Gordon scores 19 points, UCLA beats Cal State Bakersfield 75-64 to avoid second straight loss

UCLA beats Cal State Bakersfield 75-64

LOS ANGELES — Drew Gordon scored 19 points and UCLA overcame the suspension of starter Nikola Dragovic and upstart Cal State Bakersfield for a 75-64 victory Friday night to avoid a second consecutive loss.

The Bruins trailed for all but the opening minute of the first half, falling behind by 11 points, before taking control over the final 20 minutes. They were stunned in double overtime by Cal State Fullerton in their opener Monday, ending a 37-game home winning streak against unranked nonconference opponents.

Michael Roll added 12 points and six assists, and Malcolm Lee, Jerime Anderson and James Keefe, who started in place of Dragovic, scored 10 points each.

Trent Blakley and Stephon Carter had 15 points each and Donovan Bragg 10 for the Roadrunners (1-2), who had never played the Bruins before but showed no nerves in the first half.

The young Bruins, hard hit by the departure of NBA-bound players, appeared on their way to starting the season 0-2 for the first time since 2002-03 the way they played in the first half.

Bakersfield twice led by 11, the second time on Santwon Latunde’s rebound and follow of a missed shot that made it 31-20 late in the half.

UCLA again struggled to make free throws — Lee missed two to start the game — but cobbled together a 14-4 run to tie it at 35 heading into the break. Gordon scored six points in the spurt.

Dragovic’s suspension was announced in a school statement minutes before tip-off. He was arrested earlier Friday and charged with felony assault by the Los Angeles district attorney’s office.

The school said the 21-year-old senior from Belgrade, Serbia, was involved in an incident last month at a concert in Hollywood. Dragovic was booked and released from jail on $30,000 bail late Friday. It marked Dragovic’s second arrest in less than a year, although charges weren’t filed in a case involving misdemeanor battery last November.

The Bruins settled down in the second half, opening on a 25-7 run that gave them a 60-42 lead. Anderson and Roll hit consecutive 3s while Gordon had four in a row, and UCLA never looked back. The Bruins shot 59 percent, a drastic improvement from the 31 percent shooting in the loss to Fullerton.