UCLA defeats Kent State 97-80 in first round of NCAA Tournament

This post was updated March 17 at 10:39 p.m. SACRAMENTO – It was a fairly typical performance from this UCLA team in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The No. 3 seed Bruins’ (30-4) offense excelled throughout Friday night’s matchup with the No. 14-seeded Kent State Golden Flashes (22-14), but shaky defense kept the […]

UCLA leads Kent State 47-39 at halftime in first round of NCAA Tournament

SACRAMENTO — If experience matters during March Madness, it didn’t appear that way in the first half of UCLA’s opening-round game against Kent State on Friday night. The Bruins’ star freshmen, point guard Lonzo Ball and forward T.J. Leaf, quickly asserted themselves in their first NCAA Tournament game, combining for 26 points as No. 3 […]

Former point guard reminisces about 1995 championship

As illustrious as the history of UCLA basketball is, most of the pennants in Pauley Pavilion are a distant memory, hung over a generation before the stars of this year’s team were even born. The Bruins are reminded every day, though, of the program’s most recent championship back in 1995, when current director of operations […]

Bruin basketball sharp shooters fall into slump as NCAA Tournament looms

Perhaps Arizona guard Rawle Alkins described the UCLA offense best. “When they’re hitting their shots, they look like a million dollars,” Alkins said. “When they’re not, they look crazy.” UCLA, which boasts the nation’s highest-scoring offense, shot 40.7 percent and connected on just four of its 25 3-point attempts in an 86-75 loss to No. […]

UCLA trails Arizona 41-35 at halftime in Pac-12 tournament semifinal

LAS VEGAS – Battling for a spot in the Pac-12 final, No. 3 UCLA men’s basketball finished a hotly contested first half down 41-35 to No. 7 Arizona on Friday night at T-Mobile Arena. The Bruins, who split two regular-season meetings with the Wildcats, jumped out to an early lead but their offense stagnated as […]

Men’s basketball finds success with defense early in postseason

UCLA wasn’t supposed to win games like this. All year long, the Bruins (29-3, 15-3 Pac-12) have won games because of their offense, not despite it. On Thursday night against USC, though, it was the defense that allowed UCLA to escape with a 76-74 victory in the quarterfinal of the Pac-12 tournament, holding the Trojans […]

UCLA leads USC 38-35 at halftime in Pac-12 tournament quarterfinal

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — UCLA controlled the action for much of the opening period, but a late-half push from USC trimmed the UCLA lead to 38-35 entering halftime of the rivals’ Pac-12 tournament quarterfinal matchup Thursday night. The Bruins led by 14 points with five minutes to go after senior guard Bryce Alford drilled his […]