UCLA men’s basketball gets what it wanted from San Diego State

For all intents and purposes, UCLA’s preseason men’s basketball game against San Diego State on Friday did not count.

Don’t tell that to the fans, packing the bowl inside Viejas Arena. Don’t tell that to Bruins coach Mick Cronin and SDSU’s Brian Dutcher, micromanaging the game in midseason form. Certainly, don’t tell that to the players who went at breakneck speed from the tip.

When the Bruins jumped out to a double-digit lead, the Aztecs could have called it. Instead, they ratcheted up the intensity and forced the Bruins to respond. What could have been a meaningless preseason game, featured a battle of two West Coast giants going down to the wire. UCLA held on to win 67-60.

“I wanted the toughest game we could get without getting on an airplane,” Cronin said.

The Bruins and Aztecs ha