UCLA
14-16,9-10Pac-12
Arizona
24-6,15-4Pac-12
Men's Basketball Falls to No. 5 Arizona, 88-65
March 07, 2024 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – The UCLA men's basketball team dropped an 88-65 decision to No. 5 Arizona in Pac-12 play Thursday evening at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom.
Lazar Stefanovic scored all of his game-high 20 points in the second half, reaching the 20-point mark for the second time in UCLA's last three games. Stefanovic was 5-for-9 from 3-point range, having connected on a season-high five 3-pointers. Dylan Andrews added 18 points for the Bruins (14-16, 9-10 Pac-12), who lost their fifth consecutive game after having won eight of nine contests in January and February.
Adem Bona scored all 10 of his points in the first half and finished the game with five blocks. Stefanovic, Andrews and Bona were the only three UCLA players to have scored in double figures.
Arizona (24-6, 15-4) clinched the Pac-12 Conference's regular-season title with the win on Thursday. Five Wildcats scored in double figures, including a team-leading 18 points from K.J. Lewis. Supporting Lewis' effort were Caleb Love (17 points), Jaden Bradley (13), Pelle Larsson (12) and Kylan Boswell (10). Keshad Johnson pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. As a team, Arizona registered a 41-29 advantage on the boards.
With the score tied, 15-15, the visiting Wildcats used a 12-2 scoring run to secure their first double-digit lead of the evening.
Andrews (11 points) and Bona (10) combined for 21 first-half points, but Love and Arizona provided answers. Love scored all 12 of his first-half points in the final 5:24 before halftime, and the Wildcats went to the intermission with a 44-27 lead over UCLA.
The Bruins never closed the gap to any closer than 15 points. A 10-0 scoring run by Arizona pushed the Wilcats' advantage to 59-33 with 15:04 to play in the contest. Arizona's lead grew to 28 points with 2:01 remaining in regulation. Stefanovic, Jan Vide (eight points) and Andrews (seven) combined to score 345 of UCLA's 41 second-half points.
UCLA will close its regular-season schedule against Arizona State (14-16, 8-11 Pac-12) on Saturday night. The Bruins' game against ASU will be nationally televised on FS1. Game time is 8 p.m. (PT). UCLA will host a "Senior Night" ceremony prior to the start of Saturday's contest.
Postseason play will follow for the Bruins, as UCLA will play in the Pac-12 Tournament at T-Mobile Arena next week in Las Vegas (March 13-16). First-round action gets underway at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday, March 13.
