Strong Side: Coach John Savage is the driving force behind baseball’s rising success

Don’t look now, but the UCLA baseball team is winning again. Or do, it doesn’t matter, they’ll keep winning games. MAY 23

Strong Sides: Former UCLA football coach Rick Neuheisel will be a good fit for the Pac-12 Networks

Rick Neuheisel’s exit from UCLA was unceremonious. His Bruins were routed 50-0 by the crosstown Trojans, and Neuheisel was fired two days later. MAY 16

Strong Side: Coach Mora should name Brett Hundley as quarterback to bring fresh start for program

The UCLA spring game is starting to develop a Groundhog Day feel to it. MAY 9

Strong Side: Coach Jim Mora’s younger coaches improve football program by connecting with players

Adrian Klemm had to take a seat. He had spent the last three hours running around Spaulding Field trying to change the face of a football program. MAY 2

Pauley Pavilion’s reopening will signal fresh start for UCLA men’s basketball program

On an early afternoon in mid-December of last year, the wheels that had so shakily kept the UCLA basketball team going fell off completely. Sure, there were the two ugly losses to open the season and the dreadful showing at the Maui Invitational, but fans still held out hope … until that 69-59 loss to Texas. APR 26

Bruin baseball gets past Dons 4-1, improves to 2-0

Clouds hung over Jackie Robinson Stadium on Saturday, threatening a rainstorm and stopping play in the fourth inning.

After San Francisco sophomore Stephen Yarrow singled to left field in the top of the ninth inning, both the odds that the UCLA baseball team would hold on to its 4-1 lead and the chances that the rain would hold off looked slim.

Enter UCLA’s true freshman closer Nick Vander Tuig in his first appearance as a Bruin. Couple that with a UCLA victory courtesy of a Vander Tuig save and a torrential downpour all coming within minutes of each other and the Bruins were able to escape with a 4-1 win.

VIDEO: Cole wins pitchers' duel, beats San Francisco 1-0

The UCLA baseball team’s season opener at Jackie Robinson stadium promised to showcase one All-American pitcher but it turned into a pitchers’ duel.

UCLA junior right hander and preseason All-American Gerrit Cole and San Fransisco junior left hander Matt Lujan went toe to toe at Jackie Robinson Staidum Friday, both pitchers throwing the entire game. They combined for 211 pitches, eight total hits, 34 at bats and 20 strikeouts. But in the end, Cole and the Bruins were the victors in a 1-0 finish.

VIDEO: UCLA postgame press conferences after 69-61 win over Oregon State

It wasn’t pretty, but the UCLA men’s basketball team managed to defeated Oregon State, 69-61, Saturday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion.

The win marked the 13th straight for UCLA over Oregon State, the longest Pac-10 win streak over a single conference opponent.

Junior guard Malcolm Lee had a game-high 19 points for the Bruins, his sixth straight game in double-digit scoring. Sophomore forward Tyler Honeycutt also made his mark with a gaudy statline: nine points, five rebounds, five assists and eight blocks – the most blocks by a UCLA player since Jelani McCoy’s 11 in 1995.

UCLA won despite a late surge from Oregon State. Coach Ben Howland comically had to take out his lineup of four non-scholarship players with under a minute to play after a 6-0 Beaver run, but UCLA still managed to hold on for the eight-point win.

Bruins blow early lead, still lead Beavers 29-24

At the conclusion of Thursday night’s win over Oregon, UCLA men’s basketball coach Ben Howland said he wanted an easy game in which his team could get a big lead and hold on to it.

It looked like he was going to get his wish Saturday against Oregon State in the first half until the turnover bug bit the Bruins as it has all season.

The Bruins closed the half leading the Beavers 29-24 after opening the game with a 25-6 lead. Oregon State didn’t go away quietly, going on a 18-4 run to close the half, capitalizing on 14 Bruin turnovers. Oregon State’s freshman forward Devon Collier led the way for the Beavers with seven points.

VIDEO: UCLA postgame press conference after 64-54 win over Oregon

The UCLA men’s basketball team overcame a slow start again Thursday night, defeating Oregon 64-54.

Junior guard Malcolm Lee led the way for the Bruins with 25 points on 10 of 19 shooting, including two 3-pointers.

Junior guard Jerime Anderson continued his improved play off the bench, scoring 10 points and distributing three assists.

The Bruins trailed by five early in the second half but took a 44-41 lead that they would never relinquish on an Anderson 3-pointer with 8:43 to play.

UCLA (17-7, 8-3 Pac-10) is now alone in second place in the conference and one game behind first-place Arizona. They will take on Oregon State (9-14, 4-8) Saturday at 1 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion.