UCLA
4-1
Wisconsin
2-3
No. 23 UCLA Wins Thriller Over Wisconsin, 72-70
November 21, 2017 | Men's Basketball
KANSAS CITY, Mo. โย Aaron Holiday hit the game-winning layup with 0.9 seconds remaining in regulation to lead No. 23 UCLA past Wisconsin, 72-70, in the third-place game of the Hall of Fame Classic on Tuesday evening.
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Holiday finished with a team-leading 18 points, scoring the final 10 points for UCLA, in a thrilling contest at the Sprint Center.
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Holiday, along with Thomas Welsh (11 points), G.G. Goloman (11 points), Prince Ali (10 points) and Jaylen Hands (10 points) all scored in double figures for UCLA (4-1).
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Wisconsin's Ethan Happ led all scorers with 19 points, connecting on 8 of 13 shots. D'Mitrik Trice, Khalil Iverson and Brad Davison each scored 14 for the Badgers (2-3).
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Tied at 70-70 with 13 seconds left in regulation after the Bruins had called timeout, Holiday used a pick-and-roll to beat his defender to the right block and sink the game-winning basket.
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"You just dream of it growing up," said Holiday, in reference to the postgame emotions. "You dream of big moments, being there, and making the big play. I just try to be aggressive. My teammates and my coach gave me confidence and gave me the ball, and we came up with the win."
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Trailing 38-31 at halftime, the Bruins used a 19-4 scoring run to start the second half and secure a 52-44 lead with 14:19 left in the game. That early span was highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers from Ali and Alex Olesinski.
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"We grew defensively in the second half tonight," said UCLA head coach Steve Alford, who earned his 100th victory as the Bruins' head coach on Tuesday night. "For us to come to this tournament and grow, that was something that was a big concern for us. We're going home for a four-game homestand. We are 4-1 and we're growing. That is crucial. I couldn't be more happy for this team and for Aaron."
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The Badgers led by as many as 12 points in the first half, taking advantage of a 12-0 scoring run during a three-minute stretch before halftime. That scoring run was capped by a Brad Davison three-pointer with 1:51 to go in the half.
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Goloman keyed UCLA's offense in the first half, scoring all of his season-high 11 points in the first half. He connected on each of his first four shot attempts.
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The Bruins trailed by as many as six points with 3:52 to play after a pair of free throws from Davison. UCLA came down the court and Holiday found an open Hands for a three-pointer, cutting the Badgers' advantage to 65-62.
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Happ responded for the Badgers with a layup, before Holiday's ensuing three-pointer pull UCLA to within 67-65 at the 2:47 mark.
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Holiday got himself to the free throw line, knocking down a pair of free throws, to tie the contest at 67-67 with 2:16 remaining. After a missed three-point attempt from Wisconsin's Aleem Ford, Holiday nailed a go-ahead three to put the Bruins on top, 70-67, with 45 seconds left.
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Wisconsin was able to tie the game on a layup and an ensuing free throw after a UCLA turnover, knotting the score at 70-70 with 31 seconds left.
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Following UCLA's timeout at the 13-second mark, Holiday made the play of the night to help the Bruins capture their fourth victory of the season.
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UCLA returns to Pauley Pavilion to face UC Irvine on Sunday, Nov. 26. Game time is 3 p.m. (PT). The Bruins' game against the Anteaters will be televised by the Pac-12 Network.
