LOUSIVILLE, Ky. — After sneaking into the NCAA Tournament, No. 11-seed UCLA continued to prove its doubters wrong, defeating No. 6-seed Southern Methodist University 60-59 Thursday at the KFC Yum! Center.
The Bruins jumped out to a 34-30 halftime lead, thanks in large part to sophomore guard Bryce Alford, who scored 12 first-half points, all off 3-pointers.
In the second half, however, UCLA’s defense kept the team afloat. The Mustangs opened the half making just one of their first 12 shots, allowing UCLA to build a nine-point lead in the process. SMU didn’t score a point in the second half until the 14:30 mark.
After more than 10 minutes, SMU guard Nic Moore finally hit his team’s second shot of the half, making it a 44-38 game. Another 3-pointer by Moore less than a minute later cut UCLA’s lead to three, and a dunk off of a turnover made it a one-point game. A free throw later, and it was tied at 44 with just under eight minutes left to play.
Just like that, UCLA’s comfortable lead had vanished.
The Bruins’ offense performed a disappearing act of its own. As SMU’s offense finally began to figure things out, UCLA went scoreless for more than five straight minutes.
The Mustangs didn’t let up. Moore drained another 3-pointer from the corner to give SMU its first lead of the half, then a jumper from the right wing. UCLA tried to staunch the bleeding, but the damage of SMU’s 19-0 run was done.
The Bruins watched a nine-point lead morph into a nine-point deficit in a little more than six minutes.
UCLA wasn’t done, though. Senior guard Norman Powell finally scored UCLA’s first points in 8:40 with a layup, then Alford nailed another 3-pointer to cut SMU’s lead to 53-49 with just under four minutes remaining.
Alford continued to keep the Bruins afloat single-handedly, hitting yet another triple to bring UCLA within three at the 2:38 mark. He buried another with 1:06 to go to pull UCLA back within four after another SMU spurt.
Powell hit two free throws to make it a two-point game with less than 30 seconds to play. Then the Bruins forced a turnover to give themselves a chance to win or tie in the game’s final moments.
Alford launched an off-balance, contested shot that seemed destined to miss wide right, but a goaltending call on SMU gave UCLA a free three points. Those three points gave UCLA the win.
Alford finished with 27 points – all on 3-pointers, of which he made nine of 11.
Compiled by Kevin Bowman, Bruin Sports senior staff.