Monday, January 27
Los Angeles, CA
7:00 PM (PT)
UCLA
15-6,6-4Big Ten
82
at
76
USC
12-8,4-5Big Ten
1
2
F
UCLA
42
40
82
Southern California
37
39
76
Aday Mara
Photo by: Jan Kim Lim
Men’s Basketball Earns 82-76 Victory at USC
January 27, 2025 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – Aday Mara registered his first career double-double, totaling 12 points and 11 rebounds, to lead the UCLA men's basketball team past crosstown rival USC, 82-76, before a crowd of 7,532 on Monday night inside Galen Center.
In his first start of the season, Mara made 6 of 11 shots and had a team-leading five blocks, starting in place of Tyler Bilodeau who was nursing an ankle injury he sustained on Friday night. Mara totaled a career-high 11 rebounds.
The Bruins (15-6, 6-4) secured their fourth consecutive victory and logged their fifth win in their last seven games against crosstown foe USC (12-8, 4-5).
Eric Dailey Jr. paced the UCLA offense with 16 points and six boards on the night, going 6-of-10 from the field. Dylan Andrews handed out a team-high six assists and ascended into double figures with 12 points.
As a team, UCLA posted a shooting percentage of 55 percent (28-for-51).
"I can want to win all I want, but the hungry dog gets the bone," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "These kids are fighting their hearts out to win games, and that's what wins games – performance and toughness. I give them all the credit. I've just got to keep digging in, keep pounding nails."
Sebastian Mack delivered in the clutch, nailing a step-back 3-pointer to put the Bruins up by a 76-72 margin with 1:07 to play in regulation. He finished the night with 14 points on an efficient 4-of-7 shooting, including a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. His crucial basket in the final moments provided UCLA the necessary cushion to secure the win at Galen Center.
USC stormed back from a 12-point deficit by using a 12-3 scoring run in less than four minutes, making it a one-possession game with 5:54 left to play. By making six straight field goals, the Trojans managed to whittle the lead to just one point at the 1:54 mark.
After Mack's clutch bucket, the Chicago native calmly knocked down two free throws. Skyy Clark and Lazar Stefanovic followed suit, each making two foul shots in the dying seconds to secure the victory and fend off the hosts' comeback attempt.
UCLA moved the ball effectively during the first half, shooting an efficient 68 percent (15-for-22) from the floor to take a five-point lead, 42-37, at the halftime break. USC shot 52 percent as a team, with seven of its 13 first-half field goals coming from 3-point range.
The hosts kicked off the contest with a pair of 3-pointers to build an early lead. However, UCLA countered with a dominant 10-point run to seize the advantage. Clark led the charge with two transition layups, and Andrews added a step-back triple to cap the surge. Andrews knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to fuel his eight-point half.
This ignited a flawless 7-for-7 shooting streak for the Bruins. Despite this, the Trojans remained within striking distance by going 5-of-8 from beyond the arc in the first eight minutes of the contest and trailed by just three points at the under-12 media timeout.
UCLA's defense tightened in the early minutes of the second half, forcing seven consecutive misfires while rallying for a 6-0 run to extend its lead to double-digits.
Mara began to dominate on both ends of the floor in the second half, scoring four baskets in the paint and blocking four shots to help maintain the Bruins' lead. The sophomore center also pulled down six rebounds, including four crucial offensive boards.
The Bruins return to Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom on Thursday, Jan. 27 to host No. 16 Oregon. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. (PT). The contest will be available for viewing on FS1.
Team Stats
UCLA
USC
FG%
.549
.491
3FG%
.375
.355
FT%
.800
.579
RB
29
25
TO
9
10
STL
6
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG/F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
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