UCLA
28-4,18-2Pac-12
Colorado
17-16,8-12Pac-12
Top-Seeded Bruins Defeat Colorado, 80-69, in Pac-12 Tourney
March 09, 2023 | Men's Basketball
LAS VEGAS – Propelled by a career-high 26 points from freshman Amari Bailey, the top-seed UCLA men's basketball team defeated Colorado, 80-69, in a quarterfinal contest of the Pac-12 Tournament at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday afternoon.
Bailey led all scorers on Thursday, sinking 8 of 12 shots from the field. He was 2-for-3 from beyond the 3-point arc and made a season high eight free throws (on nine attempts).
Tyger Campbell finished with 18 points and seven assists. Jaime Jaquez Jr. totaled 16 points, nine rebounds and two assists. Adem Bona rounded out UCLA's list of double-figure scorers, as he finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
"I thought that Colorado played really well," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "It wasn't anything that we didn't come ready to play, by any stretch. They hit a lot of tough shots early – give them credit. Our guys, as usual, get tougher as the game goes on. That's what happens when you have winners on your team. That is what we try to recruit, and that's what they are. So they do whatever's necessary. We are not always perfect, but nobody is. We find a way to win. So that's 28 of them on the year. It's not easy."
UCLA'S POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE: Coach Cronin, J. Jaquez Jr., A. Bailey
Thursday afternoon's win helped UCLA advance to the semifinal round for the consecutive season. The Bruins (28-4) will take on Oregon (19-13) on Friday at 6 p.m. (PT).
The game between UCLA and Colorado featured 17 lead changes. The Bruins did not pull away from the Buffaloes (17-16) until late in the second half. Colorado led, 61-60, before Jaquez Jr. nailed a crucial 3-pointer with 5:04 remaining. Bailey got to the free throw line multiple times over the next two minutes, sinking four consecutive free throws to push UCLA's advantage to 69-61.
Colorado reduced UCLA's cushion to four points – at 69-65 – with under three minutes to play. The Bruins answered with a free throw by Jaquez Jr., followed by a Jaquez Jr. steal and an ensuing old-fashioned 3-point play.
The Bruins built a 10-point cushion with one minute left in the contest.
Thursday's first half featured multiple lead changes, as Colorado entered the locker room at the intermission with a slim 38-37 advantage.
In all, four Colorado players scored in double figures. Tristan da Silva totaled a team-leading 17 points, while Julian Hammond III finished with 14.
Colorado made 10 of 23 attempts from 3-point range, connecting at a 43.5 percent clip. The Buffaloes were 7-for-12 from beyond the 3-point arc in the first half.
UCLA is looking to return to the Pac-12 Tournament's championship game for the second consecutive season. Last year, UCLA defeated Washington State in the quarterfinal round and USC in the semifinals. The Bruins lost to Arizona, 84-76, in last season's title contest.
Thursday's win over Colorado help UCLA extend its winning streak to 11 games. The Bruins have not lost since late January, when they absorbed back-to-back road losses to Arizona (Jan. 21) and to crosstown rival USC (Jan. 26).
Friday evening's semifinal game will be televised by the Pac-12 Network, with Ted Robinson and Bill Walton calling the action from T-Mobile Arena. UCLA's radio broadcast in the Los Angeles region will be available on AM 570.
