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UCLA Basketball: Bruins give up over 100 points against Stanford

By Mike Regalado

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 05: Head coach Murry Bartow of the UCLA Bruins looks on during the second half against the California Golden Bears at Pauley Pavilion on January 05, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 05: Head coach Murry Bartow of the UCLA Bruins looks on during the second half against the California Golden Bears at Pauley Pavilion on January 05, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images) /
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The UCLA basketball team has its worst loss of the season as they give up 104 points to Stanford in a blowout, which is the most they have allowed in a game this season.

This was the strangest, longest and most uncomfortable game the UCLA basketball team has been a part of this season, which says a lot.

The calamity of this contest was off the chart as the Bruins blew a big early lead, there was a 35-minute delay before the second half, and UCLA allowed over 100 points for the first time this season.

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Before this game, the Bruins were only two games out of second place. If they were to secure the second, third or fourth spot in the standings, they would get a first-round bye in the Pac-12 Tournament. At the time, this was a reasonable goal with a reasonable reaction to start the game as the Bruins could do no wrong.

Four minutes into the contest, UCLA played like gangbusters as they shot out to an 11-2 lead. Sophomore Jaylen Hands led the charge as he contributed seven points to the Bruins’ early lead and finished with a career-high 29 points. His effort was visible, but it could not help the Bruins stay in this game.

Three minutes later, after a 17-5 Stanford run, the Bruins lost the lead for good.

Surprisingly, the Bruins were still in this game through halftime. Despite their ineffectiveness on defense, the Bruins were able to trade buckets with Stanford for the remainder of the half with a respectable 49-40 deficit.

Then came something you don’t see every day in a basketball game. When Stanford came out for their halftime shootaround, the rim was loose and rattling every time a ball bounced off it. There was an attempt to tighten it down, but that attempt proved futile. The game was to be delayed.

Because it was retractable, the basket was raised back into the rafters and replaced with a mobile rim and backboard. After 35 deflating minutes, the game resumed. Unfortunately, Stanford was the only team to come out of the locker room and finish the game.

After scoring 49 points in the first half, the Cardinal topped themselves in the second with 55. It was the most put on the Bruins in a half all season.

Stanford knew exactly what to do and where to hit UCLA, but after their auspicious start, they were also full of confidence. After beginning the half on an 11-2 run in the first five minutes, the Cardinal had all the momentum and which helped them to increase the gap by the end of regulation.

The Bruins were of no use on both sides of the court. Not only were their baskets few and far between, but they also had no way to stop Stanford cracking their 2-3 zone. On top of that, the Bruins were outrebounded, 47-35. This was another first for the season, the most rebounds allowed by UCLA in a game.

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This is a tough stretch for the program. Waiting in limbo as they prepare to hire a coach in the off-season is not easy. But they have five games left and we unfortunately have to endure the product that UCLA basketball feeds us. There will be a change, but its going to be a bumpy road before that change occurs.