An early surge proved to be all No. 3 seed UCLA needed in its first-round NCAA tournament game against No. 14 seed Stetson, a 66-49 win.
Ten minutes in, UCLA (26-7) had already more than tripled Stetson’s score. The Bruins applied tight on-the-ball pressure, missed few defensive rotations and hammered their physical presence inside. In all, it took Stetson (24-9) more than 12 minutes to hit double-digit scoring.
UCLA’s offense, at least in the first half, enjoyed much of the same success its defense did.
The Bruins found numerous open shots that they were able to convert. Senior guard Markel Walker led the way, finishing with six assists.
Even when Stetson switched to a zone, it didn’t take long for freshman guard Nirra Fields, a regular jump shooter, to gash the Hatters’ defense right through the middle for an easy layup – a recurring theme throughout the game.
UCLA will play No. 6 seed Oklahoma on Monday in Columbus, Ohio, in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The two teams met in November, and the Bruins upset the then-No. 11 ranked Sooners, 86-80 in Oklahoma.
Compiled by Chris Kalra, Bruin Sports reporter.