UCLA Finds Their Groove from Beyond the Arc, Staving Off a Late Comeback from the Idaho State Bengals
The largest lead of the night for UCLA (4-1) was 28-points, putting on a dazzling display of basketball excellence. For the first 30-minutes of the game, this was the case for the Bruins; however, the last 10-minutes showcased the exact opposite as the Idaho State Bengals (2-4) managed to cut the Bruins’ lead down to 14. Due to their dominating start, UCLA was able to hang on for a 84-70 win against the Bengals at Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday night.
UCLA got off to a fast start in the first half, and they went on a 31-15 run after Idaho State Forward Isaiah Griffin scored the first 12 points for the Bengals.
The Bruins shot 9/14 from the three-point line on the night, amounting their highest three-point percentage in nearly two years. Particularly, Forward Tyler Bilodeau displayed an adept shooter’s touch, going 4/4 from beyond the arc. The Oregon State transfer finished the game with 20 points.
UCLA has struggled to consistently find three-point production this season, which is apparent from the fact that on their three-point attempts, they are only converting 31.7% of the time. The Bruins’ performance tonight could represent a turning point as the Bruins attempt to find their identity from beyond the arc.
“We all believe that we’re a really good shooting team,” said Bilodeau.
As the Bruins came out of the locker room for the second half, they picked up right where they left off, pushing their lead to 67-39 after Junior Guard Dylan Andrews and Freshman Guard Trent Perry drilled back-to-back three-point jump shots.
Sophomore Guard Sebastian Mack was a key contributor to the Bruins’ offensive dominance against the Bengals. The Chicago native relentlessly penetrated the Bengals’ defense through off-ball cuts to the basket, allowing him to get to the free-throw line 16 times, where he added 15 points. He finished the game with a season-high 21 points.
Despite the Bruins’ excellent play throughout the first half and opening of the second half, they became complacent, allowing the Idaho State Bengals to dominate the last 10 minutes of the game.
UCLA has been characterized for their stifling defense under Cronin, and the Bruins are currently only allowing opponents to score 55.4 points per game. They let the Bengals score 70, a far cry from the defensive identity that they have established.
The Bruins will look to put together a complete 40-minute game against Cal State Fullerton (1-4)-a team that just defeated the Bengals 62-61 for their first win of the season-on Friday Night at Pauley Pavilion.
