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UCLA basketball: Surprise starters

By David Wharton
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After practice on Monday, Coach Ben Howland made a point of saying that tonight’s starters against Concordia would not be indicative of his lineup when the season begins on Nov. 16.

It seems he wasn’t kidding.

The Bruins opened with senior James Keefe and sophomore Malcolm Lee on the floor, as expected. But they were joined by sophomore center J’mison Morgan, freshman forward Tyler Honeycutt and junior guard Mustafa Abdul-Hamid.

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The unexpected lineup lasted just long enough for Concordia to take a 7-4 lead.

Then forward Nikola Dragovic and forward Drew Gordon, both expected to start this season, entered the game. Gordon quickly made a steal and ran the length of the floor for a dunk.

-- David Wharton

Sports Now
David Wharton

David Wharton has filled an array of roles – covering the courts, entertainment, sports and the second Persian Gulf War – since starting as a Los Angeles Times intern in 1982. His work has been honored by organizations such as the Society for Features Journalism and Associated Press Sports Editors and has been anthologized in “Best American Sports Writing.” He has also been nominated for an Emmy and has written two books, including “Conquest,” an inside look at USC football during the Pete Carroll era.

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