UCLA Basketball: Bruins only need one minute (and OT) to beat Oregon

The UCLA basketball team pulled off an amazing comeback against Oregon, resulting in their third straight win since Murry Bartow took over and are now 3-0 in Pac-12 play.

They were sloppy. They were careless. They were unfortunate. They were supposed to lose this game. But for one minute, the UCLA basketball team was the best team in the nation as they fought back late in the game to force overtime against the Oregon Ducks.

After one of their sloppiest games of the season, the Bruins dug deep and found a way to fight, fight, fight by using a late surge to beat Oregon on their home floor. It was the first time the Bruins beat the Ducks in Eugene since 2014.

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

You have to understand, the Bruins reverted back to their pre-Bartow ways for the majority of the game. The overall tone was frustrating. UCLA had 23 turnovers. They shot 57% from the free throw line. They shot 33% from the 3-point line.

But then they woke up. UCLA did not stop playing, even when Oregon did. The Bruins, who were about to face harsh post-game scorn, found hope among chaos with 1:01 left in the game.

Down 74-65, and the situation looking dire, Jules Bernard hit a key three-pointer. Oregon’s Payton Pritchard then sank two free throws, put Oregon up 76-68. A few seconds later, Jaylen Hands hit a three, bringing the score to within five points. A few seconds after that, Hands was fouled whilst shooting from downtown and hits the ensuing three free throws, closing the gap, 76-74.

Victor Bailey, Jr. hits two free throws, but that is followed by Prince Ali three-pointer with 0:03 left in the game. Pritchard was immediately fouled on the inbound pass and made both free throws. Oregon, 80-77.

Hands is then fouled, hits one free throw, purposefully misses the second, Chris Smith grabs the rebound, gets the putback and ties the game, ending it tied at 80.

Game Stats

• UCLA: FG – 31/60 (51.7%) | 3FG – 8/24 (33.3%) | Rebs – 51 | Ast – 16 | Turnovers – 23
• Prince Ali – 22 pts | Kris Wilkes – 14 pts, 7 rebs | Jaylen Hands – 16 pts, 7 asts
• Oregon: FG – 31/77 (40.3%) | 3FG – 8/32 (26.0%) | Rebs – 37 | Ast – 10 | Turnovers – 12
• Louis King – 22 pts, 10 rebs | Victory Bailey, Jr. – 20 pts

Oregon started overtime on a 4-0, but as they did late in the second half, the Ducks once again melted down. The Bruins also never quit and continued to fight through adversity. Prince Ali scored the next four to tie the game with the next three coming from Hands and Moses Brown which sealed the deal, 87-84.

It was as exhausting as it was relieving.

Many had hoped that what we saw from these Bruins last week wasn’t just a flash in the pan. The hope was that they could continue to improve. For 39 minutes, all hope was shattered. But then the Bruins kicked it up a notch, got the win and a 3-0 start to conference play.

I helped continue to restore hope in the program.

The Bruins’ next game is Sunday at Oregon State.