Los Angeles, CA -- (Sports Network) - Josh Shipp poured in 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting to help top-ranked UCLA defeat Sam Houston State, 75-61, at Pauley Pavilion.

Arron Afflalo donated 12 points and Darren Collison totaled 11 points and nine assists for UCLA (10-0), which improved to 6-0 on its home floor this season.

Ryan Bright, James Barrett and Jejuan Plair each had 12 points for the Bearkats (6-5), who were coming off a bitter 70-62 overtime loss at UC Irvine on Saturday.

Sam Houston State kept it very close throughout the opening half and trailed just 27-25 with 2:18 on the clock following a Bright three-pointer. The Bruins, though, scored the next six points and went into the break with a 35-29 edge.

The Bearkats remained competitive in the early stages of the second half, and pulled within four after a Plair three-point play with about seven minutes to play.

The top team in the country turned on its jets from there, and assumed a 53-43 advantage midway through the second half on a Shipp jumper. That was the first of six straight points for Shipp, helping the Bruins pull even further away.

Sam Houston State did not threaten again.

Game Notes:

This was the first-ever meeting between these two clubs on the hardwood...UCLA shot 54 percent from the floor, while the Bearkats ended 26-of-57 (46 percent)...Sam Houston State's bench outperformed UCLA's, 27-19.