UCLA
19-7,10-5Big Ten
Indiana
15-11,6-9Big Ten
Men's Basketball Wins at Indiana, 72-68
February 14, 2025 | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The UCLA men's basketball team outlasted Indiana, 72-68, in a Big Ten Conference showdown at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Friday night.
The Bruins (19-7, 10-5 Big Ten) recorded their eighth win in the last nine games. Three UCLA players scored in double figures at Indiana – Tyler Bilodeau (12 points), Skyy Clark (11) and Kobe Johnson (10).
UCLA's Aday Mara had eight points, five rebounds and two blocks in 13 minutes off the bench. In addition, Lazar Stefanovic finished with five points, six rebound and a pair of assists.
Coach Cronin's Postgame Press Conference
Friday night's nationally-televised Big Ten showdown marked UCLA's first-ever game at Indiana's Assembly Hall. The two teams had played each other 12 times, prior to Friday evening, but the Bruins last played at Indiana in 1956 (prior to the construction of Assembly Hall).
"Tonight, we've got to learn how to play with the lead," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "We can watch film on both of those when we get home and try to learn. I told the guys, if we keep getting outrebounded, we're not going anywhere in March. Eventually, we're going to play somebody like Indiana that just doesn't turn the ball over. You can't be plus eight in the turnover margin to make up for the rebounding."
UCLA led the Hoosiers by 10 points at halftime (35-25) after having secured a 13-point cushion with under three minutes to play in the first half. Indiana reduced the Bruins' margin to four points, at 40-36, within the opening three minutes of the second half.
Indiana's Luke Goode led the Hoosiers (15-11, 6-9 Big Ten) with 16 points, while Mackenzie Mgbako added 14 points.
The Bruins had a 10-point advantage with 6:15 left in the contest before Indiana made a run late, reducing UCLA's advantage to as few as two points (70-68) in the game's final minute.
Leading Indiana, 67-63, with 2:30 to play, UCLA pushed the advantage up to seven points (70-63) as Sebastian Mack raced to the hoop and hit a basket underneath while drawing a foul. The Bruins' sophomore guard from Chicago sank ensuing layup to give UCLA a 70-63 lead.
A pair of fouls were called against UCLA and Indiana, including a technical foul assessed to Mack, with 1:18 to play. After drawing a foul from Indiana's Anthony Leal, Mack stepped to the free throw line in a 1-on-1 situation and missed a free throw. In that sequence, Goode for Indiana hit a pair of free throws from the technical foul and cut UCLA's advantage to 70-65.
After a missed free throw by Dylan Andrews, Indiana converted on a second-chance opportunity with 53 seconds to play, as Malik Reneau hit a layup to pull the Hoosiers within three points. Reneau was fouled on the basket, hit the free throw, and cut UCLA's cushion down to 70-68.
With fewer than 20 seconds to play, Indiana had a pair of chances to tie the contest or win the game with a 3-pointer. The Hoosiers missed on shot attempts by Myles Rice and by Mgbako with 12 seconds left (and 10 seconds left on an offensive rebound). Indiana maintained possession and, after a timeout, the Hoosiers inbounded the ball with nine seconds to play. An ensuing 3-point attempt in the corner by Mgbako was unsuccessful.
Andrew corralled the rebound for UCLA and hit both free throws with under five seconds left to seal a 72-68 advantage.
The Bruins finished Friday night's game having shot 45 percent from 3-point distance (9-for-20) and 47.3 percent overall (26-for-55).
UCLA will return to action at home against Minnesota on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Game time inside Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom is set for 7:30 p.m. (PT). The Bruins have five regular-season contests remaining, including three in Pauley Pavilion. In addition to Tuesday's showdown with Minnesota, UCLA will host Ohio State on Sunday, Feb. 23, and USC on Saturday, March 8, in the regular-season finale for both schools.
