Donovan Dent Shines as UCLA Advances in NCAA Tournament

PHILADELPHIA – The No. 7-seed UCLA men’s basketball team secured a hard-fought 75-71 victory over No. 10-seed UCF in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, held at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday. The win propels the Bruins into the second round of the East Regional.

Bruins Hold Off Late UCF Surge

UCLA (24-11) managed to withstand a determined comeback attempt by UCF (21-12). Despite a late push from the Knights, the Bruins maintained a lead of at least three points in the game’s final two minutes. UCLA established a comfortable halftime lead of 35-27 and extended their advantage to 14 points (58-44) with 8:18 remaining in the second half.

UCF narrowed the gap to 70-62 with just 50 seconds left on the clock. A flurry of 3-point shots from Jordan Burks, including one with 10 seconds remaining, brought the Knights within three points (72-69). However, clutch free throws from UCLA’s Trent Perry – three of four in the final 30 seconds – sealed the victory. The Bruins were remarkably efficient from the free-throw line, converting 13 of 18 attempts, all in the second half.

Cronin Praises Team’s Resilience

“We talked about it pregame, to answer your question,” said UCLA Head Coach Mick Cronin, referring to UCF’s ability to mount comebacks. “They have five wins this year where they came back from 10 down or more. We prepared our team for that. And although at times it didn’t look like it, we worked all week on our press offense. We knew it was coming. We started breaking the press and scoring.”

Key Performances Drive UCLA Victory

Eric Dailey Jr. led the Bruins in scoring with 20 points, shooting 8-for-17 from the field. Trent Perry contributed 15 points and 5 rebounds, while Xavier Booker added 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Donovan Dent also had a significant impact, scoring 10 points, dishing out 5 assists, and recording a season-high 6 steals, along with 5 rebounds. His all-around performance was crucial to UCLA’s success.

UCLA played without senior forward Tyler Bilodeau, who was sidelined due to a right knee sprain.

UCF Falls Short Despite Burks’ Effort

Jordan Burks led UCF with a game-high 22 points, connecting on 6 of 11 3-point attempts. Riley Kugel added 13 points and 5 rebounds, while Jamichael Stillwell tallied 10 points and a team-leading 13 rebounds.

Game Statistics and Outlook

UCLA shot 40.6% from the field and 28.6% from 3-point range (6-for-21). They limited UCF to 37.5% shooting but were outrebounded 53-41. The Bruins initially trailed 6-0 before embarking on an 8-0 run to take the lead, a lead they would not relinquish for the remainder of the first half.

Next Up: UConn Challenge

UCLA will face No. 2-seed UConn (30-5) in the second round on Sunday, March 22, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The game is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. PT (8:45 p.m. ET). The winner will advance to the Sweet 16, where they will face either No. 3-seed Michigan State or No. 6-seed Louisville in Washington, D.C.

March 22 (Sun)