UCLA
7-2
Notre Dame
6-3
Wilkes Leads UCLA Past Notre Dame, 65-62
December 08, 2018 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – Kris Wilkes sank a 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds remaining to give UCLA a 65-62 victory over Notre Dame on Saturday evening in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom.
Wilkes, the sophomore guard from Indianapolis, finished with a team-leading 14 points to help the Bruins (7-2) improve their home record to 7-0 this season. He led a trio of Bruins who scored in double figures before a crowd of 12,985.
Jaylen Hands had his second consecutive point-assist double-double, totaling 12 point and 11 assists. The sophomore guard committed four turnovers and registered five rebounds. Ali also had 12 points, including five consecutive points to pull UCLA even, prior Wilkes hitting the game-winning shot.
"Well that's why we wanted the rivalry back – games like that," said Steve Alford, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "Both teams played really hard, but neither team made a lot of shots. I give our guys a lot of credit. For a young and inexperienced group to have a big lead to start the second half, lose it, be down five inside three minutes, and then find a way to win. That's growth. That's what we want to see."
UCLA out-rebounded Notre Dame, 52-40, and was led in that category by Jalen Hill, who tallied 11 rebounds. The 6-foot-10 forward had a critical block on Notre Dame's final offensive possession, leading to Wilkes' game-winner. Hill swatted a layup by Notre Dame's Prentiss Hubb before Ali corralled the rebound and found a trailing Wilkes for the three-point shot.
A pair of big runs, one early and one late, helped dictate the first half for UCLA. The Bruins scored 13 unanswered to turn a three-point deficit into a seven-point lead at 15-8. As Notre Dame struggled to find its shooting touch, UCLA limited second chances with a 34-19 advantage on the boards.
The Fighting Irish eventually tied the score, 20-20, but missed its final 12 shots over the final 7:40 as the Bruins established a 31-20 halftime lead. Wilkes had eight of his 14 points before halftime.
Both offenses came out clicking in the second half, as Notre Dame knocked down nine of its first 13 shots and UCLA converted seven of 12. Made free throws by Hubb gave the Fighting Irish their first lead since the game's opening minutes at 54-53 and a 12-0 run helped propel them to their biggest advantage of the half, at 62-57, with 3:39 to go.
A breakaway slam dunk by Ali put an emphatic end to the Irish scoring spree, and the redshirt junior went on to make three straight free throws to pull the Bruins even, 62-62.
"It was a great shot," Wilkes said. "I told the guys before I shot it – or at least Shareef – I told him I was going to hit the next shot and I hit it. I took my time. It was just a regular shot, and I'm glad I hit it."
Rex Pflueger led three Notre Dame players in double figures with 14 points. He made all four of his shot attempts from beyond the arc and five of six overall. D.J. Harvey scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half and John Mooney posted a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The meeting marked the 49th in the all-time series between UCLA and Notre Dame and the first since December of 2009. UCLA improved its all-time record to 29-20 against the Fighting Irish.
The Bruins will return to action against Belmont on Saturday, Dec. 15. Game time in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom is 2 p.m. (PT). UCLA's game will be televised by the Pac-12 Network.
Following the home game against Belmont, UCLA will play at Cincinnati on Dec. 19 and will face Ohio State (in Chicago) on Dec. 22.
