Shaking off the early jitters, the Lumberjacks battled tough against the No. 6 preseason ranked Bruins before finally letting them slip away to a 87-61 victory. HSU's one and only exhibition game prior to the start of the season next week, the Jacks were going against a squad that handily dispatched one of HSU's new California Collegiate Athletic Association rivals, Cal Poly Pomona, but 40 points one week ago.
"They're just another team like us," Humboldt State forward Kevin Johnson said, after going up against the Bruins. "Today, they were the better team."
Johnson was perhaps the least intimidated, if any of the Jacks were, pulling off his usual double-double to lead the Lumberjacks. Johnson's final ledger featured 17 points and 12 rebounds, topping all players in the latter category.
Also scoring in double figures for HSU was junior Cy Vandermeer, who dumped in 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Will Sheufelt added eight points and six assists.
"We played against a team that hammered us when we made a mistake," HSU head coach Tom Wood said. "Most good teams will do that. If we don't make those bad decisions, we're right in the game with them."
Even with the Bruins in most statistical categories, the Jacks' eventual downfall was three-point shooting, where the Bruins nailed 10 of 19 for 53 percent versus the Jacks' 6 of 20 effort, 30 percent from long range. Sophomore Josh Shipp nailed four on his way to a team high 21 points, and Aaron Afflalo contributed three three-pointers in scoring 18 for UCLA.
It took more than awhile for the Lumberjacks to find any kind of offensive rhythm, with a little bit of adrenaline and perhaps some nerves keeping their shots from falling. And the Bruins, known for their defense, had something to say about the Jacks' lack of accuracy as well.
Vandermeer was the Jacks' lone consistent force in the opening minutes, taking the ball inside for nine first-half points. It wasn't enough to check the Bruins, who found their own range early, with Afflalo hitting all three of his three point attempts to help them build a 19-point lead at 26-7.
Basketball skills took the place of nerves late in the opening period, fueling an 8-2 Lumberjack run that cut the lead to two on Kevin Johnson's three-pointer. Afflalo ended the half with an off-balance jumper, sending his team to the lockerroom with a 41-27 lead.
After the Bruins made a statement about their intent to win the game by scoring the first six points of the second half, the Jacks found offense again in Johnson, who nailed a pair of three-pointers to trim the lead to 12 points. Moyer also provide a lift with a driving layin. Again, UCLA pulled away when Westbrook showcased his athleticism with a shake-and-bake drive right through the Jacks' defense that opened the lead to 18 points.
Westrbook nailed a three-pointer to put his team up, 65-44, but the Jacks again put together a mini-run to pull within 16 again with 8 minutes, 11 seconds remaining on Vandermeer's layin. From there, the Bruins put some distance between themselves and their guests, expanding the lead to as many as 31 points down the stretch.
"We got better, and that's what I'm going to take out of this," Wood said. "I was proud of the way they played once they got relaxed."
For more information, contact HSU Sports Information, (707) 826-3631, or visit http://www.hsujacks.com/.