UCLA basketball: Bruins meander through first half, trail, 41-31

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UCLA’s Senior Day was not building toward a Bruin scrapbook moment in the first half Saturday. Oregon missed its first six shots, then made 15 of 27 to take a 41-31 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Tajuan Porter, a diminutive 5-foot-7 guard, scored 11 of Oregon’s first 13 points for an early 13-7 lead. Oregon went on an 8-0 run, during which UCLA Coach Ben Howland used three timeouts in a span of 1 minute 54 seconds, to push the lead to 24-13.

UCLA’s shot selection, both by the Bruins’ own choosing and by the Ducks’ defense, was questionable early in the game. Of the Bruins’ first eight shots, seven were three-pointers.

The Ducks were seven of 10 on three-point shots. UCLA was four of 14.

Porter had 16 points in the first half. Michael Roll had 14 points to lead UCLA. Malcolm Lee kept the Bruins from being routed, scoring all 10 of his points in the last seven minutes of the half, after the Ducks took a 12-point lead.

--Chris Foster

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Twitter.com/cfosterlatimes