UCLA basketball: Bruins fall in overtime, 71-66
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
UCLA paid its last visit to McArthur Court to play Oregon. The Bruins will gladly supervise its demolition. The Ducks scrapped out a 71-66 overtime victory Thursday night after the Bruins blew a 13-point lead in the first half. Matt Humphrey scored E.J. Singler both scored eight points in overtime to give the Bruins one last bad taste of Mac Court.
Singler hit two free throws with seven seconds left to clinch the victory.
Humphrey hit two three-point shots in overtime to keep UCLA at an arm’s length. His first broke a 55-55 tie and his second gave the Ducks a 61-57 lead with 1 minute 56 seconds left. Singler then had a tip-in and a fast-break layup to extend the lead to 65-59.
UCLA last chance came after James Keefe forced a held ball with 14 seconds left, giving possession to the Bruins. But UCLA did not go for a three-pointer trailing 69-66, as Nikola Dragovic was fouled driving to the basket. He missed the front end of a one-and-one.
The Bruins got the game to overtime on Michael Roll’s three-pointer, which tied the score, 55-55, with 10 seconds left.
Tajuan Porter missed a driving, well-defended layup with one second left and the game went to overtime.
The Bruins appeared headed toward a cordial evening in their last visit to McArthur Court. Dragovic made three consecutive three-pointers, part of a 15-2 run that gave UCLA a 24-13 lead.
The Bruins stretched that to 29-16, but then took a sabbatical, going the last 5:24 of the half without a field goal. The Ducks closed the half with a 12-2 run and trailed, 31-28, going into the second half.
UCLA’s nap time carried into the second half. The Bruins had one field goal in the first five minutes, which became a 23-5 Oregon run for a 39-34 lead.
-- Chris Foster
Twitter.com/cfosterlatimes