The UCLA Basketball team fell to the Utah Utes as inconsistency to victory away from the Bruins.
Pauley Pavillion, Westwood
The 9th place Bruins desperately needed a win Thursday night against the Utah Utes to move up the Pac-12 standings and improve their post-season resume. The Utes proved uncooperative. . .
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The teams played a tightly contested first half with multiple lead changes and neither team taking more than a 4 point advantage. Isaac Hamilton led the Bruins with 10 points, while guards Bryce Alford and Aaron Holiday managed only 3 points between them (Alford did contribute 4 rebounds and 3 assists). UCLA managed to shoot a paltry 42% in the first half, but luckily for the Bruins the Utes were also cold. The half finished tied at 31.
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Unfortunately, Utah came out motivated in the second half and quickly built a big lead. During the run Center/Forward Jakob Poeltl and Forward Jordan Loveridge scored 6 points each and the Utes hit 9 of 11 shots during the run. The Utes led by 11 points 7 minutes into the 2nd half and 14 points with 7 minutes left.
However, the screw turned one last time and the Bruins had a chance to win at the end. During a 3 minute scoring drought by Utah the Bruins cut the lead to 2 with 55 seconds left.
But the comeback hopes were dashed when Hamilton’s floater from the free throw line bounced off the rim and Utah Guard Brandon Taylor buried a 3 pointer to push the lead back to 5.
The Bruins end up 14-12 overall and 5-8 in the Pac-12. Their NCAA Tournament hopes aren’t completely lost, but a good effort against Arizona last week and this close-but-not-quite loss to Utah are not what the Bruins need heading into the final stretch of the season.
More likely, UCLA can look forward to the NIT (at least that will provide a couple more games at Pauley Pavillion that Bruin fans can not show up for).
Incidentally, the shot of the game was made by UCLA Student Sam, who hit the layup,free-throw,half-court contest at halftime to win a Honda HRV.