UCLA
Arizona State
Bruins Stave Off Sun Devils, 72-70
December 31, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 31, 2009
LOS ANGELES (AP) -Nikola Dragovic tied career highs with six 3-pointers and 23 points and UCLA held on after blowing nearly all of a 16-point lead to beat Arizona State 72-70 Thursday in the teams' Pac-10 opener.
The Bruins (6-7) hit a season-high 11 3-pointers in winning for the fourth time in five games after a five-game losing streak had left them with the worst non-conference record among league teams.
Rihards Kuksiks scored 15 points for the Sun Devils (10-4). Ty Abbott and Derek Glasser added 12 points each. Glasser scored seven points in the final 1:03.
Malcolm Lee added 16 points, Michael Roll 12, and Reeves Nelson and Jerime Anderson 10 each for the Bruins.
UCLA built its largest lead of 16 points early in the second half before getting outscored 28-13. Abbott had eight points and Demetrius Walker seven in the spurt that left the Sun Devils trailing 60-59.
