UCLA Basketball: Bruins Get Bounced In Brooklyn

The UCLA Basketball team could not make it three wins in a row against Top 25 teams as they lose to  North Carolina via a rough second half in an 89-76 loss.

Think of it this way, Bruin fans… the UCLA Basketball team did very good in 2.5 games against ranked opponents. That extra .5, came at a bad time as the Bruins were not able to slow the trampling done by the Tar Heels in the second half of a neutral site game in Brooklyn, New York.

UCLA started the game in similar fashion as they did in their wins over Kentucky and Gonzaga. They started strong, built (and kept) a lead and hung in there with these Top 25 teams. Unfortunately, against UNC, UCLA was not able to emulate the fire they had in the second half of the games against the Wildcats and Bulldogs.

More from Go Joe Bruin

• UCLA Football: It’s time for the nation to meet Dante Moore
• UCLA Football: Where are they ranked heading into week 4
• UCLA Football: Position battle breakdown for Utah showdown
• UCLA vs. Utah: Location, time, prediction, and more
• UCLA Football: Highlights from Chip Kelly’s appearance on the Jim Rome Show

UCLA hung in there with UNC as they were tied at 38 by halftime. Unfortunately, out of the break the Tar Heels rattled off 7-straight points and did not look back after that.

Part of the problem was UCLA did a bad job handling the ball as they had 7 turnovers, many that lead to transition baskets for North Carolina.

The Bruin bigs did not help their cause either as they get onto foul trouble in the first half. By the break, Thomas Welsh had 3 fouls and Tony Parker had 2.

Parker got his third early in the second half which forced Head Coach Steve Alford to bench both Brun bigs at the same time, which made it easy for the Tar heels to move around a bit more freely under the rim.

North Carolina forward Brice Johnson had reaped the benefits of that as he finished with 27 points.

The Bruins had some positives of their own despite the loss. Isaac Hamilton finished with 23 points on 9-for-12 shooting, which included 4-for-5 from behind the arc. Aside from the foul trouble, Parker finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, getting his 7th double-double of the game.

Welsh finished with 10 points and Bryce Alford finished with 15.

Next: Is This The UCLA Basketball team We Have Been Waiting For

So the Bruins ran out of gas at the end. It would have been a miracle to beat Kentucky, Gonzaga and UNC, but they are still a team coming together as the season progresses. Though the Bruins need to evaluate what went right and wrong in this game, you can guarantee they will come back stronger in their last non-conference game against McNeese State on Tuesday.

Go Bruins!