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.