Bruins win with subpar play

SAN DIEGO – UCLA clanked free throws down the stretch, got outrebounded, missed more than half its shots from 3-point range and still won.

No one was more surprised than coach Ben Howland.

“All the stats went against us,” he said. “To have everything go against us and still win, it’s a testament to the kids.”

Jordan Farmar scored 18 points, including five 3-pointers, Arron Afflalo had 13 points and Ryan Hollins 12 in a 62-59 victory over Alabama on Saturday that sent the Bruins to their first NCAA tournament regional since 2002.

No. 2 seed UCLA (29-6) will play third-seeded Gonzaga (29-3) in Oakland, Calif., trying to get back to the Final Four for the first time since their 1995 national championship.

“This is nothing new for UCLA,” Howland said. “The standard is set. We’re supposed to win every game, one at a time.”

The Bruins hung on for their ninth consecutive victory despite missing 7 of 9 free throws down the stretch. They were outrebounded 30-21 and 25 of their 47 shots were from 3-point range.

It wasn’t supposed to be this tough for UCLA, coming off a 34-point win over Belmont.

But the Bruins were flustered by Alabama’s zone in the first half, and it showed on the aggravated faces of Farmar and Afflalo.

Ronald Steele scored 21 points for 10th-seeded Alabama (18-13), which had seven players available. Three players were walk-ons who didn’t see action. Leading scorer Chuck Davis went down with a season-ending knee injury in January.

Twice in the final minute the Crimson Tide came within one point, but the Bruins answered.