The UCLA sophomore point guard was a bastion of ball movement Friday in Las Vegas, his eight assists sparking an offensive renaissance. The Bruins scored 46 points and made 51.7% of their shots while building a five-point halftime lead.
“His first half against Carolina was, in my opinion, as good as I’ve seen him,” UCLA coach Steve Alford said Tuesday.
He had two turnovers to go with his one assist while reverting to the score-first, pass-second habits he developed as a freshman. Hands scored 12 points after mostly hovering on the perimeter and using a crossover dribble that led to a step-back three-pointer.