LAS VEGAS – Trent Perry scored a game-high 21 points and added five assists as No. 22 UCLA opened the 2026-27 season with an 84-75 victory over No. 5 Arizona on Monday night at T-Mobile Arena.
The Bruins (1-0) led for nearly the entire contest and withstood several second-half rallies from the Wildcats (0-1) to secure the season-opening win.
UCLA is now 7-1 in season openers under Mick Cronin, Michael Price Family UCLA Men’s Head Basketball Coach.
Four Bruins finished in double figures, led by Perry's 21-point effort. Eric Dailey Jr. totaled 13 points and eight rebounds, while Jaylen Petty added 13 points and seven assists in his UCLA debut. Xavier Booker chipped in eight points, including a pivotal late three-pointer that helped the Bruins regain momentum down the stretch.
Nikola Kusturica, Joe Philon III, Sergej Macura, and Azavier Robinson each made their UCLA debuts on Monday evening. Kusturica totaled nine points, five rebounds, and two assists while logging 39 minutes of action. Philon III was efficient offensively, finishing with seven points on a perfect 3-for-3 shooting performance, while Macura added seven points behind a pair of three-pointers.
Robinson chipped in four points and two rebounds in his first appearance in the Blue and Gold.
Arizona was paced by Ivan Kharchenkov, who scored 38 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Derek Dixon added 18 points, including four three-pointers.
The Wildcats mounted one final charge to kick off a thrilling final sequence, pulling within 71-70 after Kharchenkov converted two free throws with 3:11 remaining. UCLA responded immediately as Booker drilled a deep three-pointer from the wing, extending the lead back to four. Dailey Jr. later converted a putback layup to make it 76-70 before delivering the game's signature play in the closing seconds.
Following a perfectly executed inbounds sequence, Kusturica found a streaking Dailey Jr. with a cross-court pass for a thunderous dunk that pushed the Bruins ahead by five with 40 seconds remaining.
Kusturica and Perry combined to go 6-for-6 at the free-throw line in the final 32 seconds, helping UCLA seal the nine-point victory. The Bruins finished with a 45-44 rebounding edge, recorded 16 assists on 27 field goals, and limited their turnovers to just seven in the season opener.
Perry got the Bruins rolling early, scoring UCLA's first four points on a jumper and a floater. Petty followed with back-to-back three-pointers, giving the Bruins a 10-4 advantage. Moments later, Macura connected on consecutive triples to spark an 8-0 run as UCLA built an early cushion.
The Bruins extended their lead to 14 midway through the first half when Philon III punctuated a fast break with an alley-oop slam before Petty buried his third three-pointer of the period. Arizona answered with an 8-0 run to trim the margin, but UCLA responded by outscoring the Wildcats 16-8 over the final eight minutes of the half to carry a 43-29 advantage into the locker room. Petty led UCLA with 10 first-half points and six assists, while Macura and Dailey Jr. each added seven points. The Bruins limited Arizona to 28.6 percent shooting (8-for-28) in the opening half.
Arizona came out aggressive after halftime and cut the deficit to single digits, but Perry halted the surge with a three-pointer. The Wildcats continued to chip away behind Dixon and Kharchenkov, getting within six points multiple times during the second half.
Back-to-back three-pointers from Dixon eventually brought Arizona within 62-56 with 8:31 remaining, but UCLA immediately answered when Perry knocked down another three-pointer with 6:52 to play, and Philon III followed with a triple from the corner to push the Bruins ahead, 71-60.
The Bruins will return to Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial for their home opener on Friday, Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m. (PT). The contest will be available for viewing on Big Ten Network.