• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

UCLA cuts down California

Jan 30, 2009 - 7:20 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Darren Collison scored 18 points and UCLA made sure California's visit to Pauley Pavilion on Thursday proved unbearable.

A surge midway through the second half powered the 16th-ranked Bruins to an 81-66 victory over the Golden Bears in a Pac-10 clash.

Leading 38-30, UCLA unfurled a torrid 13-0 stretch to muzzle California. Nikola Dragovic ignited the tear with a 3-pointer and Michael Roll capped it with a pair of free throws.

The Golden Bears (16-5, 5-3 Pac-10) went scoreless for 4 1/2 minutes until Theo Robertson hit a layup and was fouled by Jrue Holiday. Robertson completed the three-point play to make it 51-33.

"I don't have a lot to complain about tonight," coach Ben Howland told the Los Angeles Times after the Bruins forced 21 turnovers and had 16 steals. "I'm pretty happy."

Cal coach Mike Montgomery didn't have the same feelings.

"I thought a lot of those turnovers were our own lack of attention," he told the paper. "We exposed the ball. We got passive."

UCLA (16-4, 6-2) got that right back as Roll connected from beyond the arc to douse any hopes Cal had of a comeback.

"We're a very good team," Roll told The Times. "We have a lot of talent."

UCLA had assumed control early in the first half, breaking away from a 6-6 tie with six consecutive points.

The advantage grew to 21-13 before Cal ran off six unanswered points to close within a basket.

The Bruins responded as Collison had half the points in an 8-0 run that made it 29-19 with 3:25 left in the half.

Cal closed within 31-28 on a layup by Jordan Wilkes in the second half, but UCLA came back with seven straight points. Jamal Boykin countered with a layup, but the Bruins went on their game-breaking 13-0 run that ended up being part of a 19-2 tear overall.

Cal was paced by Robertson with 19 points.