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 โ 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The final minute provided plenty of drama on its own, with the teams trading the lead before Kyman's game-winner.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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."
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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.
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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.
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Smith was the star of the first half for UCLA, recording 11 points and snagging four offensive rebounds.
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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.
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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).
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