After a gut-punch of a double-overtime loss to Indiana, UCLA is back at Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday night, trying to regroup and get back on track as Rutgers comes to town for a Big Ten showdown.
The Bruins (15-7, 7-4 Big Ten) looked like they were about to pull off a miracle on Saturday. Down 10 with under two minutes left in regulation, they stormed back to force overtime behind some gutsy play and relentless energy. But the comeback effort came at a cost - both Donovan Dent and Tyler Bilodeau fouled out in the extra periods, and UCLA ultimately fell just short, 98-97.
It was a loss that stings not just because of how close it was, but because of what it could’ve meant. This stretch of the schedule was supposed to be the Bruins’ chance to build momentum - a run of manageable opponents before a brutal closing slate that includes four top-10 teams and two rivalry games against USC. Instead, they’re left picking up the pieces and trying to avoid a skid.
One bright spot? Freshman guard Trent Perry stepped up in a big way.
With Skyy Clark still sidelined (hamstring) for the eighth straight game, Perry dropped 25 points and grabbed seven boards. That’s the kind of performance that turns heads - and maybe shifts roles going forward.
Dent continued his strong season with a 24-point, 11-assist double-double, and Bilodeau added 18 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out.
Head coach Mick Cronin didn’t hold back postgame, clearly frustrated with how his team handled adversity in the early going.
“We went through a stretch where we were pouting and letting one shot affect the next shot,” Cronin said. “We couldn’t score for a long time. That’s how we got down 10 - missing wide-open shot after wide-open shot because we act like somebody stole our favorite toy and we’re a 3-year-old.”
It’s vintage Cronin - blunt, unfiltered, and laser-focused on mental toughness. And it’s a message that needs to land, because the Bruins don’t have much time to feel sorry for themselves.
Rutgers (9-13, 2-9 Big Ten) rolls into L.A. on a five-game losing streak, but they’ve shown flashes of fight. On Saturday, they nearly pulled off a wild comeback of their own, trimming a 17-point deficit in the final minutes against USC before falling 78-75. The Scarlet Knights locked in defensively down the stretch, holding the Trojans without a field goal for the final 4:34, but couldn’t quite finish the job.
Tariq Francis was a sparkplug off the bench, hitting his last four shots and finishing with 26 points. He’s become a reliable scoring option in recent weeks, giving Rutgers a much-needed jolt. Dylan Grant chipped in with a double-double - 14 points and 10 rebounds - and the Knights turned it over just eight times, their second-lowest total in a road game this season.
That last turnover, though, proved costly. Francis lost the ball near midcourt in the closing seconds, sealing the loss.
“We have emphasized turnovers as much as any team in the country since (the staff) has been here,” said head coach Steve Pikiell. “They have to run at the end of practice for turnovers. We spend a lot of time rebounding too.”
Rutgers has been scrappy - they pushed then-No. 7 Michigan State to overtime just last week - but the results haven’t followed. This is their first five-game losing streak since the 2020-21 season, and the pressure is mounting.
For UCLA, Tuesday’s matchup is about more than just getting back in the win column. It’s about setting the tone for what’s coming. The gauntlet awaits, and if the Bruins want to make noise in March, they’ll need to start building confidence now.
Rutgers may be struggling, but they’re not a team you can sleepwalk against. Just ask USC. The Bruins will need all the energy, focus, and execution they can muster - and maybe a little more of that late-game magic they showed on Saturday.