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UCLA Basketball: Bruins Beat the Brisbane Bullets in Final Australia Game

By Mike Regalado

Jan 23, 2016; Eugene, OR, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford walks on the side line against the Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 23, 2016; Eugene, OR, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford walks on the side line against the Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports /
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The UCLA Basketball team capped off their tour of Australia with a victory over National Basketball League professional team, the Brisbane Bullets.

The UCLA Basketball team defeated NBL pro team the Brisbane Bullets to finish their Australian tour with a 2-1 mark. After obliterating Sydney University 123-75 and losing to another NBL team Melbourne United, 89-84, the Bruins solidified a winning record in the Land Down Under after beating Brisbane 94-91.

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After losing their second game on this 3-game trip, the Bruins had a little hitch in there giddyup to start this game. The Bruins were hanging with the Bullets through the first five minutes, though the pro team was able to pull away and take lead for the majority of the game.

Part of the reason the Bruins lost an early 13-8 lead was due to foul trouble as the Bruins picked up five team fouls in five minutes. UCLA had a few sloppy fouls which came off of defensive positioning.

The Bruins would rotate late and try to stop a play with unnecessary fouls, which broke their early flow.

UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins /

UCLA Bruins

For the most part, the defense was the same as we saw against Sydney University. There are some improvements, but a lot more can be done to help clean things up on the defensive side the court.

If the Bruins want to really dominate the boards, they need to improve on their boxing out. The Bruins need to find a way to be aggressive without giving up weak fouls.

On the offensive side, the Bruins continued to show their talents as four Bruins scored in double digits: Aaron Holiday (17), Isaac Hamilton (16), Ike Anigbogu (13) and Bryce Alford (16).

The game was very similar to that of Sydney University contest (I keep referencing this game because it was the only other chance we had to see the UCLA basketball team), as the offense seemed more fluid with Holiday and Lonzo Ball running the point.

Ball is turning into a very good distributor and is meshing well with the team. He finished with 7 points, 7 assists., 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Holiday is a breath of fresh air, especially on the defensive side of the ball. He is very active and resembles a Ben Howland-type player.

Bryce Alford seems to be fitting into his new role working out on the wing. He finished with 16 points on 5-for-19 shooting. Hamilton continues to show his offensive prowess as he was attacking the rim and taking several key mid-range shots. He was once again bringing a spark to the team which we saw the genesis of at the beginning of conference season in 2015–16.

Dec 3, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins center Thomas Welsh (40) reacts a play against Kentucky Wildcats guard Tyler Ulis (3) and Kentucky Wildcats forward Isaac Humphries (15) during the first half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins center Thomas Welsh (40) reacts a play against Kentucky Wildcats guard Tyler Ulis (3) and Kentucky Wildcats forward Isaac Humphries (15) during the first half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

UCLA almost had a double double-double from two bigs. Anigbogu is a freshman that we are really excited about. He is vicious on offense, is a big presence on defense and can really light up the game. He finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Thomas Welsh continued to show his offensive skills with 8 points and added 11 rebounds.

As for the game, with seven minutes left UCLA was able to finally take the lead and held onto it for good. It almost slipped out of their hands when Alford was called for a foul against a Brisbane player who was shooting a three. Down 94-91, he missed all three free throws, and with only seconds on the clock, UCLA secured the ball and the win.

So the Bruins escape with a victory and three games of experience under their belt as they head towards next season which begins mid-November. There are several parts to this game which will be fun to watch but the Bruins also have a few items they need to work on. Either way it’s a very exciting team and we look forward to seeing them go all out once the real games begin.

Next: 5 Takeaways From UCLA's First Australia Game

Go Bruins!