points and 12 rebounds from Dan Gadzuric and a combined 15 assists and five turnovers from the starting backcourt of Earl Watson and Ryan Bailey. There were too many critical mistakes.

“I thought that we played very well,” Coach Steve Lavin said. “It just comes down to a couple of possessions we didn’t capitalize on, a couple unforced errors. And obviously, the free throws.”

Or: As always, the free throws.

The Bruins were easily the worst free-throw shooting team in the Pacific 10 Conference at the start of the week after finishing last in 1998-99. They went into Sunday at 59%, then were 42.9% against Syracuse. In a four-point loss, they missed 12 of 21 attempts, with Gadzuric going four of 10, Kapono two of five and Jerome Moiso three of six.

UCLA had only six attempts in the second half and missed four. It scored only two points in the final 2:46, an offensive rebound that became a layin for Watson with 18 seconds remaining.

“If we just hit 15 out of 21. . . .” Lavin said, not needing to finish.

The most significant of 16 turnovers was hardly as predictable. A wild play from the Bruins, yes. A wild play from the Bruins’ Kapono, no.

He is the player they should want to have the ball, freshman or not, forward or not. He has proven adept at handling the ball and smart enough to rarely force a pass.

But there he was with about 2:20 left, with UCLA trailing, 67-65, and in position to help give the Orangemen their third consecutive loss after a 19-0 start, rocketing a would-be assist off the backboard.

It should not be overlooked that Kapono got the ball from Watson in the first place when Watson went between his legs on a two-handed drop pass. And then Kapono tried a lob pass from the right perimeter to Moiso near the rim, only to throw too much of a line drive. Such was Bruin discipline when an upset victory could have been a major boost to their NCAA tournament hopes.

Syracuse scored off the turnover. That it came on a second-chance basket for the 69-65 lead with 1:39 left, when Ryan Blackwell rebounded Jason Hart’s missed baseline drive, became especially significant about 90 seconds later.

Watson’s score inside cut the deficit to 69-67. The Bruins began to foul intentionally to stop the clock. On the third one, with 9.7 seconds remaining, the Orangemen were in the bonus. Blackwell made the first. But he missed the second, leaving UCLA with time to get downcourt to try a three-point shot to force overtime.

Except that Syracuse’s Etan Thomas, averaging 9.4 rebounds but at six because of Gadzuric’s inspired play, slipped between the Bruins for an offensive board. He was fouled with 8.1 seconds remaining, made the first free throw for the critical four-point cushion and missed the second.

The 71-67 advantage made Hart’s strip of Watson on the ensuing possession inconsequential. The bad shots in the minutes before, the turnovers, the missed free throws and the inability to secure inside position for a defensive rebound off a free throw had already taken too much of a toll.

The crowd erupted. The public-address announcer proclaimed, “We have started a new winning streak!” celebrating an escape against a 13-9 opponent. The Orangemen--one and counting.

The Bruins had lost for the fourth time in five games, and for the second time in eight days when victory was within reach. Their day of encouragement ended in disappointment. Welcome to the season.

UCLA RECORD AT A GLANCE

OVERALL: 13-9

vs. TOP 25: 2-4

NONCONFERENCE: 9-3

CONFERENCE: 4-6