Saturday, December 16
Atlanta, GA
12:00 PM
UCLA
5-4,0-0Pac-12
60
vs
67
Ohio State
9-2,1-1Big Ten
1
2
F
UCLA
23
37
60
Ohio St.
22
45
67
Photo by: Jan Kim Lim
Bruins Fall to Ohio State in CBS Sports Classic, 67-60
December 16, 2023 | Men's Basketball
ATLANTA – The UCLA men's basketball team dropped a 67-60 contest to Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday afternoon.
In a game that featured 18 lead changes and nine ties, Ohio State (9-2) outlasted UCLA (5-4) down the stretch to earn the win. A key 3-pointer from Jamison Battle made it a 62-56 lead for the Buckeyes with 45 seconds to go, stifling UCLA's comeback bid led by Adem Bona's 11 points in the second half.
Sebastian Mack (14 points, six rebounds), Dylan Andrews (13 points, four rebounds, three assists) and Bona (12 points, six rebounds) all finished in double figures on Saturday at State Farm Arena. UCLA finished the game having shot 38.1 percent from the field.
Four Ohio State players finished in double figures. Roddy Gayle Jr. led all scorers with 19 points and six rebounds, while Battle registered 14 points, Bruce Thorton had 13 points and a game-high seven rebounds, and Felix Okpara chipped in with 10 points.
Both teams struggled from the field early on Saturday afternoon, as both defenses made open looks hard to come by. Over the opening 10 minutes the Bruins held Ohio State to 5-for-15 from the field and 0-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Mack tied the game at 12-12 with 7:12 remaining in the first half before Brandon Williams gave the Bruins their first lead of the game at the 5:16 mark. The two sides traded baskets to close the half, and UCLA led by one point, 23-22, at the half.
Over the course of the first 20 minutes UCLA's defense held the Buckeyes to 22 points on 10-of-29 shooting from the field and 0-for-10 from behind the arc. The 22 points were the fewest the Buckeyes have scored in a half all season.
UCLA's offense came out strongly in the second half. Aday Mara finished with authority at the rim with a slam dunk to tie the game at 33-33, before Will McClendon tallied the first 3-pointer of the game to give UCLA a 36-33 lead midway through the half.
Dylan Andrews converted an and-1 opportunity with 10:40 to go in the second half after finishing through contact to head to the foul line. He made the ensuing free throw to give the Bruins a 41-37 lead, their largest of the game.
Ohio State made their own and-1 opportunity on their next possession to make it a 41-40 game. Bona then took over offensively for the Bruins, scoring three baskets in a row. However, each time Bona made a bucket Ohio State would answer right back, and the Buckeyes held a 48-47 advantage with 7:52 remaining in the game.
After Ohio State rattled off five straight points Bona scored his fourth basket of the half, this time a mid-range jumper, to close the gap to 52-50 with 4:55 left in the game.
On UCLA's next possession, Mack sank one of two from the line, and UCLA trailed 53-51. The Buckeyes then took a six point lead before Andrews made a layup to make it a 57-53 game with 2:34 to go.
Battle made a 3-pointer for Ohio State with 46 seconds remaining, to take a 62-56 lead. The Buckeyes then made their foul shots on their final possessions to earn the 67-60 win on Saturday.
UCLA will return home to Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom to play CSUN (7-3) on Tuesday, December 19 at 7 p.m. PT. The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network.
In a game that featured 18 lead changes and nine ties, Ohio State (9-2) outlasted UCLA (5-4) down the stretch to earn the win. A key 3-pointer from Jamison Battle made it a 62-56 lead for the Buckeyes with 45 seconds to go, stifling UCLA's comeback bid led by Adem Bona's 11 points in the second half.
Sebastian Mack (14 points, six rebounds), Dylan Andrews (13 points, four rebounds, three assists) and Bona (12 points, six rebounds) all finished in double figures on Saturday at State Farm Arena. UCLA finished the game having shot 38.1 percent from the field.
Four Ohio State players finished in double figures. Roddy Gayle Jr. led all scorers with 19 points and six rebounds, while Battle registered 14 points, Bruce Thorton had 13 points and a game-high seven rebounds, and Felix Okpara chipped in with 10 points.
Both teams struggled from the field early on Saturday afternoon, as both defenses made open looks hard to come by. Over the opening 10 minutes the Bruins held Ohio State to 5-for-15 from the field and 0-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Mack tied the game at 12-12 with 7:12 remaining in the first half before Brandon Williams gave the Bruins their first lead of the game at the 5:16 mark. The two sides traded baskets to close the half, and UCLA led by one point, 23-22, at the half.
Over the course of the first 20 minutes UCLA's defense held the Buckeyes to 22 points on 10-of-29 shooting from the field and 0-for-10 from behind the arc. The 22 points were the fewest the Buckeyes have scored in a half all season.
UCLA's offense came out strongly in the second half. Aday Mara finished with authority at the rim with a slam dunk to tie the game at 33-33, before Will McClendon tallied the first 3-pointer of the game to give UCLA a 36-33 lead midway through the half.
Dylan Andrews converted an and-1 opportunity with 10:40 to go in the second half after finishing through contact to head to the foul line. He made the ensuing free throw to give the Bruins a 41-37 lead, their largest of the game.
Ohio State made their own and-1 opportunity on their next possession to make it a 41-40 game. Bona then took over offensively for the Bruins, scoring three baskets in a row. However, each time Bona made a bucket Ohio State would answer right back, and the Buckeyes held a 48-47 advantage with 7:52 remaining in the game.
After Ohio State rattled off five straight points Bona scored his fourth basket of the half, this time a mid-range jumper, to close the gap to 52-50 with 4:55 left in the game.
On UCLA's next possession, Mack sank one of two from the line, and UCLA trailed 53-51. The Buckeyes then took a six point lead before Andrews made a layup to make it a 57-53 game with 2:34 to go.
Battle made a 3-pointer for Ohio State with 46 seconds remaining, to take a 62-56 lead. The Buckeyes then made their foul shots on their final possessions to earn the 67-60 win on Saturday.
UCLA will return home to Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom to play CSUN (7-3) on Tuesday, December 19 at 7 p.m. PT. The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network.
Team Stats
UCLA
OSU
FG%
.387
.446
3FG%
.100
.067
FT%
.611
.762
RB
37
35
TO
10
13
STL
8
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
G/F
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