The No. 12 UCLA Bruins fended off a gritty Eastern Washington squad Monday night at Pauley Pavilion, earning an 80–74 win to start the NCAA 2025–26 season.
Transfer guard Donovan Dent, making his Bruin debut after arriving from New Mexico, controlled the tempo from the opening tip. Dent filled the stat sheet with 21 points, nine assists and four rebounds on 8-of-17 shooting, steadying UCLA whenever the Eagles made a push.
Both teams came out trading punches early, as Eastern Washington matched the Bruins shot for shot through the opening ten minutes. Senior guard Skyy Clark drained two early threes, while his fellow senior forward Tyler Bilodeau tipped in a buzzer-beater to give UCLA a 40–33 halftime lead. Still, defensive lapses and miscommunication kept the Eagles within striking distance, with guard Isaiah Moses scoring 11 first-half points to pace the visitors.
Coming out of the break, the Bruins turned up their defense and quickly stretched the margin. UCLA center Xavier Booker asserted himself in the paint, finishing with 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists on 6-of-7 shooting. Bilodeau added 19 points and six rebounds, continuing his efficient play from the preseason. A 14–6 UCLA run to open the second half gave the home crowd life, punctuated by back-to-back threes from Dent and Bilodeau to rebuild a 15-point cushion.
Even so, Eastern Washington refused to fold. The Eagles capitalized on UCLA’s defensive lapses and cut the lead to single digits multiple times, showing poise through ball movement and offensive rebounds. Forward Alton Hamilton IV added 13 points off the bench, while Moses led the team with 15 points.
Sophomore guard Trent Perry provided a vital spark off the bench for UCLA, scoring 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting and hitting a late jumper that steadied the Bruins after another Eagles surge. Dent’s final layup inside the last minute sealed the win and iced the opener.
UCLA shot 47% from the field (33-of-70) and 31% from deep (8-of-26) while winning the turnover battle 16–8. The Bruins controlled the boards 35–30 and assisted on 19 of their 33 made baskets. The balance and bench scoring were clear positives, but the Bruins will zero in on tighter defensive communication, cleaner closeouts and limiting second-chance looks after Eastern Washington repeatedly trimmed the margin.
UCLA’s (1–0, 0–0 Big Ten) next challenge appears Friday night at Pauley Pavilion, where they’ll host Pepperdine at 7 p.m.
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Featured Image Photographed by Jaclyn Wang/BruinLife
