UCLA Falls in Double OT Thriller to Indiana, But Shows Grit Worth Building On
Saturday inside Pauley Pavilion was one of those college basketball games that reminds you why we love this sport. It had everything-momentum swings, clutch shots, foul trouble, and two teams that simply refused to quit.
In the end, it was Indiana that escaped with a 98-97 win over UCLA in double overtime, but the Bruins didn’t go quietly. They clawed back from a late double-digit deficit, forced overtime with a dramatic three, and pushed the Hoosiers to the brink despite key players fouling out.
This one was a gut punch for UCLA, but it also revealed something important: this team has fight, and with February now underway, that fight could still carry them far.
Indiana Wins the Chess Match, Then Survives the Marathon
For the first 36 minutes, Indiana dictated the terms. The Hoosiers built a 10-point lead late in regulation-66-56 with under four minutes to go-thanks in large part to Lamar Wilkerson, who poured in 24 points on 22 shots. He wasn’t the most efficient, but he was relentless, and UCLA didn’t have an answer for him in one-on-one matchups.
Indiana’s five-out offensive look stretched the Bruins thin, and it exposed some of the same issues we’ve seen before. Back in December, UCLA struggled against Cal Poly’s similar spacing-heavy approach.
This time, head coach Mick Cronin initially stuck with big man Xavier Booker, but Indiana’s spacing created too many driving and passing lanes. Booker had some moments in the second half, but overall, the matchup wasn’t in his favor.
Eventually, Cronin adjusted. UCLA went small late in regulation and kept that look through most of the overtimes.
That shift, combined with full-court pressure, flipped the energy in Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins turned Indiana’s hesitancy into turnovers, and suddenly, the game was back in play.
With 37.5 seconds left in regulation, UCLA trailed 73-69. Sebastian Dent drove hard to the rim to cut it to two, and after a wild turnover from Wilkerson-who jumped mid-air and tossed the ball straight to Dylan Dailey-UCLA was within a bucket. Then came the moment: Trent Perry, off an offensive rebound, got to the line, hit both, and later buried a massive three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left to send the game to overtime.
From there, it was a battle of attrition. Both teams lost key players to fouls-Dent and Tyler Bilodeau for UCLA, Reed Bailey and Conor Enright for Indiana. The second overtime came down to the final possession, and Indiana’s freshman Trent Sisley hit 1 of 2 free throws with just 0.3 seconds left to seal it.
UCLA ran out of gas, but not before throwing everything they had at the Hoosiers.
Backcourt Brilliance: Perry and Dent Rise to the Moment
If there was any silver lining for UCLA, it was the performance of its backcourt. Trent Perry and Sebastian Dent didn’t just show up-they led.
Perry was the Bruins’ most consistent presence early, putting up 11 points in the first half while playing turnover-free basketball. He was active on defense too, forcing a turnover with a block, drawing an illegal screen by sticking to his man like glue, and even taking a charge. He was everywhere.
In the second half, foul trouble slowed him down, but when UCLA needed someone to step up in crunch time, Perry delivered. His three-pointer to tie the game in regulation was the highlight, but it was just one of several clutch plays.
He finished with a team-high 25 points, went a perfect 10-for-10 from the line, and added seven rebounds in 43 minutes. The Bruins were +10 with him on the floor.
Dent, meanwhile, was the heartbeat of the comeback. With the offense stagnating and the game slipping away, he took matters into his own hands.
He stopped settling for jumpers and started attacking the rim with purpose. He lived in the paint, drawing fouls, finishing through contact, and forcing Indiana to scramble.
His final line: 24 points on 23 shots, 8-of-11 from the free-throw line, 11 assists, and just one turnover in 50 minutes. That’s the kind of production-and leadership-that UCLA needs from him down the stretch. He was relentless, and his play helped spark the Bruins' late-game surge.
A Loss That Hurts, But One That Shows UCLA’s Ceiling
This wasn’t just another game on the schedule. UCLA entered the day riding a bit of momentum, having beaten Purdue and handled business against Northwestern and Oregon.
A win over Indiana would’ve been another major step forward. Instead, they came up just short.
But this doesn’t feel like a discouraging loss.
Yes, it stings. Yes, it’s a missed opportunity.
But UCLA showed something that matters more in February than in November: resilience. They fought through tactical mismatches, foul trouble, and fatigue.
They got elite guard play. They made adjustments.
And they nearly pulled it off.
The next stretch is crucial-Rutgers and Maryland at home before a tough road swing through Michigan and Michigan State. There’s still a path to a strong finish. But the Bruins will need to take the lessons from this game-the good and the bad-and apply them quickly.
Because if they can get this kind of effort from their backcourt, and if they can clean up some of the defensive lapses that plagued them early, this team still has a chance to make noise.
Saturday was a classic. UCLA just came up one play short.