UCLA
19-8,10-6Big Ten
Minnesota
14-12,6-9Big Ten
UCLA Falls to Minnesota, 64-61
February 18, 2025 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – The UCLA men's basketball team lost to Minnesota, 64-61, in a Big Ten Conference game in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom on Tuesday evening.
The Bruins, who entered the game having won eight of their last nine games, surrendered the lead against Minnesota in the game's final minute. UCLA led by 17 points in the first half and by a 34-23 margin at halftime, but the visiting Golden Gophers (14-12, 6-9 Big Ten) outscored the Bruins by a 41-27 margin in the second half.
Minnesota's Dawson Garcia led all players 32 points, including 27 in the second half, but it was Lu'cye Patterson who gave the Golden Gophers their first lead at 1:02 and then again with eight seconds remaining. Patterson finished with 11 points.
Trailing Minnesota, 62-61, the Bruins' final attempt to regain the lead was unsuccessful. After a Bruins' turnover under the basket, Minnesota secured possession of the ball and drew a foul. Garcia made both free throws with 0.9 second to play in regulation.
The Bruins (19-8, 10-6 Big Ten) used a 9-0 scoring run, keyed by three forced turnovers, in under a two-minute span to jump out to a 17-point first-half lead, 29-12. Minnesota (14-12, 6-9) rallied back with an 11-2 run to trim UCLA's lead to eight, 31-23, before a Tyler Bilodeau three-pointer with under a minute to play brought UCLA's lead back to double-digits at the half, 34-23.
Minnesota's comeback started immediately in the second half, as the Golden Gophers started on a 10-2 scoring run to turn the 11-point halftime deficit into just a three-point lead for UCLA, 36-33. A Kobe Johnson 3-pointer with 8:51 to play lifted UCLA's lead back up to eight points, 48-40, but a 7-2 run of its own by Minnesota closed the gap to three again.
A Skyy Clark steal and fast break layup pushed UCLA's cushion up to eight points (at 57-49), but Garcia put the Gophers on his back, scoring nine points in an 11-2 Minnesota run. That scoring spurt helped Minnesota secure a one-point lead on Patterson's layup with 1:02 to play.
After a time-out the Bruins regained the lead on a Sebastian Mack layup with 44 seconds left, and a three-point attempt by Patterson rimmed out with 20 seconds on the clock. However, the Bruins missed two ensuing free throws, and Patterson did not miss the second time around, scoring on the go-ahead layup with eight seconds to play.
With 4.9 seconds remaining following a time-out, Mack drove for the winning shot but was called for an offensive foul, sending Minnesota to the free throw line with 0.9 seconds left. Garcia hit both shots, and the Bruins' attempt at a long 3-point shot to tie the contest was unsuccessful.
Missed free throws by the Bruins played a role in the second half. UCLA finished Tuesday's game having made just nine of 19 free throw attempts. Minnesota finished the game 12-for-13 at the line.
Mack led the Bruins with 13 points, while Bilodeau and Johnson each scored 12.
UCLA will next host Ohio State on Sunday, Feb. 23 at 12:45 p.m. (PT). The Bruins' game in Pauley Pavilion will be nationally televised on CBS. UCLA's program will honor the late Bill Walton on Sunday during the men's basketball game.
