No. 15 UCLA struggles late in 69-65 loss to No. 5 Arizona

On a night UCLA’s top player struggled and the team collectively failed to take care of the ball, a pair of Arizona guards were too much to handle.

The Bruins blew an eight-point lead over the final seven minutes, and Wildcats reserve Anthony Dell’Orso and point guard Jaden Bradley combined for 35 points to deal UCLA its first loss, 69-65, in a top-15 battle at Intuit Dome in Inglewood.

UCLA (3-1), ranked 15th nationally, was unable to hang onto a 57-49 lead and missed nine of 11 shot attempts during a key late stretch that leaked into the final minute.

No. 5 Arizona (4-0) closed the final 5:17 on a 16-6 run, including 11 from Bradley and five from Dell’Orso to make up the entire finish. Dell’Orso led all scorers with 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including four 3-pointers. Bradley scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half.

Point guard Donovan Dent struggled early before finishing with 11 points and eight assists for the Bruins, who lost despite shooting 9 of 17 beyond the arc. Forward Tyler Bilodeau had a team-high 19 points.

UCLA turned the ball over 16 times, leading to 22 Arizona points, and got out-rebounded 35-28.

UCLA postgame press conference

Courtesy of UCLA Athletics:

Turning point of the game

The Bruins raced out to an 11-5 lead after hitting three of their first four 3-point attempts. Arizona then took a quick timeout after failing to score following the first TV timeout and falling behind by double digits.

The Wildcats made just one of their first eight shots and turned the ball over three times inside the first seven minutes.

In less than two minutes, Arizona went on a 10-0 run to tie the game at 15. From there, the teams went back and forth over the final 10 minutes of the fast-paced and, at times, sloppy first half.

UCLA trailed 28-25 at halftime after turning it over 12 times, and Dell’Orso sparked a late 7-0 run to put the Wildcats in front. Dell’Orso was the lone double-figure scorer for either team and had 13 points at the break.

The Bruins continued to look disjointed nearing the midway point of the second half, including a blown 5-on-3 opportunity on the fast break, but in a hurry they suddenly were no longer.

An Eric Dailey Jr. dunk followed by an Arizona turnover sparked a 9-0 run to put UCLA back in front. Bilodeau knocked down a 3-pointer and guard Skyy Clark drilled a mid-range jumper for the 47-45 lead with 11:31 remaining.

The Bruins extended the advantage to 57-49 after a pair of friendly bounces, first from Xavier Booker with the shot clock running down and then on another Bilodeau 3-pointer.

Down the stretch, UCLA lost its lead after scrambling on defense losing track of Dell’Orso while collapsing on Krivas, who had Dent in a mismatch. That left Dell’Orso open for a 3-pointer to give the Wildcats a 60-59 with 2:54 left.

After Bilodeau and Clark briefly put the Bruins back in front, Bradley’s 3-pointer with 1:23 to play put Arizona ahead for good. It was the last of 10 lead changes in the contest.

UCLA standout on offense: F Tyler Bilodeau

Bilodeau had 15 of his 19 in the second half and was a big part of the Bruins’ last big run. He and Dailey each made three 3-pointers.

UCLA standout on defense: C Xavier Booker

Booker had seven rebounds and blocked a shot, making things difficult for stretches and bringing the toughness to Arizona center Motiejus Krivas.

Why UCLA lost

The Bruins were unable to build on or maintain an early 15-5 lead to open the contest.

Arizona, led by Dell’Orso, had a 38-20 advantage in points off the bench. UCLA got just three points from its bench in the first half.

The Bruins were bullied in the paint in the back end of the first half, and Dent was just 1-of-5 from the field for two points to go with three assists and three turnovers in his 17 first-half minutes.

While Arizona executed down the stretch, many of UCLA’s missed shots were in 1-on-1, contested looks. Wildcats reserve forward Tobe Awaka was often the defender, whether against big men or guards, who made it tough on the Bruins’ looks.

UCLA also struggled to finish on the fast break. During one second-half possession, the Bruins wasted a 5-on-3 advantage after Booker received the ball early around the 3-point line and proceeded to travel for a turnover. UCLA was outscored 10-5 on the break.