Edney, Bruins Run Uconn Off Court 102-96 Win Over Connecticut Spells Relief For No. 1 Ucla

Too fast to corner, too proud to sag, the UCLA Bruins are giants again.

Fourteen years of frustration and fitful comparisons to the shadows of the past ended Saturday, with a basketball tossed up toward eternity and coach Jim Harrick shaking with relief, redemption and triumph.

“I’ve been here for seven years, and I’ve been asked, ‘Why haven’t you been to the Final Four?”’ Harrick said. “And I’ll tell you, because it’s hard.”

Playing as though they were chasing - and overtaking - ghosts, the top-ranked, turbocharged Bruins swept past Connecticut 102-96 in the NCAA West Regional final.

It earned UCLA its first Final Four berth since 1980, and a chance at the school’s first national title since 1975 when the national semifinals are held Saturday in Seattle’s Kingdome.

“It’s kind of overwhelming at the moment,” said fifth-year senior Ed O’Bannon, who screamed and then flung the ball into the dark heights of the Oakland Coliseum Arena in the game’s last seconds.

But the Bruins emphasized that the Final Four wasn’t their end goal.

“It fulfills some of this season’s promise, but not nearly all of it,” said sophomore guard Cameron Dollar, who ignited the Bruins with five assists, three steals, six rebounds and uncompromising defense against Huskies forward Ray Allen, who led all scorers with 36 points but struggled in the second half.

Once the Bruins heard that the Huskies were saying that UCLA might not be able to handle basketball at the speed UConn was capable of playing, the goal was to answer.

With point guard Tyus Edney (22 points, 10 assists) bolting downcourt, and freshmen Toby Bailey and J.R. Henderson finishing, UCLA ran UConn off the court.

“These guys, they don’t know us,” O’Bannon said. “They don’t know that we’ve got the fastest basketball player in the country.

“You try and run? Fine. But don’t say that we can’t run. That’s like shooting yourself in the foot.”

UCLA took a lead midway through the first half when the Huskies went on a run of turnovers. But, at the end of the half, an Allen scoring burst against Bruins forward Charles O’Bannon closed UCLA’s lead to 45-41 with 3.6 seconds left.

After a timeout, Edney took a pass in the UCLA backcourt, zoomed past midcourt, then pulled up for a 25-foot jumper that swished for a 48-41 lead at halftime.

After the basket, Edney put his hands on his hips, like a gunslinger, and stared at Dollar as the Bruins headed off court. “That was just emotion coming out,” Edney said.

In the second half, Bailey and Henderson combined to score 28 of their 44 points. On one crucial second-half run, Bailey and Henderson scored baskets in a 13-6 sprint for a 82-68 lead with 8:27 left.

UCLA 102, UConn 96

CONNECTICUT (28-5)

Marshall 3-11 8-8 15, Allen 12-25 9-12 36, Knight 6-9 0-1 12, Sheffer 9-20 4-4 24, Ollie 1-6 0-0 2, Hayward 0-0 2-2 2, Fair 1-3 0-0 3, King 1-2 0-0 2, Johnson 0-0 0-0 0, Willingham 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-76 23-27 96.

UCLA (29-2)

C.O’Bannon 2-4 6-8 10, E.O’Bannon 5-13 5-6 15, Zidek 4-9 0-0 8, Edney 5-11 10-10 22, Bailey 10-16 6-12 26, Henderson 9-12 0-1 18, Dollar 1-1 1-2 3. Totals 36-66 28-39 102.

Halftime-UCLA 48, Connecticut 41. 3-Point goals-Connecticut 7-22 (Allen 3-8, Sheffer 2-8, Fair 1-2, Marshall 1-4), UCLA 2-11 (Edney 2-3, Bailey 0-2, E.O’Bannon 0-6). Fouled out-Ollie. Rebounds-Connecticut 45 (Knight 13), UCLA 34 (Bailey 9). Assists-Connecticut 17 (Ollie 8), UCLA 23 (Edney 10). Total fouls-Connecticut 26, UCLA 22. Technical-Henderson (delay of game). A-14,399.