SEATTLE — They tried going again to the zone protection. They tried shifting Tyler Bilodeau again to middle.
Nothing the UCLA Bruins did to fight their lack of rim safety labored for greater than a few possessions at a time.
And so a coach identified for protection needed to watch his group get bludgeoned inside as soon as once more whereas giving up an unusually scary variety of straightforward baskets.
There doesn’t seem like any fast defensive repair in sight for No. 25 UCLA after it suffered an 82-72 setback towards No. 8 Gonzaga on Saturday night time at Local weather Pledge Area within the West Coast Hoops Showdown, the Bruins faltering late of their closing bid to safe a signature nonconference triumph.
The Bruins had been overmatched inside, the Bulldogs frontcourt tandem of Graham Ike (25 factors) and Braden Huff (21 factors) discovering success on the rim far too usually. It additionally didn’t assist that UCLA’s late-game execution was as soon as once more pitiful, level guard Donovan Dent doing too little as soon as he reached the rim due to a flurry of missed layups and unhealthy passes.
UCLA (7-3) misplaced regardless of taking pictures 49% partly as a result of the Bulldogs (10-1) shot 50%, took 13 extra free throws and grabbed seven extra rebounds. Bilodeau’s 24 factors had been nothing greater than a footnote.
Gonzaga guard Jalen Warley, proper, drives as UCLA ahead Xavier Booker defends him throughout the first half Saturday.
(Jason Redmond / Related Press)
Early within the second half, there had been one stretch that appeared to portend a special ending.
A faint “U-C-L-A!” chant broke out among the many closely pro-Gonzaga crowd after the Bruins went on a 9-0 run sparked by protection.
A Dent steal led to a Brandon Williams layup in transition, an Eric Dailey Jr. steal allowed him to throw down a reverse dunk on the quick break after which a Bilodeau block resulted in a Dent layup in transition.
The Bruins had been all of the sudden up by some extent and their defensive woes from earlier within the recreation had been momentarily forgotten.
However quickly Bilodeau picked up his third foul and departed, resulting in a Gonzaga push during which the Bulldogs outscored the Bruins 10-4 to retake management.
This was a recreation that UCLA wanted to win as an NCAA match resume builder given a earlier lack of significant victories and a comparatively unhealthy loss to California. The Bruins’ remaining nonconference video games — towards Arizona State, Cal Poly and UC Riverside — can do little to spice up their prospects, that means they may want an elite exhibiting in Massive Ten play to earn a great seeding come March.
UCLA went again to an outdated look in the previous few possessions earlier than halftime, placing Bilodeau at middle. There appeared like little selection given beginning middle Xavier Booker’s lack of ability to guard the rim and backup Steven Jamerson’s three fouls that despatched him again to the bench.
Bilodeau compounded issues by committing a nasty foul close to midcourt with solely 4 seconds left earlier than halftime, sending Gonzaga’s Mario Saint-Supery to the free-throw line for the factors that gave the Bulldogs a 45-40 lead on the recreation’s midpoint.
Defensive struggles had been the massive storyline for the Bruins given they trailed regardless of taking pictures 57.1% and making 5 of eight three-pointers (62.5%). Gonzaga’s lead got here on account of taking pictures 58.1% and committing simply three turnovers.
Not surprisingly given how little resistance UCLA put up across the rim, Bulldogs forwards Ike and Huff mixed for 29 factors whereas making 12 of 14 pictures within the first half. Ike had the gang roaring when he drove for a ferocious one-handed dunk over Booker during which he was fouled.
Bilodeau had 16 factors by the sport’s midpoint however didn’t obtain almost sufficient assist.
It was a theme that might proceed for the remainder of the sport.
