University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
9-9, 2-3
California
8-10, 2-3
UCLA Defeats California, 50-40
January 19, 2020 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – The UCLA men's basketball team used a methodical and disciplined defensive effort to defeat California, 50-40, on Sunday night in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom.
The Bruins (9-9, 2-3 Pac-12) were keyed by junior Chris Smith, who logged team-highs in points (17) and rebounds (7). Sophomore Jalen Hill and freshman Jaime Jaquez Jr. both joined Smith in double figures, scoring 11 points each. Hill tallied all 11 points before halftime.
UCLA limited California (8-10, 2-3) to just 40 points, the lowest single-game point total by any Bruins' opponent since March 7, 2012. In that game eight years ago, UCLA outlasted USC, 55-40, in a first-round Pac-12 Tournament at Staples Center.
Coach Cronin Postgame | UCLA's Student-Athletes Postgame
Discipline played a big part in Sunday's defensive effort, as the Bruins did not commit a foul until over 12 minutes into the game. California did not get to the free throw line until there were fewer than five minutes to play in the second half. The Golden Bears made 3 of 4 total free throw attempts.
"Our adherence to the scouting report was pretty good today," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "We got up to 12 stops in a row at one point. The difference in the game was in the second half when we only had four turnovers, therefore we got off 26 shots and were able to rebound effectively."
UCLA led 22-21 at halftime and pulled away from Cal in the second half. The Bruins used a 17-2 scoring run that took up a majority of the second half. After Cal had briefly claimed the lead on a Grant Anticevich layup at the 16:55 mark (25-24), the Bruins didn't allow another basket by the Golden Bears for the next 11 minutes.
Smith was a pivotal part of that run for UCLA. He scored the first five points (and eight overall). That included one stretch that saw the 6-foot-9 junior corral an offensive rebound before sinking a 3-pointer moments later, giving UCLA a 35-26 advantage with 10:54 to play. That also marked the Bruins' first double-digit lead of the evening.
Over that same span, Cal missed 14 consecutive shots. The Golden Bears' scoring skid was snapped by a close-range jump shot from Matt Bradley, with 5:55 to play. Bradley finished the game with 17 points.
Cal did not cross the 30-point threshold until the 4:14 mark in the second half.
UCLA was tenacious on the defensive side all night, recording 10 steals (just one shy of the team's single-game high this season). The Bruins also forced 15 turnovers.
UCLA will return to action at Oregon State on Thursday, Jan. 23. Game time at Gill Coliseum (Corvallis, Ore.) is scheduled for 8 p.m. UCLA's game will be nationally televised by FS1.
The Bruins will close their two-game trip to the Pacific Northwest against Oregon on Sunday, Jan. 26. Game time on Sunday is 2 p.m.
