ANAHEIM, Calif. – Those UCLA Bruins keep finding more drama and ways to win in the closing seconds.
Darren Collison scored the go-ahead basket on a one-handed layin with 91/2 seconds remaining, Josh Shipp contested Donald Sloan’s final drive and top-seeded UCLA held on for a 53-49 victory over Texas A&M in the second round of the NCAA tournament Saturday night.
The Bruins (33-3) won their 12th in a row and will face Western Kentucky or San Diego next week in Phoenix.
Urged on by 17,600 pro-UCLA fans that made it seem like a home game, the Bruins rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half.
Kevin Love had 19 points and 11 rebounds – his 21st double-double – and UCLA overcame the combined 3-of-14 shooting of Shipp and Russell Westbrook.
Sloan led the Aggies (25-11) with 12 points and Josh Carter added 10. A&M was trying to get back to the final 16 for the second straight year.
AP-ES-03-22-08 2359EDT
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