UCLA celebrated a national championship in its last tournament appearance. It'll have to settle for a consolation title in the Maui Invitational.
The No. 4 Bruins lost their first game of the season Monday night, falling 78-69 to Santa Clara in the opening round of the eight-team tournament."We didn't run our offense well. We got impatient. It's not characteristic of the way we play," coach Jim Harrick said.
While the Bruins couldn't overcome their opening-night problems, No. 3 Villanova, No. 20 North Carolina and Michigan State managed to avoid upsets.
Michigan State beat Division II Chaminade 69-66 in the opener, Villanova followed with a 66-58 victory over Wisconsin and North Carolina rallied to beat Vanderbilt 71-63.
Villanova will meet Santa Clara in tonight's semfinals and North Carolina faces Michigan State. In the consolation bracket, UCLA plays Wisconsin and Vanderbilt faces Chaminade.
Santa Clara reserve Phil Von Buckwaldt scored six points and Marlon Garnett added five during a decisive 11-0 run.
The score was tied at 47 with 11:51 left, but Von Buckwaldt, who averaged only 2.8 points last season, converted two shots from under the basket and added a pair of free throws. Garnett chipped in a 3-pointer and a field goal.
It gave the Broncos a double-digit lead that they nursed the rest of the way. The Bruins never got closer than eight points thereafter.
Garnett finished with 21 points, Steve Nash had 19 and Von Buckwaldt 12. Charles O'Bannon led UCLA with 21 points and J.R Henderson had 18.
No. 3 Villanova 66, Wisconsin 58
Eric Eberz scored 23 points and Kerry Kittles added 11 of his 16 in the second half as the Wildcats held off the Badgers.
No. 20 N. Carolina 71, Vanderbilt 63
North Carolina, hurt by the departure of Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace to the NBA, didn't take the lead until Serge Zwikker made a pair of follow-up shots with three minutes left.
Michigan State 69, Chaminade 66
Michigan State, playing its first game under Tom Izzo, did not put the game away until Quinton Brooks hit a short jumper with 51 seconds left.