Bruins Don’t Overlook Titans, 90-82

UCLA didn’t pull a USC Wednesday night. Learning a lesson from USC’s football team, which was shocked by Fresno State in the Freedom Bowl on Tuesday, the Bruins didn’t take an underdog state school lightly Wednesday.

Ed O’Bannon’s second-half play and Shon Tarver’s all-around play keyed an inspired UCLA effort as the Bruins put away a stubborn Cal State Fullerton team, 90-82, before 6,039 in Pauley Pavilion.

O’Bannon scored 19 of his team-high 23 points in the second half, and the 61% free-throw shooter made seven of eight foul shots in the last 1:09 to seal the victory for the Bruins (8-2).

Tarver added 20 points, five assists and three steals, and Richard Petruska had 16 points for the Bruins, who shot a season-high 58.1% from the field. That helped offset 25-point performances by Titan guard Don Leary and forward Bruce Bowen. Leary made eight of 15 three-point attempts, tying a school record and setting a Pauley Pavilion record for three-point field goals.

“Some players mentioned the USC game, and we were really surprised they lost,” said UCLA point guard Tyus Edney, who had 12 points, five assists and three steals. “We knew we had to focus on playing hard just like we would any other game.”

And unlike they did last season when Fullerton visited Pauley Pavilion. The Titans, playing over their heads, nearly upset a much better Bruin team before falling, 86-80.

“We really didn’t overlook this team like we probably did last year,” said UCLA swingman Mitchell Butler, who had eight points after missing Monday’s loss to Pittsburgh because of a sprained wrist. “Last year we’d just beaten Indiana and some other tough teams and we thought we’d just walk away with the game. This year we knew we’d be in a battle for 40 minutes.”

From the opening tip, the Titans (5-2) proved they would be no pushovers. Though the Bruins held a considerable size advantage inside with the likes of 6-foot-10, 260-pound Petruska and 7-0, 245-pound George Zidek, Fullerton rode the hot hands of Leary to take four-point leads twice in the first half.

Leary’s first five three-point attempts were good before he missed from behind the three-point line with 1:15 to play in the first half.

Leary capped a 7-0 run to open the second half with another three-pointer from the left corner, which gave Fullerton a 48-45 lead, and the Titans maintained the three-point advantage until the 16:10 mark of the second half.

But UCLA went on a 16-2 run, with O’Bannon scoring 10 of the Bruins’ points, as UCLA took a 67-56 lead with 10:40 to play.

Fullerton didn’t fold, though. The Titans came back behind Bowen’s slicing drives to the basket, and his second three-point play of the second half cut the deficit to 85-80 with 52 seconds to play.

Bowen then stole O’Bannon’s inbounds pass, missed a short jumper and made a follow shot, but the basket was nullified because of a traveling violation. O’Bannon then sealed the victory by making several clutch free throws in the final minute.

“I think UCLA knew it was in a game,” said Fullerton Coach Brad Holland, the former Bruin player and assistant coach who admitted getting lost trying to find the visitors’ dressing room before the game. “We came close but couldn’t get over the hump in the second half. But I think we’re better for playing UCLA, and that’s the positive thing about tonight.”

Bruin Notes

Houston, which will play UCLA Saturday night at Pauley Pavilion, was scheduled to play Nevada Wednesday night at Reno, but the Cougars couldn’t get there because of heavy snow. They will arrive in Los Angeles today. . . . Tyus Edney, who played all 40 minutes, has sat out only 24 minutes all season.