Jan. 13, 2001

Box Score

By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES - Running its transition game and press to near perfection, UCLA routed Villanova 93-65 Saturday for its fifth straight victory.

The Bruins (9-4) led by 31 points in the second half of the second meeting between the teams since 1971, when UCLA defeated Villanova 68-62 for the NCAA championship under John Wooden. The 90-year-old watched the game from his usual second-row seat behind the Bruins' bench.

Villanova (10-4) fell out of contention about nine minutes in when UCLA took a double-digit lead it never relinquished. The Wildcats were led by Michael Bradley, who got most of his 18 points on dunks before fouling out with 2:21 remaining.

The Wildcats committed 26 turnovers in losing their second straight. They had 24 turnovers in a 76-67 loss to Providence on Tuesday.

Jason Kapono had a career-high 28 points and Earl Watson added 17 points as the Bruins improved to 71-7 in non-conference games at Pauley Pavilion since the 1989-90 season.

Steve Lavin capped a tumultuous week by earning his 100th career victory. Tuesday, athletic director Peter Dalis admitted he'd spoken twice to Rick Pitino in the last month, although Dalis denied the conversations involved Lavin's job.

Lavin became the second-fastest coach in modern UCLA history to reach the century mark, behind predecessor Jim Harrick, who got there in the seventh game of his fifth season. Lavin took over after Harrick was fired.

The Bruins continued pressing even as they led by 26 points against a Wildcats team that never adjusted to UCLA's frenetic transition game.

UCLA dominated the boards 46-29, including a 19-9 edge offensively.

The Bruins started the second half with a 21-9 spurt, including 10 in a row, that put them ahead 65-40. The Wildcats dissolved in a series of turnovers and missed shots.

Matt Barnes had 15 points and six steals, while T.J. Cummings scored all of his 13 points in the second half when he started in place of center Dan Gadzuric, who injured his back.

About the only thing the Bruins didn't do was score 100 points, disappointing fans who shouted, "We want donuts," which would've been free for hitting the century mark.