Bruins Rally To Defeat NAIA Concordia in Exhibition Contest

By Bruin Basketball Report

Junior Mustafa Abdul-Hamid nailed a game-winning three-pointer with 16.1 seconds remaining to lead the UCLA basketball team past Concordia University, 62-61, in an exhibition game Wednesday evening in Pauley Pavilion. 

Concordia led by as many as eight points - 51-43 at 8:17 - after having secured a 31-28 halftime cushion. The Bruins tied the contest, 53-53, on a three-point basket by sophomore Malcolm Lee with 5:20 to play. 

Concordia opened a four-point lead (61-57) with 2:10 remaining and was held scoreless the rest of the way. A layup by sophomore Drew Gordon with 1:09 to play cut UCLA's deficit to 61-59 before Abdul-Hamid's three pointer handed the Bruins' their first lead since the 18:04 mark in the first half. 

Abdul-Hamid finished with seven points, shooting 3-of-4 from the field.
Gordon registered a team-leading 17 points and 11 rebounds for UCLA, connecting on 8-of-11 shots. The Bruins received 12 points from senior Nikola Dragovic and 11 points each from senior James Keefe and Lee. 

Junior Justin Johnson led Concordia with 21 points, scoring 17 in the first half. Junior Brandon Hucks added 10 points for the visiting Eagles.
In a closely-contested game, neither team led by more than three points in the first half. 

UCLA's projected starters Michael Roll (ankle) and Jerime Anderson (groin) did not play due to injury. 

The Bruins play their second and final exhibition game against Humboldt State on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Game time is 7:30 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion.

(UCLA Athletic Department)

UCLA vs. Concordia - Exhibition Game Preview

By Bruin Basketball Report

The 2009-10 UCLA Bruins play their first of two exhibition games starting on Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion against the Concordia University Eagles.

UCLA will play the exhibition game short-handed. Earlier this week, UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland announced that senior guard Michael Roll, sophomore guard Jerime Anderson and freshman forward Brendan Lane would not dress for the Bruins' first exhibition game.

Lane has missed the last two weeks of practice with a sprained left ankle. Anderson missed the first two weeks of practice with a strained left groin and only returned to practice this Monday. Roll also has a sprained ankle (right) and returned to practice on Monday, but only practiced in drills with no contact. All three players will continue to be revaluated on a daily basis.

The Concordia Eagles are members of the NAIA division and the Golden State Athletic Conference.  

The Eagles return two starters from a team that went 28-7 overall last year and 16-4 in the GSAC (2nd place). CUI was ranked as high as 4th in the NAIA a year ago and finished with a final ranking of 12th after losing in the NAIA Quarterfinals in 2009.

Senior guard Terrence Worthy is the team's top returner. Last year as a second-team All-American, he averaged 9.5 points, 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Another Eagle to watch is junior center Ben Smith, who averaged 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last season. Sophomore guard Cameron Gliddon is the team's highest scorer returning, averaging 9.6 points a game and drained 65 three-pointers last year.

Tip-off is schedule for 7:30 PM on Nell and John Wooden Court.