December 12, 1998

Box Score

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Never one to play it safe, Baron Davis gambled with the game on the line and came up big for No. 15 UCLA.

Davis hit two free throws with 36 seconds remaining and freshman JaRon Rush had a key steal and a basket with 10 seconds left as the Bruins escaped with a 72-67 victory over UNLV on Saturday.

The Bruins, who trailed by 13 points in the second half after leading by that many in the opening 20 minutes, outscored the Runnin' Rebels 26-8 over the final 11:59, but had to scramble in the closing minutes.

"We definitely have a way of making it interesting," UCLA coach Steve Lavin said.

Freshman Dan Gadzuric tied the game at 67 with a slam dunk and then put UCLA ahead for the first time in the half by making one of two free throws with 1:57 to play.

"We were all pumped up," he said. "We had to stay aggressive and not give them any opportunities."

The Bruins (5-2) got the rebound, but Davis missed. Brian Keefe missed a 3-pointer for the Rebels (4-4) and then Davis was called for his fourth foul on a wild offensive drive with UCLA clinging to a one-point lead. His third foul came on the same type of play with five minutes left.

"In the clutch, you have to be aggressive," Davis said. "You have to take every opportunity and exploit it. Sooner or later, you're going to get a call."

After a timeout by UNLV, Davis got fouled by Keefe and made two free throws, with the first nearly hitting the top of the backboard to keep UCLA ahead 70-67.

Keefe missed another 3-pointer, Davis grabbed the rebound and was fouled by Kaspars Kambala with 14 seconds left. Davis, making his second start of the season in a comeback from knee surgery, missed both free throws. But Rush stole the ball from Kevin Simmons and scored UCLA's final basket. He was fouled by Shawn Marion on the play and missed the free throw.

"We got three great looks at the basket," UNLV coach Bill Bayno said. "We got exactly what we wanted from Keefe, but we couldn't convert."

Keefe missed again from long range as the clock expired on UNLV's upset hopes.

"It's tough when you play that hard and you still come up with a loss," said UNLV guard Mark Dickel, who had nine assists. "We've never practiced as hard as we did this past week. We really thought we could win this game. We came in so prepared."

Marion, a junior college transfer, led the Rebels with a career-high 22 points and eight rebounds.

"We got robbed. That was a terrible call," Marion said of his late foul on Rush. "He (the referee) said I grabbed him and fouled him and I didn't."

Earl Watson scored 15 points for the Bruins. Freshman Jerome Moiso added 14 points before fouling out with 3:42 to play and Rush had 12 points.

UCLA's bench, non-existent the last couple of years when the Bruins relied on six players, outscored the Rebels' reserves 18-1.

"There was one situation late in the second half when I saw them grabbing their shorts. I knew they were tired," Watson said. "All we had to do was pick it up and go after them."

Trailing by 13 points, the Rebels got back in the game with a 29-8 run over the end of the first half and start of the second. Marion had 10 points in the spurt, including consecutive baskets, to put the Rebels ahead for the first time 50-42.

UNLV stretched its lead to 13 points before the Bruins went on a 15-2 run, including two 3-pointers by Watson, to tie the game at 61 with 5:04 remaining. The Rebels struggled on their end, with a shot-clock violation, a held ball and traveling called against them.

The Rebels never led by more than two points after that. UCLA kept tying the game until Gadzuric's free throw put them ahead for good.