University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Morgan St
Bruins Humble Morgan State
December 01, 1999 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 1, 1999
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES - The band, cheerleaders and crowd made it a real game. But Morgan State was mere practice fodder for No. 12 UCLA.
Reserve Billy Knight tied his career-high with 15 points, and Jerome Moiso and JaRon Rush added 14 points each as the Bruins cruised by the Bears 100-39 on Wednesday night for the third-largest margin of victory in school history.
"It was like a good practice game," Knight said. "Even though we had a blowout, you have to execute every play. You can't play circus ball."
The Bruins (3-0) scored 29 straight points in the second half to reach the 100-point mark for the second consecutive game, the first time they've done so since winning the NCAA title in 1995. They beat Iona 105-73 last Saturday.
"Me and Earl Watson talked about that. We should win the championship this year," Knight said. "We have a very good chance."
The Bears' points were the fewest by an opponent in Pauley Pavilion since the 1972-73 season when UCLA beat Bradley 73-38.
"Unfortunately, we have to raise money and this is how we do it," Morgan State coach Chris Fuller said. "But no one should have to get beat this bad."
Morgan State (0-4) trailed by two points five minutes into the game on a 3-pointer by Ronnie Van Hook. UCLA took over with an 11-0 run, including six straight by Rush, on its way to a 49-21 halftime lead.
UCLA shot 68 percent for the game.
Jimmy Fields had 10 of his 12 points in the second half for the Bears, who shot just 30 percent and were outrebounded 36-23.
"We wanted to represent our school and give them a good game, but we didn't," Fields said. "It was nice coming to Pauley Pavilion, but we didn't play good here."
The Bears didn't hit a field goal over the final 9 1/2 minutes of the first half and UCLA's pressure defense forced 19 turnovers.
"That's the kind of attitude we need to have on defense," Moiso said.
The Bruins' quick hands snagged 13 of their 19 steals in the half.
"We have seen pressure before, but today it was a lack of poise," Fuller said. "We lost our poise and they took advantage of it."
The Bears got no closer than 23 points early in the second half. Fields hit another 3-pointer, and Reginald Bullock added a basket to cut it to 49-26.
UCLA went on a 20-8 run, with Moiso dominating in the paint when he wasn't hitting mid-range jumpers. He had nine points in the spurt as the Bears made just two field goals. Freshman Jason Kapono finished with 13 points.
Morgan State went completely cold with 11:18 remaining. UCLA scored 29 unanswered points, even after coach Steve Lavin sat down Moiso, Rush, Dan Gadzuric and Sean Farnham with about seven minutes left.
