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  DANIEL WONG/Daily Bruin Senior Staff UCLA forwards Jason Kapono (24) and Matt Barnes bring the ball upcourt. Both players took turns at the point during UCLA's 79-57 win over Alabama.

By Scott Schultz

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

The Bruins arrived at the Anaheim Pond with a problem at point guard and left and left with a 79-57 victory over No. 16 Alabama, their first over a ranked opponent this season.

No. 20 UCLA (4-2) overcame its shortcomings at the John Wooden Classic by perfectly executing a game plan that employed a plethora of playmakers, including forwards Jason Kapono and Matt Barnes, in a pass-oriented perimeter attack that worked to the tune of 17 assists against only nine turnovers.

With the point guard problem in check, post players Barnes and center Dan Gadzuric also regained their scoring touch. The victory over the Crimson Tide (6-2) came in front of legendary Bruin coach John Wooden, the guest of honor at his eponymous Classic.

Kapono, who spent time running the offense for the second straight game, said he felt comfortable in the point guard role, looking to pass first and shoot second. He had two assists at the start of the game and four of his game-high five assists in the first half.

"I just wanted to get Matt and Dan some touches," said Kapono, who in the second half switched to his natural forward position, where he scored 16 of his game-high 22 points. "I was playing the point so I wasn't trying to be a scorer so much as a passer."

UCLA head coach Steve Lavin praised the play of freshman point guard Ryan Walcott, calling him the player of the game. Walcott stepped up with a solid performance off the bench, scoring four points and dishing out three assists in 11 minutes. He brought energy to the team and was effective running the offense.

"My role on the team is to get everyone involved," Walcott said. "I don't

want them to work for their shots. I'll work for them."

UCLA got off to a quick 17-9 lead in the first half on the dominant post play

of Gadzuric and Barnes, who combined for the team's first 11 points. Barnes, who had a season-high 15 points and seemed to be more comfortable in the offense, was also responsible for bringing the ball up the floor against the occasional pressure defenses attempted by the Crimson Tide.

Alabama was unable to work the ball inside against the Bruins' zone defense and Gadzuric's intimidating presence. The Crimson Tide was forced to shoot over half of its field goal attempts from three-point territory, resulting in a horrendous .298 field goal percentage. After the Bruins closed the first half with a 21-6 run, going up 40-25, the Crimson Tide made runs, but never threatened the Bruin lead.

Gadzuric, whose performance had been lacking in last week's loss to

Pepperdine and victory over UC Riverside, showed improvement. The 6-foot-11 senior scored eight points, grabbed seven rebounds and challenged every Alabama shot. Still, Lavin limited his minutes due to a combination of early foul trouble, a bout of fatigue and the spirited play of T.J. Cummings, who shot 4-of-6 from the field.

"We're still looking for combinations on the floor," Lavin said. "November

and December is for finding combinations."

The Bruins have an entire week to relish what was arguably their best outing of the young season before their next game, Saturday, when they host UC Irvine at Pauley Pavilion.

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