CORVALLIS — A few years too late, UCLA has found its starting point guard.
For the third game in a row, Cedric Bozeman sat out because of a strained right shoulder, and for the third game in a row, the Bruins didn’t seem to need him.
Senior Ray Young continued a campaign for comeback player of the year with 19 points and a career-high nine rebounds, none more important than the last.
With one minute remaining at Oregon State, and UCLA ahead by one point, Dijon Thompson missed a free-throw-line fade-away. But the 6-foot-3-inch Young hustled for the rebound and converted the putback.
“The game was close, and I had to make something happen,” Young said after the Bruins’ 69-66 victory. “I was just being active.”
This prolongs the best week of Young’s career, in which he racked up 40 points and nine assists against the Bay area schools. He nailed three-pointers on consecutive possessions in the second half Thursday and gave UCLA an eight-point lead that stood up down the stretch.
“Ray Young is a guy who struggled for four years to put the ball in the basket,” Oregon State coach Jay John said. “Now (the basket) looks as big as the Pacific Ocean.”
The Bruins finally found a way to at least slow down Oregon State forward Philip Ricci, who was getting used to pushing them around.
UCLA rotated both freshman centers and an assortment of forwards against Ricci, often at the same time. They dared the Beavers to hit an outside shot, and usually they could not, making 5 of 22 three-pointers.
Although Ricci finished with 15 points and five rebounds, he had to sweat for each one. By contrast, when Ricci was at Pauley Pavilion, he powered for a career-high 26 points, 14 rebounds and a victory.
“UCLA was a lot more aggressive this time,” Ricci said. “Back in L.A., I had single coverage. Tonight, I had two guys on me and it was a lot tougher.”