UCLA
8-6,1-0Pac-12
Washington
10-4,0-1Pac-12
UCLA Claims 66-64 Win Over Washington in Pac-12 Opener
January 02, 2020 | Men's Basketball
SEATTLE – The UCLA men's basketball team built a 10-point halftime lead and held on for a dramatic 66-64 victory over Washington in Thursday night's Pac-12 opener for both teams.
Freshman guard Jake Kyman erupted for a career-high 21 points, sinking 7 of 12 attempts from 3-point distance. He accounted for seven of UCLA's 10 makes from beyond the arc, including the game-winning shot with just eight seconds remaining.
UCLA registered the 1,900th win in program history on Thursday, playing before 9,027 fans at Alaska Airlines Arena.
Junior guard Chris Smith chipped in 17 points on 8-for-13 shooting and had a team-high 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Freshman guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. registered six points and 11 rebounds.
UCLA (8-6, 1-0 Pac-12) carried a 10-point lead into the locker room at halftime, but Washington (10-4, 0-1) responded with an 8-0 run at the beginning of the second half to make it a close game. The contest remained tight the rest of the way, as it remained a one-possession game for the final 15 minutes.
The final minute provided plenty of drama on its own, with the teams trading the lead before Kyman's game-winner.
With the score tied 61-61 heading into the last 60 seconds of the contest, a pair of hustle plays from Jaquez Jr. gave the Bruins a crucial two-point cushion.
First, he sprinted to grab a rebound after a UCLA three-point attempt clanged off the rim, saving it and throwing it off a Washington defender just before going out of bounds to preserve possession. On the ensuing play, he drew a foul on a pump fake in the paint before connecting on his both of his attempts from the free throw line.
The Huskies' Nahziah Carter connected from 3-point range on the following play to give the home team a one-point lead with 24 seconds remaining.
On the final offensive possession in the second half for UCLA, freshman Tyger Campbell found Kyman all alone on the left wing with a chance to win the game. Kyman, who grew up in Aliso Viejo, Calif., drained the shot to provide the game's final score line.
Smith came up with a steal by diving on a loose ball on the final play, sealing the victory.
"No matter what the result would have been, I was proud of them tonight," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "You win because you grind out wins, so I was really proud of them today. You've gotta give [Kyman] credit. He believes he's making every shot."
Having entered the game with a career-high of just six points, Kyman was nearly unstoppable in the second half. He hit five 3-pointers after halftime, all of which put UCLA in the lead.
Kyman's first 3-point basket of the second half made the score 44-43, putting the Bruins back ahead following Washington's early-second half surge. Kyman's seven three-pointers were the most by a Bruin this season.
Smith was the star of the first half for UCLA, recording 11 points and snagging four offensive rebounds.
The Huskies were paced by Isaiah Stewart, who had team-highs in both points (24) and rebounds (11), including a 12-14 clip from the free throw line. Carter added 16 points.
UCLA will conclude its Pacific Northwest trip with a Pac-12 contest at Washington State on Saturday, Jan. 4. Game time is 4 p.m. (PT).
