UCLA
Delaware State
Men's Basketball Routs Delaware State
June 21, 1999 | Men's Basketball
December 2, 1998
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Baron Davis, the heart and soul of a very young UCLA team, played his first game in eight months Wednesday night and helped the 18th-ranked Bruins defeat Delaware State 109-67.
"It's been a long time coming," he said. "I had a lot of nervous energy once I came out on the court and saw my teammates. I wanted to get out there and get us running."
Davis, who missed UCLA's first four games while rehabilitating from surgery on the left knee he injured in last season's NCAA tournament, had nine points and four assists in 16 minutes.
"He brings that enthusiasm and leadership," UCLA coach Steve Lavin said. "That was refreshing to have that back. He makes your offense look better."
Despite a bulky brace on his knee, Davis showed no difficulty running or moving laterally. He found teammates under the basket with several flashy passes.
"I felt good," he said. "I'm still lacking some of my explosiveness. That's something I have to work on day in and day out."
Davis tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a second-round game against Michigan in March, underwent surgery in April and has been working on a comeback ever since.
No one was happier to have Davis back than his friend and fellow guard, Earl Watson, who had been running the offense. Watson hugged Davis as he entered the game for the first time.
"It was great. His spirits were up," Watson said. "Each game he is going to get better and better."
Until he does, UCLA's youngsters continue to impress. Freshmen Jerome Moiso and JaRon Rush carried the scoring load for the Bruins (3-2). Moiso had 18 points and Rush 17. Travis Reed added a career-high 16 points and nine rebounds.
Terence Hood, the nation's leading Division I free-throw shooter, scored 26 points for the Hornets (1-4).
"It was really disappointing. We had a chance to make it respectable and we blew it," Hood said. "When you are as small as we are, you have to play harder and quicker, but we didn't."
The game was over as soon as it started for Delaware State. UCLA scored the first 10 points and led 16-8 when Davis made his first appearance at 13:22.
The sophomore point guard had an immediate impact. After receiving a standing ovation, he fed Rico Hines on consecutive 3-pointers that pushed UCLA's lead to 22-10.
By the time Davis sat down with 3:40 remaining in the first half, UCLA led by 21 points.
Stefan Malliet, who finished with 19 points, hit a 3-pointer to pull Delaware State within 16 early in the second half.
"We broke their press for a while and I thought we'd be able to keep it respectable, but then we started giving up dunks, jumpers and second-look baskets," Delaware State coach Jimmy DuBose said. "You can't stop it unless you have size to combat size."
UCLA answered with 10 straight points, highlighted by Rush's reverse dunk off an alley-oop pass from Davis, to make it 69-43.
Davis and Rush combined to score 13 consecutive points that pushed UCLA's lead to 30 with 12:01 remaining.
