UCLA
8-7,1-1Pac-12
Washington State
10-5,1-1Pac-12
UCLA Falls to Washington State, 79-71, in Overtime
January 04, 2020 | Men's Basketball
PULLMAN, Wash. โย Juniorย Chris Smithย scored a career-high 22 points as the UCLA men's basketball team lost in overtime against Washington State, 79-71, on Saturday afternoon at Beasley Coliseum.
CJ Elleby sank a 3-pointer with just under 20 seconds remaining in regulation to help Washington State tie the game, 65-65, and force overtime. The Cougars (10-5, 1-1 Pac-12) outscored UCLA by a 14-6 margin in the overtime session to earn the victory.
Smith finished as one of three players for UCLA (8-7, 1-1) to have scored in double figures. Senior Prince Ali had 11 points and Jules Bernard added 10 off the bench. The Bruins registered a 43-37 rebounding advantage and received seven boards each from Bernard and Smith.
WSU's Isaac Bonton scored 17 points, including eight in overtime. He finished as the Cougars' leading scorer, while Elleby totaled 15 points in the Pac-12 contest.
"It's a shame," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "You come down to one play. But the reason that we couldn't get that stop? We're just not there. We're not there yet. In the second half, forget the overtime, they shot 15 for 27."
UCLA had limited Washington State to 20.8 percent shooting in the first half (5 for 24) to lead at halftime, 33-24. The Cougars answered in the second half and overtime session, shooting 57 percent (20 for 35) through that 25-minute stretch.
Washington State scored eight of the game's first 10 points, but made just two of 19 shots over the balance of the first half. Smith scored all 11 UCLA points during a nearly four-minute span, as the Bruins turned a 13-12 deficit into a 23-19 cushion.
The Bruins pushed their margin to double digits during a stretch late in the first half, making 5 of 6 shots, before entering the locker room at the intermission ahead, 33-24.
The Cougars used a 9-0 run to retake the lead (54-53) with 7:36 remaining in the game.
UCLA had made eight of its first 11 shot attempts during the second half but saw the Cougars claw back during a scoreless spell of more than four minutes.
The lead changed hands five more times before Elleby's tying shot with nearly 20 seconds left in the second half.
Washington State made 23 of 32 free throw attempts, including 4 of 6 in overtime.
UCLA will return to action against USC on Saturday, Jan. 11, in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. ESPN2 will televise the game, which is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. (PT).
Following next Saturday's home game against USC, the Bruins will host back-to-back Pac-12 contests against Stanford (Wednesday, Jan. 15) and California (Sunday, Jan. 19).
