UCLA overcomes 18-point deficit

The next time UCLA shows up in Anaheim, Calif., could be in March for early round NCAA Tournament games. The Bruins hope that visit won't be nearly so worrisome.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute scored 21 points, and the seventh-ranked Bruins made up an 18-point deficit to beat Davidson 75-63 in the John Wooden Classic on Saturday.

"I was really worried about this game," UCLA coach Ben Howland said. "I would not want to be the team that will play them in the NCAA Tournament."

The Bruins (8-1) joined No. 1 North Carolina and Duke, then ranked seventh, as powerhouse programs that got a scare from midmajor Davidson. The Wildcats (3-5) lost by a combined 10 points to the two ACC schools and had UCLA down the entire first half.

"We didn't come here to play it close. We came here to win it," Davidson coach Bob McKillop said.

Stephen Curry, the son of former NBA 3-point specialist Dell Curry, led Davidson with 15 points, extending his streak of double-figure games to 35. Jason Richards added 13 points and 7 assists, a category in which he leads the nation.

"We came into the season wanting to compete and win a couple of these games," Curry said. "It's very disappointing to have these opportunities and not capitalize on them."

Josh Shipp added 15 points, Russell Westbrook had 14 and Darren Collison 10 for UCLA, which was coming off a 2-point loss to Texas last weekend, its first of the season.

Texas 80, Rice 54: A.J. Abrams, D.J. Augustin and Damion James scored 18 points each to lead No. 4 Texas over Rice (2-6). The win gives the Longhorns a 9-0 record for the first time since the 1981-82 season.

Their 26-point margin of victory marks the eighth time in the first nine games that they've won by at least 15 points.