UCLA
14-13, 7-7
Oregon State
16-9, 8-5
UCLA Men's Basketball Edges Oregon State 68-67
February 21, 2019 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – Chris Smith scored the game-winning basket on a layup with 21.2 seconds to go, as UCLA defeated Oregon State 68-67 in a Pac-12 game on Thursday night in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom.
Moses Brown registered team-highs with 14 points and 11 rebounds for UCLA (14-13, 7-7 Pac-12), logging his eighth double-double of the year.
Jaylen Hands added 12 points and a team-leading eight assists, while Smith, Jules Bernard and Kris Wilkes each registered 10 points. Bernard made 8 of 10 free throw attempts, as the Bruins finished the night having made 18 of 28 free throws.
Oregon State's Stephen Thompson Jr. led all scorers with 21 points. Tres Tinkle had 19 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for the Beavers (16-9, 8-5), securing his seventh double-double of the year.
"This game could've swung either way, and fortunately it swung our way," UCLA interim head coach Murry Bartow said. "We had five guys in double figures, which I like. Cody [Riley] made a huge play late for us, and that was big. Chris Smith, right there at the end, made a huge play for us. Then we got some key stops when we needed them. It was a good win."
Brown piled up eight points and eight rebounds in the first half, setting up an inside-outside attack for UCLA that also included five 3-pointers.
Making his first-career start, David Singleton knocked down two from distance en route to eight early points. An 8-0 run punctuated by a Brown slam dunk extended the UCLA lead to 27-17 with 8:07 to go in the frame. The Bruins withstood 13 points from Tinkle to take a 40-31 lead into halftime.
The Beavers chipped away at the lead in the second half and pulled even on an Antoine Vernon 3-pointer with 2:47 remaining. Two possessions later, Stephen Thompson Jr. scored in the lane to give Oregon State its first lead of the game at 67-65. Hands made one free throw with 1:13 to play, reducing the Bruins' deficit to one point. An ensuing defensive stop by UCLA put the ball in Smith's hands.
Smith spun in the lane and drew a foul and was strong enough to force the ball high off the glass and through the net. Smith missed the free throw attempt, giving Oregon State one final chance to win the game. Tinkle's 3-point shot attempt was unsuccessful with three seconds to play.
Singleton started in place of redshirt junior Prince Ali, who is day-to-day with a left foot injury (plantar fasciitis). Ali had started in the Bruins' previous 26 games this season.
The Bruins will return to action against Oregon (15-11, 6-7 Pac-12) on Saturday, Feb. 23. Game time in Pauley Pavilion is 7 p.m. UCLA's game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
