PHOENIX — There was some comforting familiarity Saturday afternoon in a rivalry renewed amid uncommon circumstances.
UCLA and Arizona engaged in one other traditional.
In a sequence that appeared as weird because the fan proven ingesting a beer out of a shoe on the video board contained in the Footprint Center, the Bruins stormed again from what seemed like sure defeat.
Only minutes earlier than Skyy Clark made two late free throws and UCLA gamers mobbed one another in celebration of an unlikely 57-54 victory, the No. 24 Bruins seemed like they’d forgotten methods to play basketball.
Committing one foul after one other and repeatedly sending the Wildcats to the free-throw line whereas unable to generate any offense themselves, the Bruins misplaced their mojo in falling behind by 13 factors halfway via the second half.
“I believe there’s instances,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin stated, “you neglect who you’re or what it’s about, what it takes to win video games.”
The Bruins rediscovered themselves and not using a second to spare.
A renewed dedication to protection and a flurry of Tyler Bilodeau baskets had been sufficient to assist UCLA (9-1) roll off an eighth consecutive victory. The Bruins completed the sport on a 21-5 run, holding the Wildcats (4-5) and not using a discipline objective over the ultimate 8:46 and forcing 9 turnovers during the last 12 minutes.
“It simply exhibits a whole lot of toughness, a whole lot of grit, a whole lot of character with our guys,” Bilodeau stated after the Bruins held Arizona to its fewest factors in coach Tommy Lloyd’s 4 seasons. “We didn’t quit.”
Bilodeau rewarded his teammates for frequently placing the ball in his arms, scoring 12 of his 17 factors within the second half. There was a putback, a few layups and a baseline jumper, simply because the Bruins had been growing their defensive depth.
Bilodeau’s baseline leap hook with 1:42 left capped a 15-1 run and gave the Bruins a 55-52 benefit earlier than Arizona’s Okay.J. Lewis made two free throws to shave the Wildcats’ deficit to a degree.
Arizona bought the ball again, however the Bruins doubled teamed Trey Townsend within the nook and he misplaced the ball out of bounds for a turnover with 40 seconds left, persevering with a theme for a staff frequently flustered by UCLA’s stress.
“It’s not straightforward to attach three passes in opposition to them,” Lloyd stated after his staff misplaced to the Bruins for less than the second time of their final eight conferences. “They’re sticky, they’re denying, they’re handsy.”
Less than per week after his profitable three-pointer in opposition to Oregon, UCLA’s Dylan Andrews hoisted one other shot from lengthy vary within the last seconds. This shot was off the mark, however Clark chased down the rebound within the nook, dribbled towards the perimeter and was fouled with 6.1 seconds to go. What was Clark’s routine as he approached the free-throw line for the foul photographs that might prolong UCLA’s cushion to a few factors?
“Really,” Clark deadpanned, “simply deep breaths and pondering of Cronin.”
Lewis’ three-pointer that might have tied the rating wasn’t shut and the Bruins may have fun a triumph amid unlikely circumstances.
The nonconference sport between former Pac-12 rivals was technically thought of at a impartial website, although basketball analyst Ken Pomeroy’s designating it as “semi-home” for Arizona solely started to seize the essence of the scene.
Loud “U of A!” chants from a crowd awash in pink first broke out within the latter a part of the primary half with the Wildcats within the midst of a giant run. The quantity would solely rise from there as Arizona’s 21-6 push within the second half prompted Lloyd to flap his arms to extend the decibel degree.
UCLA discovered its personal resounding ally in ahead Kobe Johnson, who instructed his teammates they had been going to win even after they fell behind by double digits.
“Kobe was a giant, huge motive for that,” stated Clark, who completed with a season-high 15 factors. “In the huddles, within the timeouts, useless balls, he was simply telling us to not quit and we’re going to come back again, we’re going to win. I imply, that vitality is infectious and so it simply unfold all through the entire staff.”
Guard Jaden Bradley completed with 12 factors for the Wildcats, who dedicated 22 turnovers and didn’t get almost sufficient out of main scorer Caleb Love. UCLA held its longtime nemesis to seven factors on three-for-10 capturing, together with one in every of seven from lengthy vary.
After blowing a double-digit lead in opposition to Oregon solely to prevail within the last second on Andrews’ shot, UCLA confirmed it may win in equally breathless trend in opposition to the Wildcats.
“I believed we bought up, they performed with desperation,” Cronin stated, alluding to his staff’s eight-point lead within the first half, “they bought up, we performed with desperation.”
In his remarks after the sport, Cronin talked about the groups combining for 36 turnovers and solely six three-pointers, saying it was not a factor of magnificence.
That is, till his staff cast the right ending.
