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Collison, UCLA cruise by Prairie View in opener

Nov 13, 2008 - 8:40 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- UCLA's guards were too much for Prairie View A&M to handle.

Darren Collison scored 19 points and freshman Malcolm Lee added 12 as fourth-ranked UCLA posted an 82-58 victory over Prairie View A&M in the 2K Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer on Wednesday.

Freshman Jrue Holiday scored 11 points for UCLA, which will play Miami, Ohio on Thursday with a chance to advance to Madison Square Garden for the semifinals.

The Bruins, who committed 24 turnovers in the victory, are expected to win their fourth straight Pac-10 Conference title this season. The school has also made three straight Final Four appearances.

"The turnovers were killing me, and I think that brought my confidence level down a little bit," said Holiday, who had six turnovers in his debut. "I don't think we played to the best of our ability."

UCLA did not have trouble with the Panthers on Wednesday, but the team did not particularly play their best contest.

"Your first game out there," Collison said. "You're a little anxious."

Lee scored six points during an 11-0 run midway through the first half as the Bruins took a 20-10 lead with 10:54 remaining in the half. UCLA led the rest of the way.

The Bruins held a 38-19 lead at the break after holding the Panthers to 23 percent (5-of-22) shooting in the game's first 20 minutes.

Prairie View A&M trimmed a 27-point deficit down to 68-54 with 4:55 to play but UCLA's guard trio of Collison, Lee and Holiday combined for 10 of the next 12 points as the Bruins opened up a 78-56 bulge with 2:09 remaining.

Darnell Hugee scored 22 points to lead the Panthers, who were outrebounded, 42-22.

"I just think their firepower wore us down," Prairie View A&M coach Byron Rimm II said. "Honestly, we don't see teams this big."