Westbrook, Shipp need to provide punch
Russell Westbrook missed all five of his field-goal attempts against Texas A&M in the first half Saturday and didn't make a shot until he dropped in a layup with 8 minutes 41 seconds left in the second half, and still, UCLA won.
Josh Shipp didn't convert any of his four field-goal attempts and never got to the free-throw line, and still, UCLA won.
The top-seeded Bruins had no offensive options beside Darren Collison and Kevin Love, were outscored badly in the paint and were hapless during a 17-2 run the Aggies began late in the first half and carried over into the second half, and still, they won.
They've consistently shown a flair for the dramatic the last few seasons.
This was almost a debacle.
"Lucky, good, the same thing," Westbrook said, slumped on a bench in the Bruins' locker room at the Honda Center after their 53-49 victory over the ninth-seeded Aggies.
"I feel good to get out of this and make it to the next weekend and give us another opportunity."
The Bruins (33-3) very nearly didn't get the chance to play in the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive season.
"I thought we were in total control," Texas A&M Coach Mark Turgeon said. "I thought we were always one step ahead, whether it was the ball-screen action or doubling the post. But, no, we just didn't make the plays in the second half."
The Bruins weren't making the plays in the first half.
Westbrook, Shipp and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who sat out the previous two games because of a sore ankle and was clearly rusty -- he missed his first three shots and traveled in the first few minutes -- shot a combined 0 for 11.
At the other end, the Aggies were muscling their way to a 26-6 edge in points in the paint in the first half
"It was a very physical game, one of the most physical we played in all year," Westbrook said.
"I mean, it was a great team we played there. Very competitive."
Shipp, who began postseason play shooting 45% from the field, has shot 35.1% (13 for 37) in the Pacific 10 Conference and NCAA tournaments. He missed both of his three-point attempts Saturday and is five for 21 from three-point range in his last five games.
"The ball just wouldn't drop for me," he said. "It was just one of those tough nights. . . . It was a rare night, but I did other things out there."
