Brilliant Ball leads No. 11 UCLA past Washington 107-66
SEATTLE (AP) — Lonzo Ball's demeanor stayed the same, even as the buzz built around his showdown with another standout freshman in Washington's Markelle Fultz.
The expected faceoff between Ball and Fultz — two of the best freshmen in the country and expected to be among the top picks in the NBA draft — never materialized in the way the sellout crowd hoped.
Ball finished with six rebounds, five assists and hit 7 of 12 shots, an impressive outing with 21 NBA scouts in attendance.
The outcome was decided by UCLA's dominant first half that led to a 52-34 advantage at the break and could have been even larger if not for a rash of sloppy turnovers.
While the second half became a blowout, it was UCLA's first-half offense that exploited every deficiency for Washington at the defensive end.
When the Huskies played zone, the Bruins exploited the middle and found open shots for Leaf.
Look for UCLA to take advantage of the chaos in the rest of the AP Top 25, especially the top 10.
The Bruins are likely to get a nice bump after sweeping the Washington schools on the road for the first time since 2004.
The Bruins earned their 21st win earlier than any other time in school history.