UCLA Bruins Bounce Back After Tough Losses
CHICAGO – They’ve certainly moved on from East Lansing. It’s been a whirlwind month for the UCLA Bruins following two crushing 53-point defeats against Michigan State. Yet, here they are now, looking strong and making a statement.
Currently, they’ve secured a season-best winning streak, even after losing their leading scorer and fending off a determined comeback from the Spartans.
Tyler Bilodeau faced elimination in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday night at the United Center. His No. 6 seed team, despite facing challenges, triumphed with a score of 88-84.
Interestingly, the Bruins had previously crushed the third-seeded Spartans by a hefty 23 points in February, and they’ll now prepare to meet seventh-seeded Purdue in the semifinals on Saturday.
With a record of 23-10, UCLA is riding a four-game winning streak, which was bolstered when Trent Perry sank six free throws in the last moments of the game. Donovan Dent then made a crucial play, stealing the inbounds pass and securing victory as time expired.
But things took a serious turn when Bilodeau went down, clutching his right knee just three and a half minutes before halftime. It was concerning, and I think it overshadowed the rest of the game for many. He had to be helped off the court, but notably, he seemed to be moving better when he returned from the locker room, despite being heavily wrapped up.
A thorough evaluation of his injury is expected to follow the match.
UCLA played with impressive intensity on both offense and defense, hitting 63 percent of their shots to lead 44-33 at halftime.
Another moment worth mentioning—Stephen Jamerson II made quite an impression as well. Earlier this month, he had been ejected for a hard foul against Spartan Carson Cooper, but this time he managed to deliver a significant hit on Cooper again, leading to an upgraded foul call. Coach Mick Cronin took Jamerson out of the game temporarily but allowed him back on the court after Xavier Booker fouled out late in the game.
What It Means
UCLA, currently projected as the eighth seed in the NCAA Tournament, could possibly enhance their positioning with this latest win over the Spartans. A higher seed might lead to more favorable matchups in the early rounds, potentially steering clear of the stronger teams in the later matchups.
Turning Point
The energy in the arena was palpable, especially with Michigan State fans rallying as their team cut a once 15-point deficit down to five with just nine minutes to go. But UCLA didn’t back down. Dent drove and made a crucial assist to Perry for a three-pointer. Amidst the action, Eric Daley Jr. blocked a dunk attempt, and Dent responded with a quick jumper, helping UCLA maintain their momentum.
By the time Brandon Williams executed a steal and converted a free throw, UCLA had stretched the lead to 72-61 with 7:57 remaining. Strong plays like that really marked the game.
MVP
It’s tough to argue against Donovan Dent as the standout player this month. In this game alone, he racked up 23 points, 12 assists, six rebounds, along with four steals, and had just two turnovers. Quite the performance.
To the Next Challenge
Looking forward, UCLA will face Purdue again later in January—this time at Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins had previously edged out Purdue, winning 69-67 thanks to a late three-pointer by Bilodeau, which adds an interesting layer to this upcoming matchup.
