University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
16-7,8-4Big Ten
Rutgers
9-14,2-10Big Ten
Men's Basketball Cruises Past Rutgers, 98-66
February 03, 2026 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – The UCLA men's basketball team defeated Rutgers, 98-66, in a Big Ten Conference game inside Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial on Tuesday night.
UCLA (16-7, 8-4 Big Ten) had five players score in double figures. Xavier Booker totaled a career-best 24 points. Tyler Bilodeau had 19 points and seven rebounds. Donovan Dent (13 points and 11 assists) had his second double-double in as many games, while Eric Dailey Jr. finished with 17 points and Trent Perry had 10 points.
The Bruins knocked in 12 of 21 three-pointers and finished the night with 25 assists and just two turnovers – one shy of the school record for fewest turnovers in a game.
Booker made 10 of 11 shots and was a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the 3-point arc. He became UCLA's first player with at least 10 made shots in a minimum of 11 attempts since T.J. Cummings shot 11-for-12 overall in a Maui Invitational contest against South Carolina on Nov. 21, 2001 (UCLA won that game, 89-77).
"Third game in seven days," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "Obviously after the emotional game, from an adrenaline standpoint for the guys on Saturday, having to travel on two days rest, and two days rest, everybody goes through it. The guys handled it great tonight. Twenty-five assists is probably a season high. Donovan Dent continues to pass and take care of the ball. Great to see Xavier Booker smile – and I know he made shots tonight, but they only got him down for one block. I thought he was more than active again."
Dent's 13-point and 11-assist effort marked his 12th career double-double.
From the jump, UCLA maintained a steady lead. The Burins led Rutgers (9-14, 2-10 Big Ten) by a 52-40 margin at halftime and pushed ahead quickly in the second half. UCLA used a 10-1 scoring run to open the second half, leading Rutgers, 62-41, with 17:10 to play in regulation.
UCLA closed the final eight minute and 45 seconds of the game on a 21-8 scoring run. The Bruins' logged their highest single-game point total (98) in Big Ten play this season. In addition, UCLA crossed the 90-point plateau for the fifth time this season.
The Bruins shot 55.6 percent overall and were 16-for-18 at the free throw stripe (88.9 percent).
Kaden Powers had 18 points for Rutgers, but was held scoreless by UCLA in the second half. As a team, the Bruins limited Rutgers to 32.0 percent shooting in the second half (8-for-25).
Booker continued his career night with back-to-back made baskets to push his total to 21 points and give UCLA a 20-point lead, at 76-56, with 9:30 to go. The junior from Indianapolis, Ind., added his fourth triple of the night to give the Bruins an 80-58 cushion with eight minutes remaining.
Perry and Dent knocked down shots, and Dailey Jr. added two more foul shots to kick-start the second half with a 7-0 UCLA scoring run. That push helped to give the Bruins a 59-40 cushion.
In the first half, Eric Freeney hit UCLA's fourth 3-pointer of the half and helped cap a 7-0 scoring run, pushing the Bruins ahead by seven points (26-19). Another 3-pointer from Bilodeau and a basket off of an offensive rebound pushed UCLA in front by 10 points, 34-24, with 8:10 to go before the intermission.
UCLA connected on three of its first four from behind the 3-point arc, as Bilodeau made a pair and Booker added another to put the Bruins on top, 15-10, five minutes into the contest.
UCLA will host Washington in a Big Ten Conference game at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday, Feb. 7. Game time is set for 7 p.m. (PT). UCLA's game against the Huskies will be nationally televised on FS1.
