Westbrook punctuated the comeback with a fastbreak dunk at the buzzer that triggered a huge celebration on one bench and despair on the other.

“That was same thing we do all year — lock down, switch everything and fortunately, I was able to get my hand on it and make the play,” Shipp said. “The guy had just made a shot, so we knew he was most likely going to take it.”

The Aggies had planned to go for a 3-pointer on their final play, with Dominique Kirk as the shooter and Carter as the decoy. But that didn’t develop.

“I was going to run out of here with a one-point win,” Turgeon said. “Sloan just went a little too quick, but he was feeling good about himself and thought he could get to the basket.”

The Aggies outscored the Bruins 27-11 over both halves, including 8-0 and 7-0 runs, for a 36-26 lead. Carter opened the second half with a 3-pointer, then his jumper hit the side of the backboard and went in before Jones scored around Love to give the Aggies their largest lead.

That’s when UCLA rallied with a 17-8 run. Love scored seven, Collison hit his fifth 3-pointer over 7-foot DeAndre Jordan and Westbrook scored four in a row — his first points of the game — to cut it to 44-43 with 5:51 remaining.

“We did a good job against their defense, their pressure,” Turgeon said. “It just came down to Love and Collison at the end making plays.”

Even as the Bruins were scratching their way back, they were missing shots and committing some of their 14 turnovers. But the Aggies had their own problems, with Jordan and Carter picking up their third fouls at the same time.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute returned for the Bruins after missing two games with a sprained left ankle. He was clearly rusty, with a team-high eight turnovers and four fouls.

Turgeon had predicted the first team to 50 would win. It just wasn’t his.

“I just hate to see it end,” he said. “We were just really coming on.”

MORE FROM COLLEGE BASKETBALL

College basketball Section Front

What happened on signing day? Isiah Thomas signs 3 recruits to play for FIU Michigan signs NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway's son Davis: Youthful UCLA will make noise eventually   Vote: Who will be player of the year? No. 6 North Carolina crushes N.C. Central Rautins leads Syracuse in rout of Robert Morris Hope for even the worst FT shooters. Or not. 5 Razorbacks suspended for opener Minnesota freshman White under suspicion again College basketball Section Front   Add College basketball headlines to your news reader: