Ninth-ranked UCLA led wire to wire and held off a second-half rally from visiting Washington en route to a 70-61 Pac-12 win Thursday in Los Angeles.
The Bruins (18-4, 9-2 Pac-12), coming in on a two-game skid after having won the previous 14, pounced on the Huskies early. UCLA scored the first eight points and held Washington without a point for the opening 3:37. The Bruins’ lead swelled to 18 points and was at 16 by intermission.
Washington (13-11, 5-8) whittled the deficit down to six in the second half, with Keion Brooks Jr. sinking a 3-pointer late that pulled the Huskies to within 67-61. Brooks scored a game-high 23 points.
Washington did not score again. Adem Bona blocked Brooks on the Huskies’ next possession, while David Singleton’s three free throws put the game away for UCLA.
Singleton was one of six Bruins to score at least nine points – he had nine off the bench. Jaime Jaquez Jr. led UCLA with 15 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, while Amari Bailey added 13 points in his first start since Dec. 21.
Tyger Campbell scored 11 points and dished five assists for the Bruins; Bona scored 10 points, snared eight rebounds and blocked two shots; and Jaylen Clark registered nine points and seven rebounds.
Four Huskies scored in double figures, but just five Washington players scored. Cole Bajema and PJ Fuller II each finished with 11 points and Braxton Meah scored 10 points before fouling out. Jamal Bey scored all six of the Huskies’ bench points.
UCLA forced 20 turnovers, which the Bruins converted into 23 points. However, UCLA coughed up possession 18 times — almost eight more than its season average.
The Bruins improved to 12-0 at home at Pauley Pavilion this season.
–Field Level Media
