Bruin Freshman Is Real Mccoy -- UCLA 18-Year-Old Blocks 11 Shots, Sets Pac-10 Record

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Jelani McCoy, the biggest little kid on the UCLA Bruins, looked as if he could've played defense against Maryland all by himself.

At times - 11 times, not including the scores of shots he altered and intimidated - it looked as if he did.

In a blockbuster, nationally televised, shot-blocking binge, the 18-year-old freshman from San Diego terrorized the Terrapins with 11 rejections (and into a horrid 24.7 percent field-goal shooting day).

The 6-foot-10 McCoy also scored 15 points, grabbed 10 rebounds (recording UCLA's first recorded triple-double), committed eight of UCLA's 29 turnovers and led the Bruins to a 73-63 victory over No. 20 Maryland in the John Wooden Classic.

Last December, then-freshman J.R. Henderson made two free throws with 0.6 seconds left to give UCLA a one-point victory over Kentucky in the first Wooden Classic. The Bruins went on to win the national championship.

"I believe this is our turning point," said junior forward Charles O'Bannon, who scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. "Last year at the Wooden Classic, the Kentucky game gave us a lot of momentum."

And a screaming, giggling, hyperactive 6-foot-10 teenager shall lead them?

"He's a big kid on the court," O'Bannon said of McCoy, whose on-court gestures and yelps have become a major part of the Bruin presence. "That's his personality."

The Bruins (3-3) made fumble away the basketball against a swarming Maryland pressure defense, McCoy's elastic arms kept Maryland missing, and injured point guard Cameron Dollar provided crucial late ballhandling work in relief.

"I don't think I've had a guy get a triple-double for me in 31 years," Bruin Coach Jim Harrick said. "He was an absolute monster. He took care of the inside."

With Wooden, the former UCLA coach, and Bruin great Bill Walton looking on, McCoy put on a dazzling show.

His triple was only the 10th in recorded Pac-10 history and the first to involve blocks. The statistic has been recorded only since 1978-79, so totals by Walton or Lew Alcindor are not in the books.

McCoy broke the UCLA record of eight blocks set by David Greenwood and equaled by Rodney Zimmerman. The Pac-10 record of eight blocks was shared by six players.

Maryland (3-3) hit only 19 of 77 shots. Duane Simpkins led the Terps with 21 points.

Arizona 90, Towson State 84

TUCSON, Ariz. - Miles Simon scored 25 points and Joseph Blair had 22 points and 10 rebounds for No. 4 Arizona.

The Wildcats (7-0) led 60-41 with 16:01 left. Towson State (2-3) cut the gap to seven four times. But the Wildcats hit 11 of 14 free throws in the final three minutes.

Towson State's Ralph Blalock led all scorers with 29 points.

Long Beach St. 65, Oregon St. 54

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Rasul Salahuddin scored six of the final 12 points for the 49ers in a nonconference win.

Long Beach State led 53-52 with 4:46 remaining. Oregon State managed only two shots and turned the ball over four times in its final six possessions.

Long Beach State (3-2) forced Oregon State (1-3) into a season-high 26 turnovers. A trapping zone defense hurt the Beavers.

"We hadn't seen that particular defense before," OSU Coach Eddie Payne said. "Everyone really struggled against it."

James Cotton led the 49ers with 19 points. Rob Williams scored a career-high 18 and Iyan Walker of Everett's Cascade High School had seven points for OSU.