Sebastian Mack’s pressured three-pointer on the finish of the shot clock got here nowhere close to the rim, one other empty possession for UCLA forcing coach Mick Cronin to throw up his fingers in frustration.
It was an terrible stretch of basketball for the Bruins beginning halfway by way of the second half, their protection giving up open three-pointers and a dunk whereas they did not get the ball previous halfcourt on two possessions.
And nonetheless, UCLA led Iowa by 23 factors.
The Bruins have been so good within the first half Friday night time that they might simply soak up a major dropoff towards the top of their 94-70 victory at Pauley Pavilion that snapped their four-game dropping streak in emphatic vogue.
Going again to the clear masks that he final wore towards Gonzaga late final month, UCLA ahead Eric Dailey Jr. rediscovered his capturing contact whereas scoring a career-high 23 factors earlier than fouling out. He made eight of 12 pictures in a robust across-the-board effort that additionally included 4 assists, two rebounds and two steals.
Ahead Tyler Bilodeau added 18 factors and guard Dylan Andrews had 13 for the Bruins (12-6 general, 3-4 Large Ten), who broke out of an prolonged capturing hunch by making a season-best 62.1% of their pictures.
Guard Josh Dix scored 19 factors to guide the Hawkeyes (12-6, 3-4), who dedicated 12 of their 15 turnovers within the first half.
This was purported to be the beginning of a comforting seven-game stretch for UCLA that included 5 dwelling video games and comparatively brief journeys throughout city to face USC and to Seattle to play Washington, lots higher than what the Bruins not too long ago endured.
“Within the final three weeks,” Cronin stated this week, “we’ve landed twice in Newark to go to New York and Rutgers and as soon as in [Washington] D.C. [for a game against Maryland], and I coach in California. 3 times touching down on the East Coast, that’s not straightforward.”
UCLA’s dwelling enviornment wasn’t as rowdy as regular, the pregame roll name deserted with college students solely beginning to trickle again to campus after a latest evacuation within the wake of the Southern California wildfires.
It was no exaggeration to say that UCLA couldn’t miss for a lot of the primary half.
The Bruins made their first 9 pictures, together with three three-pointers, in constructing a 21-9 lead earlier than Kobe Johnson lastly missed a three-pointer. UCLA’s protection additionally exhibited the toughness it had not too long ago been lacking, guard Skyy Clark reaching in to drive a leap ball that went for an Iowa turnover and later arising with a steal that led to an Andrews three-pointer.
Even after Bilodeau briefly exited with an obvious decrease proper leg harm, his group stored rolling. There have been high quality minutes from Bruins ahead William Kyle III, who made all 4 pictures within the first half and prompted roars from the gang when he snagged a lob from Dailey for a ferocious dunk. Kyle completed with a season-high 12 factors and 4 rebounds.
However unquestionably the most effective signal for the Bruins was the reemergence of Andrews. Returning to the beginning lineup after being restricted to 5 minutes towards Rutgers earlier this week due to chilly signs, Andrews rapidly broke out of his month-long hunch.
He rose confidently for jumpers and ran the offense with precision as UCLA surged right into a 57-24 halftime lead because of a present of complete domination. The Bruins shot 65.7% to Iowa’s 38.%, outrebounded the Hawkeyes by 9 and dedicated simply three turnovers to Iowa’s 12.
They couldn’t sustain the tempo however wouldn’t have to.
