UCLA's lead cut to 65-59 as Collison fouls out

PHOENIX -- Sloppy play by UCLA and some hot shooting by Western Kentucky guard Tyrone Brazelton and what had been a rout was turning into a close game tonight in a West Regional semifinal at the U.S. Airways Center. Brazelton made four consecutive free throws and a pair of NBA-distance three-points in a span of a little more than two minutes and the Hilltoppers had trimmed what had been a 21-point halftime deficit to six, 65-59, with a little more than five minutes to play.Only the play of James Keefe kept the Bruins in the lead. The sophomore forward from Santa Margarita had the crowd at US. Airways Center cheering his every move -- and there were many of them -- and chanting his name as he spurred the Bruins. In Keefe, whose career-high before tonight was eight points, has 14 points and a career-best 10 rebounds. But the Bruins were forced to play the last 5:39 without point guard Darren Collison, who fouled out. UCLA led Western Kentucky, 41-20, at halftime but the Hilltoppers climbed back into contention fueled by Bruins turnovers. Early on, the game looked to be a rout as a three-point baseline jumper by the Hilltoppers Tyrone Brazelton forged a 13-13 tie barely eight minutes into the game, but it was all Bruins after that. UCLA scored the next 10 points and then seven more unanswered points after two free throws by Western Kentucky's C.J. Anderson. Meantime, Western Kentucky missed its next 12 shots and committed four turnovers before Jeremy Evans scored on a layup with four minutes left in the half. But by then UCLA led, 30-17. Western Kentucky shot six of 32 in the half compared to 16 of 31 by UCLA, which got scoring contributions from six players. The game started with Kevin Love and Darren Collison scoring the Bruins first six points. They combined to score 40 of the Bruins' 51 points in a second-round victory over Texas A&M last Saturday, but they soon had help. Josh Shipp and Russell Westbrook -- both coming off horrible shooting performances in last week's regional at Anaheim -- each had eight. James Keefe had seven off the bench. Brazelton had six points to pace Western Kentucky (29-6), which has lost only one game by more than six points this season. Courtney Lee, the Hilltoppers' 20-points-a-game scorer, was held to five on two of 13 shooting. SOURCE OF THIS STORY