Jan. 18, 2001
By MEL REISNER
AP Sports Writer
TEMPE, Ariz. - T.J. Cummings scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half, including two free throws in the final minute that shut down Arizona State's final rally, as UCLA held on to beat the Sun Devils 91-83 Thursday night.
The Bruins (10-4) won their sixth straight and improved to 4-0 in the Pac-10 for the first time in coach Steve Lavin's five seasons with them. The win streak matches the Bruins' longest of last season, when the squad won six and added two more in the NCAA tournament.
UCLA led by 79-76 with 1:42 left in the game, but never gave up their game-long lead.
Billy Knight made two free throws with 1:15 left, then had another at 1:02 on the clock, and Matt Barnes rebounded his miss. Shawn Redhage's fifth foul put Ryan Bailey on the line for one free throw, and Cummings rebounded his miss.
He was fouled, made both free throws with 54 seconds to play, and the Bruins led 85-76.
Jason Kapono led UCLA with 25 points and Matt Barnes had 17 and nine rebounds.
UCLA played most of the second half without Earl Watson, who turned an ankle 3:36 into the half after scoring 16 points in the first.
Awvee Storey scored 21 points and tied his career high with 16 rebounds for Arizona State (8-8, 0-5), which lost its fifth in a row. Alton Mason had 20 and Redhage 16.
The Sun Devils closed within 48-47 when Storey stole a pass and dunked 3:00 into the second half.
It was only seconds after Watson left the game. But UCLA rallied behind Cummings, who made two straight baskets to start an 11-2 surge that boosted the Bruins to a 59-49 lead with 13:27 to play.
The Sun Devils got as close as they would get in the half, 37-30, when Redhage tipped in a missed free throw with 3:20 remaining.
But Watson made a free throw, and, in a decisive play, Barnes rebounded and passed to Kapono, whose 3-pointer made it 41-30 with 3:08 left.