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  Tuesday, Dec. 28 10:30pm ET
Pepperdine gives UCLA big scare
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- UCLA coach Steve Lavin is grateful there's no instant replay in college basketball.

Earl Watson
UCLA's Earl Watson, right, stretches to grab a loose ball from Davis Lalazarian, left, and Tommie Prince.

The Bruins (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today, No. 23 AP) escaped with a 68-66 victory over Pepperdine on Tuesday night after Craig Lewis' putback at the buzzer was waved off by referee Ruben Ramos.

"During the game it's hard to be objective, but when clear heads prevail, I will probably see it was before the buzzer," Lavin said.

The Waves certainly thought so.

David Lalazarian missed a 3-pointer from the right corner, but Lewis grabbed the rebound on the left side and put the ball in, believing the Waves had forced overtime. Referee Andy Rios signaled '2,' but Ramos ruled the shot was too late.

"The first thing I looked at was the red light behind the basket," Pepperdine coach Jan van Breda Kolff said. "He shot the ball, it went through the net and the red light went off. I figured we were going into overtime, but I guess the officials saw it differently."

The Waves were stunned and a furious Lalazarian, shouting all the way, chased Ramos off the court before being restrained. Van Breda Kolff charged across the halfcourt line, but the referees were already in their dressing room.

"I thought it was good. It felt good," Lewis said. "I never looked at the clock, I never had time to."

Kelvin Gibbs said van Breda Kolff watched a replay courtside after the game.

"He said he saw that the red light didn't go on until the shot went in," Gibbs said. "We felt the referee made a bad decision, but we should not have put ourselves in that position."

Jerome Moiso put in a left-handed bank shot off the glass with 43 seconds remaining to cap the comeback victory for UCLA (7-2).

"College basketball is a wild, wacky marathon and you have to hang tough," Lavin said. "It was fortunate we were able to escape with a win and learn a lesson."

The Bruins were on their way to making some unwanted history when they trailed by eight points midway through the second half. Having lost to Gonzaga on Dec. 11, the Bruins were in danger of losing to two West Coast Conference teams at home in the same season for the first time ever.

"We need to find a way to stay motivated for any team," Moiso said.

Moiso tied the game at 65 with 1:28 left. After Lewis hit one of two free throws to put Pepperdine ahead by one, Moiso banked in the go-ahead basket.

Gibbs missed a shot over 6-foot-11 Dan Gadzuric and Moiso grabbed the rebound. He was fouled and made one of two free throws with 23 seconds left.

Moiso led the Bruins with 15 points and Gadzuric added 13 points and 11 rebounds in their first meeting with Pepperdine since 1991. The Waves (8-4) have lost all eight of their games at Pauley Pavilion.

Tezale Archie led Pepperdine with 14 points, while Gibbs added 13 and Lalazarian 12.

The Bruins trailed most of the second half, but got back into the game with a 17-4 run that put them ahead 63-58 with 6:29 left.

The Waves came right back, scoring seven straight points, including a 3 by Lewis, for a 65-63 lead.

Moiso, who scored inside to get the Bruins within one, had their final five points.

 


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