In the final tune-up of the pre-season, No. 12-ranked UCLA already looks to be in midseason form as they turned a rocking Pauley Pavilion into a highlight reel, steamrolling UC Irvine 94-64 in an exhibition match that showcased all five Bruin starters scoring double figures.
The Bruins’ new inside-out engine, featuring seniors Donovan Dent and Tyler Bilodeau, set the tone. Dent, the new transfer guard from New Mexico, finished with 16 points and eight assists and fit into the UCLA offense with ease, directing traffic and dominating on-ball defense. Bilodeau erupted for 12 straight UCLA points (including three consecutive 3-pointers and an alley-oop) in the final five and a half minutes of the first half. He closed the half with 17 points and ended with a team-high 19 and eight rebounds. UCLA closed on a 20-2 run to take a dominating 58-27 lead into the break. UC Irvine went over six minutes without a field goal as the Bruins’ defense forced 15 turnovers.
The second half was straightforward. The Bruins continued to push the ballooning lead to 43 and started cruising. Jamar Brown delivered a double-double (13 points and 10 rebounds) off the bench in place of the injured Eric Dailey Jr., Xavier Booker (14 points) showcased his spin moves and jump hooks in the post, and Skyy Clark (13 points) provided some athletic layups. The Anteaters simply struggled to find a rhythm all night: shooting under 40%, committing sloppy turnovers and fouling.
UCLA opens the regular season Monday, Nov. 3, against Eastern Washington at 7:00 p.m. PT.
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Featured Image Photographed by Ryan Zhang/BruinLife
