Arjun was supposed to get some minutes in the last few of the first half.
But Coach Howland wanted to use the close score to remind Arjun about controlling his fouls, especially with the madness of March upon them.
However, Durant's back-to-back threes caught Howland off guard, making the cost of keeping Arjun benched pretty steep.
A 10-point deficit is a serious threat in NCAA games.
UCLA's lapse in focus put them on the back foot.
Overall, UCLA's first-half performance was subpar. Their offense was mostly solo efforts, and they failed to leverage their strong defense and outside shooting.
Westbrook and Collison didn't do a great job connecting the plays.
Of course, UCLA's deeper bench is a strength over Texas, which is why they haven't completely fallen apart despite their poor form.
Westbrook ended the half with 8 points and 2 assists but had 3 turnovers.
Afflalo was off his game, hitting just 1 out of 9 shots for 3 points.
Collison was so-so, with 6 points and 2 assists.
UCLA missed several open shots from the outside, allowing Texas to keep tightening their defense, making UCLA's drives ineffective.
UCLA's strength is their perimeter play, while their inside game is mostly blue-collar, focused on defense. But today, they were forced to rely on their inside game, which clearly showed how passive their perimeter was in the first half.
"Hey, who would've thought? UCLA, a number 3 seed, is in big trouble in the round of 32. Durant's showing his leadership, scoring 20 points in the first half alone, helping Texas keep the pressure on."
"Arjun's stats are all zeros except for two fouls. Compared to Durant, he's been overshadowed."
"Arjun really needs to reflect on this, or UCLA might just get upset."
"UCLA's roster is definitely stronger than Texas, but they've been outplayed. Hopefully, they can turn it around in the second half."
"Hey, who knows if they can bounce back. Arjun's not cutting it,he's a step behind Durant. Look at Durant's performance,that's what a top NCAA player looks like."
"Without Arjun, UCLA's offense is a mess. You wouldn't guess they're an undefeated team."
"Texas is playing great. Besides Durant, Augustin is showing his style, and the others are really efficient."
Commentators and many neutral fans love an upset.
They're all here for the drama!
In the locker room.
Arjun stepped up and said to everyone, "I'm sorry for not being out there in the first half. I didn't control my fouls well."
"Let's play hard in the second half."
"It's okay!"
"It's not on you,we all played terribly."
The UCLA team doesn't blame each other,they're all about lifting each other up.
Coach Howland didn't say much, just started planning for the second half.
With only 20 minutes left, he didn't want UCLA to be knocked out in their first game—that would be a joke.
Howland was really disappointed with Collison and Afflalo,they didn't step up in Arjun's absence and let the team's offense fall apart.
He had hoped they would take responsibility, but they let him down.
Howland looked at Arjun, still counting on him to take charge.
Howland shouted to Arjun, "Arjun, you handle the offense in the second half. Let Russell handle the ball, big guys set screens for Arjun, and you need to hit those outside shots."
Texas kept tightening their inside defense because UCLA couldn't make their outside shots.
Now, they needed to open up the game from the outside.
If they could start hitting from the perimeter, Texas wouldn't be able to pack the paint, and that would open up more space inside and allow for more tactical variations.
Arjun nodded,he knew it was his time to shine in the second half.
The halftime break quickly ended.
Arjun returned to the court.
The commentator announced, "Arjun, who picked up two quick fouls in the first minute of the first half, is back on the floor. Standing 6 feet 8 inches with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, he's UCLA's top scorer and assist leader. Arjun is also a double MVP in the PAC-12. His absence in the first half really hurt UCLA."
Seeing Arjun back on the court, the UCLA fans went wild.
Their star player was finally back.
"Who's this guy? Why's he so popular?"
"Is he a guard or a forward with that height?"
"Is he as good as Durant?"
Although Arjun is well-known in Los Angeles, he's still not as famous nationwide as Durant.
Back on the court, Arjun patted his chest, calming himself down.
He had never felt such a hunger for the game!
UCLA's games had been smooth sailing until today, when Arjun faced his first real challenge.
On the national championship stage, Arjun was determined not to fall in the round of 32.
To him, a 10-point deficit was nothing. He was confident he could lead the team to a comeback.
Even with Durant as the opponent, Arjun was brimming with confidence.
Westbrook had a solid first half, earning him more time on the court.
Arjun caught up with Westbrook to discuss tactics: "Russell, if you drive in and see an opening, kick it out to me."
"Got it, I'll look for you," Westbrook nodded, trusting Arjun's ability from beyond the arc.
He remembered how Arjun would always practice half-court threes. The first time Westbrook saw Arjun attempting those, he scoffed. But as Arjun kept sinking them, Westbrook quickly shut up. With an 80% shooting accuracy from half-court, Westbrook had no comments.
D.J. Augustin was still guarding Arjun. Pumped up, Augustin said to Arjun, "Tonight, you won't be the hero who saves your team. I've got you covered."
Despite being only 5 feet 11 inches, Augustin showed no fear facing Arjun—until he got close.
"Fuck!" Augustin couldn't help but exclaim as he approached Arjun, not realizing until then just how tall and imposing Arjun was.
As soon as Augustin got close, he was pushed back, nearly cursing out loud.
The referee blew the whistle, and the second half officially began.
Afflalo passed the ball to Arjun.
Immediately, Arjun became the main focus of Texas's defense.
Nobody underestimated him.
Instead of attacking right away, Arjun, facing a double team, passed the ball to Westbrook.
Westbrook, with his explosive speed, blew past Texas's shooting guard and drove to the basket.
His physical prowess was top-notch,once he got going, the defense was always on the back foot.
Wary of Westbrook's drive, Durant and two big men collapsed to the paint.
Westbrook, instead of forcing a shot, dribbled back out. With 35 seconds on the shot clock, they needed to make this possession count.
UCLA fans watched anxiously as the offense seemed to stall.
But their anxiety didn't last long.
Westbrook passed the ball back to Arjun.
About three feet beyond the right three-point line, Arjun held the ball in a triple-threat position.
Augustin, guarding close to the three-point line, thought Arjun could shoot from there but wouldn't go much further.
Seeing Augustin not closing in, Arjun didn't hesitate.
He confidently pulled up for a textbook three-pointer.
Arjun's height made the shot look a bit odd, but those familiar with him knew this move was reliable.
The basketball traced a beautiful arc through the air.
"Swish!"
A dagger!
42 to 35.