UCLA
8-11,3-5Pac-12
Arizona
14-4,5-2Pac-12
Men's Basketball Drops 77-71 Decision at No. 12 Arizona
January 20, 2024 | Men's Basketball
TUCSON, Ariz. โ The UCLA men's basketball team dropped a 77-71 decision at No. 12 Arizona in a Pac-12 matchup before a crowd of 14,688 at the McKale Center on Saturday afternoon.
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Freshman Sebastian Mack scored a team-leading 21 points, and junior Lazar Stefanovic finished with 17 points. Mack shot 7-for-16 from the field and was 4-for-5 at the free throw line for the Bruins (8-11, 3-5 Pac-12).
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Sophomore Adem Bona had 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and one block.
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Arizona (14-4, 5-2 Pac-12) received a team-high 22 points from Pelle Larsson, who shot 6-for-12 from the field and was a perfect 8-for-8 at the free throw stripe.
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UCLA led by as many as 19 points midway through the first half and entered the locker room at the intermission with a 37-28 cushion. The Bruins' early surge took place after UCLA had claimed an 8-5 advantage. From that point, UCLA outscored Arizona by a 24-8 margin over the next 10:20 to lead, 32-13, at the 7:40 mark.
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The host Wildcats reduced their deficit midway through the first half, trailing by nine points at multiple junctures in the final three minutes of the opening half.
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In the second half, UCLA led by 14 points (50-36) at the 13:03 mark and by 13 with 10:58 remaining in regulation. Bruins' freshman Jan Vide hit a mid-range jump shot at the 10:58 mark and drew a foul, sinking the free throw, to help UCLA build its lead back to 13 points (53-40).
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Arizona reduced UCLA's advantage to five points, at 55-50, with 8:32 remaining on a 3-point basket from Kylan Boswell. The Wildcats got to the free throw line, sinking a pair of free throws at the 8:01 and 7:06 marks, trimming UCLA's lead to four points (58-54).
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Trailing by four, 60-56, Arizona converted four consecutive free throws from Larsson to tie the game.
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UCLA regained the lead as Mack scored a basket and drew foul, making the free throw, to put the Bruins on top by a 63-60 margin. Arizona knocked down two free throws with 5:27 to play before Mack found his way back at the line, sinking a pair of free throws to put UCLA on top, 65-62.
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Arizona took the lead for good with just over four minutes left in the contest. Larsson made a driving layup at the 4:52 mark and Caleb Love followed with a fast break bucket with 4:14 remaining. Those consecutive baskets put Arizona ahead of UCLA, 66-65.
Stefanovic made a pair of free throws with 1:22 remaining, pulling UCLA to within 73-71 of Arizona. The Bruins could not hit any 3-point attempts in the game's final minute as Arizona won by the final tally of 77-71.
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UCLA will return to action at USC on Saturday, Jan. 27. Game time at USC's Galen Center is scheduled for 5 p.m. (PT). The Bruins' game on Saturday at USC will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
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