UCLA
8-11,3-5Pac-12
Arizona
14-4,5-2Pac-12
Men's Basketball Drops 77-71 Decision at No. 12 Arizona
January 20, 2024 | Men's Basketball
TUCSON, Ariz. – The UCLA men's basketball team dropped a 77-71 decision at No. 12 Arizona in a Pac-12 matchup before a crowd of 14,688 at the McKale Center on Saturday afternoon.
Freshman Sebastian Mack scored a team-leading 21 points, and junior Lazar Stefanovic finished with 17 points. Mack shot 7-for-16 from the field and was 4-for-5 at the free throw line for the Bruins (8-11, 3-5 Pac-12).
Sophomore Adem Bona had 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and one block.
Arizona (14-4, 5-2 Pac-12) received a team-high 22 points from Pelle Larsson, who shot 6-for-12 from the field and was a perfect 8-for-8 at the free throw stripe.
UCLA led by as many as 19 points midway through the first half and entered the locker room at the intermission with a 37-28 cushion. The Bruins' early surge took place after UCLA had claimed an 8-5 advantage. From that point, UCLA outscored Arizona by a 24-8 margin over the next 10:20 to lead, 32-13, at the 7:40 mark.
The host Wildcats reduced their deficit midway through the first half, trailing by nine points at multiple junctures in the final three minutes of the opening half.
In the second half, UCLA led by 14 points (50-36) at the 13:03 mark and by 13 with 10:58 remaining in regulation. Bruins' freshman Jan Vide hit a mid-range jump shot at the 10:58 mark and drew a foul, sinking the free throw, to help UCLA build its lead back to 13 points (53-40).
Arizona reduced UCLA's advantage to five points, at 55-50, with 8:32 remaining on a 3-point basket from Kylan Boswell. The Wildcats got to the free throw line, sinking a pair of free throws at the 8:01 and 7:06 marks, trimming UCLA's lead to four points (58-54).
Trailing by four, 60-56, Arizona converted four consecutive free throws from Larsson to tie the game.
UCLA regained the lead as Mack scored a basket and drew foul, making the free throw, to put the Bruins on top by a 63-60 margin. Arizona knocked down two free throws with 5:27 to play before Mack found his way back at the line, sinking a pair of free throws to put UCLA on top, 65-62.
Arizona took the lead for good with just over four minutes left in the contest. Larsson made a driving layup at the 4:52 mark and Caleb Love followed with a fast break bucket with 4:14 remaining. Those consecutive baskets put Arizona ahead of UCLA, 66-65.
Stefanovic made a pair of free throws with 1:22 remaining, pulling UCLA to within 73-71 of Arizona. The Bruins could not hit any 3-point attempts in the game's final minute as Arizona won by the final tally of 77-71.
UCLA will return to action at USC on Saturday, Jan. 27. Game time at USC's Galen Center is scheduled for 5 p.m. (PT). The Bruins' game on Saturday at USC will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
