UCLA
Montana State
UCLA Wins Season Opener Against Montana State, 113-78
November 15, 2014 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES - Norman Powell scored a game-high 25 points to lead the UCLA basketball team past Montana State, 113-78, in the season opener for both teams on Friday night in Pauley Pavilion.
UCLA scored its most points in a season-opening game since Nov. 27, 1993, when the Bruins defeated Loyola Marymount, 115-77, in Pauley Pavilion.
Six UCLA players scored in double figures, as freshman Kevon Looney registered 20 points and nine rebounds in his collegiate debut. Bryce Alford totaled 18 points and a career-high 12 assists, while Isaac Hamilton scored 15 points in his first college game.
Thomas Welsh finished with 14 points in his collegiate debut and Tony Parker had 11 points with six rebounds.
After trailing 8-5 just 2:39 into the game, UCLA used a 38-10 scoring run midway through the opening half to secure a commanding 43-18 cushion against the Bobcats (0-1). Hamilton hit back-to-back 3-pointers at the 8:40 and 8:06 marks before Alford nailed a 3-point basket 36 seconds later, putting the Bruins ahead by a 35-17 margin.
Montana State's Danny Robison and Michael Dison each scored 14 points for the Bobcats, who were picked to finish 11th in the 12-team Big Sky Conference. Marcus Colbert added 12 and Blake Brumwell 10 in the debut of first-year head coach Brian Fish.
UCLA led at halftime, 60-32, recording its highest first-half point total since netting 63 points in an 100-70 win over James Madison on Nov. 15, 2012.
Looney became UCLA's first freshman to record at least 20 points in his debut since Jordan Adams totaled 21 against Indiana State on Nov. 9, 2012.
Alford registered 12 assists and just three turnovers, helping the Bruins finish with 25 total assists and 11 turnovers. The sophomore from Albuquerque, N.M., made 7 of 10 field goals, including 4 of 6 shots from 3-point range.
UCLA made 26 of 40 free throws, with Powell connecting on 12 of 15 attempts and Looney making 11 of 17 free throw shots.
Game Notes: Friday night's game marked the first collegiate contest for five UCLA players (sophomore Isaac Hamilton and freshmen Kevon Looney, G.G. Goloman, Thomas Welsh and Alec Wulff) ... Kevon Looney finished one rebound shy of a double-double (20 points, 9 rebounds) ... UCLA shot 57.4 percent from the field (39-for-68) and outrebounded Montana State, 39-32 ... Thomas Welsh scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half (11 of 13 minutes played in the second half) ... Noah Allen scored four points and had two assists in a career-high 20 minutes ... Wanaah Bail tallied four points and five rebounds in a career-high 17 minutes.
