Mick Cronin wasn’t kidding about taking punitive measures to get his staff taking part in higher.
Simply 26 seconds into UCLA’s recreation towards Pepperdine on Friday night time, Bruins ahead Tyler Bilodeau dedicated a useless foul. It was sufficient to make Bilodeau’s coach go to his bench, Cronin subbing in Brandon Williams for Bilodeau, who remained on the bench for greater than 5 minutes.
It was a choice that appeared to ship its meant message.
After a sloppy begin, the No. 12 Bruins turned up the depth, exerted some defensive strain and pulled away for a 74-63 victory at Pauley Pavilion that served as a strong rebuttal to their coach’s problem.
Three days after permitting Jap Washington to shoot almost 54% in a defensive show that left Cronin furious, UCLA (2-0) made little straightforward in holding Pepperdine to 34.4%.
Xavier Booker scored 15 factors to guide 4 gamers in double figures for the Bruins, pleasing a far bigger, extra energetic crowd than they hosted of their flat-all-the-way-around opener. Booker was a menace on each side of the courtroom, grabbing 5 rebounds, blocking 5 photographs and even throwing a nifty go to a slicing Jamar Brown for a layup.
UCLA’s Donovan Dent added a comparatively quiet 12 factors and 4 assists and was joined in double figures scoring by Skyy Clark (11 factors) and Eric Dailey Jr. (10).
UCLA’s Donovan Dent, left, controls the ball in entrance of Pepperdine’s Javon Cooley within the first half Friday.
(Melina Pizano / Getty Photos)
Making his season debut after sitting out the opener whereas rounding into kind from a knee harm, Dailey obtained the loudest ovation throughout participant introductions.
Dailey rewarded these followers with some energetic play early. He made a step-back three-pointer, discovered Clark for an additional three-pointer earlier than including some spectacular protection. After grabbing an inbounds go within the backcourt, Dailey went in for a layup during which he was fouled, ultimately making the free throw to finish a three-point play.
UCLA was simply getting began in what ultimately grew to become a 15-0 run principally sparked by its protection. After permitting Pepperdine to shoot 50% halfway by the primary half, the Bruins made baskets arduous to return by over the ultimate 10 minutes, the Waves taking pictures simply 32.1% by halftime.
Doing his greatest to maintain that share as little as potential, Booker blocked three photographs within the opening minutes of the second half and added a three-pointer because the Bruins took a 17-point lead.
Javon Cooley scored 17 factors for Pepperdine (1-1), which generated some cheers throughout a timeout within the first half when Waves assistant coach Tyus Edney was acknowledged because the honorary captain greater than 30 years after his buzzer-beating layup helped propel UCLA to an NCAA match victory over Missouri on the way in which to its final nationwide championship.
