Pac-12 leader UCLA adds to Washington’s woes
Jules Bernard had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Pac-12 leader UCLA survived a scare from last-place Washington to win 81-76 in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The Bruins (11-2, 7-0 Pac-12) extended their home winning streak to 15 games. Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 15 points, and Cody Riley had 14 points and eight rebounds.
It’s the Bruins’ first 7-0 start in league play since 1993-94.
“Feel very fortunate we were able to come out with the victory,” Riley said. “It easily could have went the other way.”
Washington (1-11, 0-7) was led by Quade Green with 25 points. Hameir Wright added 15 points and seven rebounds for the Huskies, who led by 12 in the first half.
“We thought we were just going to show up and they were going to quit,” Bruins coach Mick Cronin said. “They were a tough matchup for us and we knew it. Matchups mean so much, more than the other team’s record.”
The Bruins began turning things around coming out of halftime. They scored the first 10 points to tie the game at 39-all and got six straight stops on the defensive end. UCLA then ran off another 10 in a row to take a 53-45 lead.
Jaquez’s dunk off Tyger Campbell’s lob pass extended the Bruins’ lead to 61-54. But the Huskies weren’t done.
They got seven straight points from Marcus Tsohonis and a 3-pointer by Wright to go up 67-65.
The Huskies took their last lead, 70-69, on a free throw by Jamal Bey.
UCLA then closed the game on a 12-6 run.
“The first half we were trying to feel out the game. We were playing poor defense,” Bernard said. “We sort of picked it up in the second half, got some steals and got out in transition.”
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