inutes and they scored two goals.But I think we deserved to win, we played better than them, we had so many chances and we can learn from that. And I hop

LOS ANGELES -- After beating up on mostly lesser competition, things are about to get serious for No. 11 UCLA.The Bruins play at No. 1 Kentucky on Saturday before facing Michigan and Ohio State, a challenging start to December after they cruised past UC Riverside 98-56 to close out the first month of the season undefeated.UCLAs 8-0 start is its best since coach Steve Alfords first season in Westwood three years ago.Weve done a phenomenal job through eight games of sharing the ball and helping each other score, Alford said.Isaac Hamilton scored 27 points, tying his career-high with seven 3-pointers, and freshman T.J. Leaf added 18 points and 10 rebounds for UCLA.Aaron Holiday had 18 points and Thomas Welsh had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Lonzo Ball, the nations assist leader, set a freshman game assist record with 13 for the Bruins, who were coming off winning the title at last weeks Wooden Legacy. They hit nine of their 13 3-point attempts in the second half.Three games in four days, finals are starting and Kentucky looming on the weekend, this isnt an easy game no matter who were playing, Alford said. I liked our guys mindset. Thats all we talked about the last 48 hours. Once again, this team did a really great job of coming out and having a great mindset.Secean Johnson scored 17 points despite foul trouble and Chance Murray added 13 points for the Highlanders (1-4). Freshman Dikymbe Martin was held to five points after scoring 15 against Utah last week.They can score so easy, they put so much pressure on your offense, Highlanders coach Dennis Cutts said. You just cant match their offensive potency.Five of UCLAs first six baskets in the second half were 3-pointers and Hamilton hit four of them, extending the Bruins lead to 59-35.Hamiltons sixth 3-pointer launched them on a 13-0 run that included another 3 from him and made it 69-35.When the ball moves like that, youre bound to hit shots like that, he said.Ball set up his teammates with several nifty passes. He and Leaf teamed up three times in the second half. Ball dunked off Leafs alley-oop pass and on the Bruins next possession he set Leaf up for a dunk. Ball fed Leaf for another dunk later in the half that made it 85-42.Guys were hitting shots and I was getting them the ball, Ball said. Everything was clicking.The Bruins put the game away in the first half when they shot 58 percent and opened with a 23-9 run.The Highlanders defended better and outscored the Bruins 16-8 to close to 31-25.UCLA ran off 11 unanswered points, including Balls first points of the game on consecutive baskets, and led 42-27 at halftime.BIG PICTUREUC Riverside: The Highlanders have just one win in their first five games, but they have played some good competition. They lost road games to Portland (16 points), UNLV (12 points) and Utah (18 points) before losing to the Bruins. Their lone win came against Fresno Pacific. Last year, they won 14 games, second-most in the Division I history of the program under fourth-year coach Cutts, who has things on the upswing.UCLA: The Bruins have beat up some easy competition on their way to an undefeated start. That all changes Saturday when they face No. 1 Kentucky on the road. The game will be a barometer of where they stand against the nations best.POLL IMPLICATIONSUnless the Bruins can duplicate their upset of top-ranked Kentucky a year ago, they figure to drop a spot or two in the rankings with a loss at Rupp Arena on Saturday.BALL ROLLINGBall broke Pooh Richardsons freshman game assist record of 12, set against Washington State on Jan. 11, 1986. The school record of 16 was set by Earl Watson. For the first time in eight games, Ball didnt score in double figures. He took just three shots.I just take what the game gives me, he said.TIP-INSUC Riverside: The Highlanders fell to 0-5 all-time against the Bruins. ... Martin was averaging a team-best 12.5 points and came in leading the team in several other categories.UCLA: The Bruins ranking matches their best since Feb. 9, 2009. ... They are one of two undefeated Pac-12 teams. ... G Prince Ali, who had right knee surgery in July, could return by late December. ... F Alex Olesinski has missed eight games so far with a stress reaction in his left foot.UP NEXTUC Riverside: Visits Santa Clara on Dec. 13, capping a stretch of three straight road games.UCLA: Plays Kentucky on Saturday for the third consecutive season. The Wildcats have been the nations top-ranked team in each of the meetings. The Bruins upset them 87-77 last year at Pauley Pavilion for the schools first win over a No. 1 team since 2003. In 2014, the Wildcats won in Chicago by 39 points.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 . Gordan Giricek Jersey . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. Zach Randolph Jersey . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. https://www.cheapgrizzlies.com/334p-mike-bibby-jersey-grizzlies.html ., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., took sixth spot on Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy ISU Grand Prix figure skating competition. Wholesale Grizzlies Jerseys . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. Grayson Allen Jersey . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said.Emre Can says he prefers playing in midfield as it is his best position, something new boss Jurgen Klopp has ensured since arriving at Liverpool. The versatile Germany international was utilised in a number of different roles under previous manager Brendan Rodgers, who bought him from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2014.In his debut campaign at Anfield, Rodgers tried Can out as both a makeshift right-back and at times as a centre-back while part of a three-man defence, with varying degrees of success. However, the 22-year-old thinks he is best suited to operating in the middle of the park, where the likes of Bayern Munich, Leverkusen and his country have used him. Can has warned his team-mates not to underestimate Aston Villa It is always like that [playing in different positions], but since Jurgen Klopp came I have always been played in midfield, which I think is my favourite position, and I like to play a lot there, said Can in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News HQ.[Klopp] wants a lot from me, he wants me to push the team forward and to help them and that is what I want to try. Every manager has their own style and Jurgen Klopp has his own style and that is why a lot has changed [since Klopp arrived], but I am enjoying it.Of course I have to learn so many things and I have to work hard and then hopefully I will be better in a few years.Liverpool are currently in ninth place in the Premier League after throwing away a two-goal lead late on at home to struggling Sunderland on Saturday.Can, though, is offering no excuses as the club head to bottom-of-the-table Aston Villa on Super Sunday. The most important thing is the mentality - if you say you are fit and want to go, then you can go every game Emre Can Of course sometimes you are tired and everything, he said, but I think the most important thing is the mentality - if you say you are fit and want to go, then you can go every game.ddddddddddddIt was very, very disappointing as it was our mistake because Sunderland did nothing, then we let them come in the last 10 minutes and they scored two goals.But I think we deserved to win, we played better than them, we had so many chances and we can learn from that. And I hope that we win the next game now. We do not know why it happened, but we can just learn from that.Every team has a lot of games and I think that is no reason why we are where we are in the table. It is not what we want. But there is a long time to go and we have to keep it up and see what happens at the end of the season. The German has also warned his team-mates not to underestimate Remi Gardes side this weekend, especially with Villa having lost just one of their previous five league matches.It is very dangerous [to think Aston Villa will be an easy game], said Can. I think we have respect for every team in the Premier League and every game is very, very difficult in the Premier League and it will be a tough game, but I think we have to believe in our qualities. Also See: Carragher on Liverpool tickets Fans welcome Anfield U-turn Liverpool back down on prices Chamberlin: Super Sunday title special ' ' '