UCLA Men's Basketball Fends Off Stanford Late to Secure Win

On Saturday afternoon, UCLA men's basketball held off Stanford late to secure a win at Matthew Knight Arena. With this win, the Bruins (21-4, 12-2 Pac-12) gained control of first place in the conference standings by two games.

Stanford junior Harrison Ingram made a jumper that cut the lead to one, but senior Jaime Jaquez Jr. hit an important 3-pointer in the final minute to seal it for Stanford.

The Final Score

UCLA was held to only six points in the first half, but they scored 16 points in the second period and went on to secure a 70-63 victory. With this win, the Bruins took control of top of Pac-12 with two games left and moved closer to claiming their first conference title since 2008.

Jaquez Jr. led the Bruins (8-2, 4-0 Pac-12) with 27 points on 8-of-18 shooting to earn a double-double for four of his last five games and now has 25 points and 10 rebounds in every game this season.

Jaquez led the Bruins in both blocks and steals this season, becoming the only player to record a double-double with at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks or steals in one game this season.

Stanford had several chances to get back into the game despite UCLA's commanding lead. Harrison Ingram hit a big jumper that cut UCLA's advantage to 60-59 with 2:50 remaining, but UCLA made eight of its free throws down the stretch for an impressive victory.

The Cardinal got some assistance from their bench. Campbell returned to the game with 16 minutes remaining and hit a crucial 3-pointer that cut the deficit to one. Additionally, he fed McClendon for another crucial 3-pointer in the final minute to secure the victory for Stanford.

UCLA's starters put in an impressive show against Stanford, though coach Mike Cronin was disappointed with how his team performed in the second half, believing it should have utilized more of its reserves. Despite their victory, Cronin expressed regret at not playing more of his reserves during that period.

The Bruins took a commanding 50-29 lead into halftime on the strength of an impressive 14-2 run that began with two jumpers from freshman guard Amari Bailey. He added another long ball early in the second stanza for another career-high 24 points in the opener and added seven more in the second.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. led the Bruins with 27 points.

UCLA men's basketball held off Stanford late to secure an 80-66 victory on Thursday night at Maples Pavilion. Before this contest, the Bruins (17-4, 8-2) had lost their opening two games of the season after suffering defeats to Illinois and Baylor last week in Las Vegas. But they showed their ability to get off to a fast start against a ranked opponent by shooting 60 percent from the field while maintaining an tenacious defense.

UCLA's offensive assists were especially beneficial to senior forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., who scored 27 points on 13-for-17 shooting. Still recovering from an ankle injury suffered last season, Jaquez looked comfortable as ever and displayed a variety of moves around the basket for easy basket opportunities.

Jaquez not only had a stellar offensive game, but he also made an impact on defense as well. He recorded four steals while holding Stanford (11-6, 5-4) to just eight second-chance points.

Jaquez is an intimidating opponent for any team. While he may not be the fastest player on court, his versatile moves and footwork allow him to find space in the lane.

Jaquez is a dynamic player who can run the point and make plays in transition or off screens. His intelligence, patience and understanding of how to maximize his strengths are impressive traits.

His most impressive play came in the first half. Jaquez was fouled with six minutes left in the half and took a charge, then hit two free throws to put UCLA up 43-27.

Bellarmine cut the lead to five on a 3-pointer from Ben Johnson and layup from Curt Hopf, but Jaquez answered with another three-pointer and pair of free throws that gave the Bruins a 53-39 advantage.

Unfortunately, that lead didn't last as the Knights pulled within 60-50 with less than eight minutes remaining. UCLA then took control of the game through their full-court press and open looks from long range.

Jaquez and freshman big man Adem Bona were key contributors during this stretch, accounting for 12 of UCLA's 23 points in the first half. Bona caught a lob from Campbell that Bona dunked on to give UCLA an 8:23 lead at 22-10 with 8:23 left to play in the halftime break. UCLA went on to outscore the Knights by nine points in the first half and 15 more in the second.

Campbell re-entered the game with 16 minutes to play.

On Thursday night at Moda Center, with his team trailing by four with less than three minutes left to play, Campbell calmly cashed in on a triple for his second of the game - making the score one and sealing an exciting 79-78 victory for UCLA (24-7, 15-5 Pac-12).

At one point in the second half, it appeared like Boston would struggle to score as they went scoreless for 16 minutes and Jaquez missed consecutive free throws. But then a group of backup players led by Dylan Andrews (13 minutes played time) ignited an 18-5 Bruins run.

Campbell scored the final seven points of the third quarter and two of the first two in the fourth to retake a lead of 40-39 on Sebring's (21-7). Wing Miles Hornage hit two free throws and Malik Jackson added another basket with 3:27 left for an even score at 52-49.

Mililani (11-1) rallied and tied the score at 58 all with 27 seconds left on J Marxen's 3-pointer. Unfortunately, Mililani lost a ball possession in the final minute when Bruins' Blenman-Villareal stole Mililani's last chance for regulation and headed to the line.

After a quick Akron timeout, Smith hit the next UE shot -a long 3 that tied it at 52 and put UE in position to take the lead with 1:50 left. Coleman drove to the hoop for another layup and three-pointer before Smith finished it off with another 3.

Smith's game-winning goal proved the difference in this victory, marking UE's second consecutive late game comeback win. This marked UE's first victory of the David Ragland era and ended a seven-game home losing streak.

On Saturday, the Aces look to continue their winning streak against Ball State at Ford Center. If they can maintain the same intensity from Wednesday, they have a great chance of taking down the Bears.

This win marked the fourth in a row for the Sabers against Mililani, their longest winning streak against any team this season. Additionally, they hold an impressive 9-5 advantage in the series dating back to 2011's Big South Conference championship.

Will McClendon hit a critical 3-pointer in the final minute.

UCLA pulled off an incredible win over Stanford on Saturday, taking a commanding 12-0 lead before going scoreless and missing multiple free throws. Stanford managed to regain the lead late in the second half, but UCLA went on a series of strong runs that ultimately sealed their 63-59 triumph.

In the first half, UCLA led by as many as 19 points but couldn't capitalize on Cardinal's long-range shooting. With 16 minutes remaining in regulation time, Will McClendon entered the game and helped ignite a 16-5 run for UCLA that eventually extended their lead to 19 points.

McClendon has always had a knack for finding open shots throughout his career. He was an impressive athlete who could shoot the ball well and make plays in the post.

It's no surprise UCLA fans were so enthusiastic about his talents. As a former four-star recruit, he has quickly blossomed into an important part of the Bruin rotation.

However, McClendon still has work to do as the sophomore point guard. With the Bruins relying heavily on their high-volume shooters this season, he must develop an offensive style of play which will enable him to score more than his current 12.9 points per game.

His biggest obstacle will be mastering the ability to handle the pressure of the lane and protect the rim while still producing the kind of big-time production UCLA demands. That may take some time, but McClendon has the potential to be an invaluable member of this year's team.

He must also increase his defensive intensity and be able to defend multiple positions at once, both of which require additional time spent in the weight room.

After Steve Lavin's season was less than successful, the Bruins hired Mark Howland to revive their program. Through Howland's recruiting efforts, he was able to attract an elite group of players that fit his style of play - including former high school teammates Dijon Thompson and Jordan Farmar.