Rutgers Looks to Rebound Against UCLA After Gritty Finish at USC
LOS ANGELES - Rutgers men’s basketball isn’t easing into its West Coast swing - and they’re not backing down from the challenge, either. After a near-miraculous comeback effort fell just short against USC, the Scarlet Knights now head across town for a Tuesday night battle with UCLA at Pauley Pavilion.
Tip-off is set for 9:30 p.m. ET on BTN, with Guy Haberman and Don MacLean on the call.
Scarlet Knights Show Fight in Tough Loss to USC
If there’s one thing this Rutgers team has shown, it’s resilience. Down 17 points with under five minutes to play at USC, the Scarlet Knights cranked up the pressure and nearly pulled off the improbable.
They closed the game on an 18-4 run, holding USC without a field goal over the final 4:34. The Trojans barely got shots off - just two attempts in that stretch - as Rutgers’ press smothered their offensive rhythm.
Tariq Francis was the engine behind the late surge. The junior guard poured in a game-high 26 points, including nine in the final 2:23, and nearly had a shot to tie the game at the buzzer. His performance continued a scorching stretch - he’s now averaging 25.6 points over his last three games and has scored at least 15 in six straight.
Dylan Grant added his usual physical presence inside, finishing with 14 points and 10 boards. That marks his fourth double-double of the season and his first against a Big Ten opponent - a sign that he’s continuing to grow into a dependable force in conference play.
Despite the 78-75 loss, Rutgers once again proved it can hang with anyone. Earlier in the week, they led No.
7 Michigan State for 36 minutes before falling in overtime. These aren’t moral victories, but they are signs of a team that’s learning how to compete - and maybe soon, how to close.
Bruins Looking to Bounce Back After Double-OT Heartbreaker
UCLA, under veteran head coach Mick Cronin, enters Tuesday’s matchup at 15-7 overall and 7-4 in Big Ten play. The Bruins had their three-game winning streak snapped in dramatic fashion on Saturday, falling to Indiana 98-87 in double overtime. It was a game that had everything - comebacks, clutch shots, and a brutal ending.
Down 10 with under two minutes left in regulation, the Bruins stormed back to force overtime, thanks to a cold-blooded game-tying jumper from freshman guard Trent Perry with just 1.1 seconds left. Perry finished with 25 points, while Donovan Dent - who played all 50 minutes - tallied 24 points and 11 assists. Still, Indiana had the final say, hitting a game-winning free throw with 0.3 seconds left in the second OT.
That loss stings, but it doesn’t change the fact that UCLA is one of the more dangerous teams in the Big Ten. They’ve already notched a statement win over then-No. 4 Purdue, with Dent again leading the way with 23 points and 13 assists.
Cronin, now in his seventh season at UCLA, has built a tough, defensive-minded squad that still knows how to score. The Bruins lead the Big Ten in three-point percentage defense, holding opponents to just 29.7% from beyond the arc - a stat that could loom large against a Rutgers team that has struggled at times from deep.
Bruins’ Balanced Attack
UCLA boasts one of the most balanced scoring lineups in the conference, with five players averaging double figures. Tyler Bilodeau, a third-team All-Big Ten selection last year after transferring from Oregon State, leads the way at 18.2 points per game. Dent, the former Mountain West Player of the Year at New Mexico, is right behind him at 13.6.
Skyy Clark (13.5 ppg), Perry (12.2), and Eric Dailey (11.0) round out the scoring threats. Dailey also leads the team on the glass with 6.0 rebounds per game. That kind of depth means Rutgers can’t focus on stopping just one guy - UCLA can hurt you from multiple spots on the floor.
A Brief History Between the Programs
This will be just the fifth all-time meeting between Rutgers and UCLA, with the series currently tied at 2-2. Last season marked the first time the two schools met as Big Ten foes, with Rutgers grabbing a 75-68 win at Jersey Mike’s Arena. That night, freshman phenoms Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper led the way with a combined 38 points, while Dylan Grant made his first collegiate start.
The earlier matchups date back to the late '70s and early '80s. Most notably, Rutgers fell to No.
6 UCLA in the 1976 NCAA Tournament’s consolation game, capping off the Scarlet Knights’ legendary Final Four run. But they also pulled off a memorable upset in 1981, beating No.
8 UCLA at the Meadowlands - the first college basketball game ever played at the venue - thanks to a clutch layup in the final seconds from Brian Ellerbe.
What’s Next
After wrapping up their California trip, Rutgers heads back home for a crucial two-game stretch at Jersey Mike’s Arena. They’ll host No.
5 Nebraska on Saturday, February 7, followed by a matchup with Maryland on Sunday, February 15. With Big Ten play heating up, every game counts - and this team is showing it’s ready for the fight.