The San Diego State Aztecs faced off against the University of California, Los Angeles as part of the John R. Wooden Classic in Anaheim on Saturday, beating the Bruins 78-69 behind a 28-point performance by junior guard Jamaal Franklin.
Junior guard Xavier Thames added 19 points with five 3-pointers to give the Aztecs their fifth consecutive win.
UCLA freshman guard Jordan Adams scored a season-high 23 points and matched Thames’ five 3-pointers for the Bruins. Freshman guard Shabazz Muhammad put in 16 points and sophomore guard Norman Powell added 10 points.
Senior forward DeShawn Stephens led the Aztecs in the first half with eight points and four rebounds, while Muhammad and Powell also scored eight apiece for the Bruins.
The Aztecs went into the locker room in the lead 31-29 after an evenly played first half.
Adams started the second half off with three back-to-back 3-pointers that tied the score, but Franklin answered with a 3-pointer followed by two 3-pointers from Thames.
Franklin scored 21 of his points in the second half.
“You’ve just got to go out and play for your teammates and worry about winning and that’s what we do everyday,” Franklin said. “That’s all we focus on doing.”
In the second half, the Aztecs went on an 11-2 run fueled by another 3-pointer from Thames that gave the Aztecs their biggest lead of the night and 11 3-pointers in the game.
However, the Bruins did not give up easily and gave one last fighting attempt to catch up to SDSU.
Muhammad and Adams spurred a 6-0 Bruin run that brought UCLA within five points with two minutes left, but it proved too little too late.
The Bruins were forced to foul to slow down the Aztecs 3-point shooting, but Franklin hit seven of his 8 free throws in the final minute and a half to tack on key insurance points that kept victory out of reach for the Bruins.
Senior guard Chase Tapley had a quiet nine points, including two clutch free throws down the stretch. This season Tapley has had knee trouble, but played solid minutes in the Aztecs 11th straight victory against Pac-12 opponents.
Stephens finished with a season-high 12 points and six rebounds.
SDSU shot 50 percent from the field and made 13 of 14 free throws attempted.
SDSU basketball head coach Steve Fisher moves to 2-0 against UCLA in his career.
“We are appreciative of the fact that UCLA wanted to play us,” Fisher said. “So let’s show them why we’re a team that they should want to play with regularity.”
The Aztec’s win snaps an eight-game losing streak against UCLA, a team SDSU has lost to since 1940.
“The Show” was at full volume during the game with faithful SDSU fans making the trip to the Honda Center in overwhelming numbers. More than 17,000 fans attended, and the echoes of SDSU chants boomed from the stands on many occasions.
“It was hard to play out there,” Muhammad said. “The crowd was erupting and it was difficult. They played really well tonight and the fans went out with a bang.”
“The Show” will continue at 7 p.m. tonight when the Aztecs host Texas Southern University at Viejas Arena.
