I grew up always watching basketball and completely obsessed with the Los Angeles Lakers. But that’s not why I joined Daily Bruin’s Sports section. During high school, I was the friend you asked when you needed help writing thesis statements or editing your essays. But that wasn’t why I spent all five years of my […]
Author Archives: Derrek Li
Li for 3: Lonzo Ball can revamp Lakers the way he transformed UCLA
The once improbable now seems inevitable – Lonzo Ball will be a Los Angeles Laker. We heard it incessantly from his father LaVar Ball, who started it all by claiming his son would only play for the Lakers before walking back a bit on the statement. Los Angeles only had a 31.3 percent chance of […]
UCLA falls 86-75 to Kentucky, ending its NCAA Tournament run
This post was updated March 24 at 10:31 p.m. MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Ball till you fall. UCLA’s season ended Friday night in Memphis, falling in the Sweet 16 for the third time in four years. Behind the freshman guard duo of De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, Kentucky led for the entire second half, before advancing to the Elite Eight […]
Men’s basketball exits Pac-12 tournament with 86-75 loss to Arizona
This post was updated March 11 at 12:10 a.m. LAS VEGAS – UCLA’s sweet shooting stroke just disappeared. This was a team that entered the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament fourth in the nation in 3-point shooting, hitting 41.3 percent of its 3s. Suddenly, the Bruins couldn’t hit a shot from deep. UCLA couldn’t buy […]
UCLA men’s basketball tops USC 76-74 in Pac-12 tournament quarterfinal
This post was updated March 9 at 11:32 p.m. LAS VEGAS — One down, two to go. UCLA jumped out the gates quickly, stifled two USC comeback attempts and led the entire way in a 76-74 win in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament. “The second half was a grind, neither team shot it that […]
Men’s basketball ends regular season with 77-68 win over Washington State
This post was updated March 4 at 10:55 p.m. Senior night was almost spoiled and UCLA’s regular season almost ended on a sour note. The Bruins (28-3, 15-3 Pac-12) found themselves down to the Washington State Cougars (13-17, 6-12) with less than 10 minutes in the game. “No one really warned me it was going […]
UCLA men’s basketball leads Washington State 35-34 at halftime
The celebration started before the game. Senior guards Jerrold Smith, Isaac Hamilton and Bryce Alford were recognized on senior night for the last home game they will play at Pauley Pavilion. It continued through the first 10 minutes of the first half as UCLA ran out to a eight-point lead. Freshman guard Lonzo Ball dished […]