UCLA
7-10,2-4Pac-12
Washington
10-7,2-4Pac-12
Men's Basketball Takes Down Washington, 73-61
January 14, 2024 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – Adem Bona scored a team-leading 22 points to lead the UCLA men's basketball team past Washington, 73-61, in a Pac-12 contest on Sunday evening in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom.
Bona made 10 of 13 shots in the Bruins' first victory since Dec. 28, as UCLA (7-10, 2-4 Pac-12) snapped a four-game losing streak.
"We got control of the game in the first half," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach "It was the first time all season we had 22 deflections at halftime. Young group, we're fighting through it. Lot of close ones this year. That's my fault because we're too inexperienced, but we're just going to stay the course. Appreciate our fans for showing up. That's what they do at great programs, even in tough times. We just got to keep staying course."
UCLA never trailed on Thursday night after taking an 8-7 lead early in the first half. The Bruins pushed their advantage to as many as 13 points in the first half, led by a 30-22 margin at halftime, and regained a double-digit cushion with 15 minutes to play in regulation.
Bona was one of three UCLA players to score in double figures. Lazar Stefanovic finished with 15 points and Sebastian Mack added 10 points. Stefanovic, who made 4 of 7 shots, totaled a team-leading seven rebounds and added a pair of assists. Mack had three rebounds, three assists and one steal.
Washington (10-7, 2-4) received a team-high 27 points from guard Sahvir Wheeler, who made 10 of 16 shots and was 2-for-3 for the Huskies from 3-point distance.
UCLA's Dylan Andrews registered a career-high eight assists in the win. He finished with seven points, three rebounds and two steals, having knocked down 5 of 6 free throws against Washington.
UCLA extended its winning streak to nine games in the all-time series against the Huskies. The Bruins' winning streak against Washington began with UCLA's 66-64 win at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle on Jan. 2, 2020.
Washington reduced UCLA's cushion to five points early in the second half, at 32-27 with 17 minutes remaining. The Bruins responded with a hook shot in the paint by Bona. After a pair of free throws by Washington, UCLA's Will McClendon nailed a 3-pointer to push the Bruins' advantage up to eight points (37-29). After Bona's basket at the 15:11 mark, the Bruins' lead never diminished to any fewer than nine points.
UCLA led by as many as 13 points in the first half, claiming a 28-15 cushion with 3:09 to play before the intermission. Washington trimmed the Bruins' lead to 30-22 with a layup just as the final buzzer sounded to close the first half.
The Bruins trailed early, 7-3, before Buyuktuncel nailed a 3-pointer and Bona made a basket to put UCLA on top, 8-7, with 12:40 left in the opening half. UCLA's scoring run continued with a pair of free throws by Andrews, a dunk from Bona, and a steal and layup on the fast-break by Ilane Fibleuil. The basket by Fibleuil put the Bruins on top, 14-7, with 11:31 to go in the first half.
Seven Bruins scored in the opening half, as Stefanovic led the group with seven points and Bona and Buyuktuncel each finished with six points.
UCLA will play its next three games away from Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins will return to action at Arizona State on Wednesday, Jan. 17. Game time at ASU's Desert Financial Arena is 6 p.m. PT (7 p.m. MT in Tempe, Ariz.). Next weekend, UCLA will play at No. 8-ranked Arizona on Saturday, Jan. 20. The Bruins' game at Arizona next Saturday will begin at 1 p.m. PT (2 p.m. MT in Tucson, Ariz.).
