UCLA Rolls Past Saint Mary's, Heads to Philadelphia For East Regional
PORTLAND, Ore. — UCLA enjoyed last year's run to the Final Four so much they seem intent on doing it again. The Bruins dismantled a talented Saint Mary's team on Saturday night, winning 72-56 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Moda Center.
Four Bruins were in double figures, and the UCLA shot 56.5 percent from the field and 84.2 percent from the foul line. It was an impressive win over a Gaels team that had beaten Indiana by 29 points two nights earlier.
With the win, UCLA (28-7) will be jetting east next week for the East Regional in Philadelphia, Pa. They will play No. 8 seed North Carolina, which busted open the regional bracket even further on Saturday after when the Tar Heels upset No. 1 seed Baylor, the defending national champions.
The other regional semifinal game next Friday at the Wells Fargo Center will pit the Purdue/Texas winner from Sunday against the Murray State/Saint Peter's winner.
It was Saint Peter's that started the bracket carnage on Thursday, knocking off No. 2 seed Kentucky. Purdue is the highest remaining seed in the East Regional now.
Saint Mary's (26-9) got a huge first half from guard Logan Johnson, who's been having a heck of a weekend in Portland. He led the Gaels with 20 points in Thursday night's 82-53 rout over Indiana, and UCLA didn't have any early answers for him either.
Johnson hit three three-pointers in the half, and midway through, the Gaels had a seven-point lead at 20-13.
UCLA (28-7) was struggling to get shots to fall, but then Jamie Jaquez Jr, scored on a pair of nice post moves and then Jules Bernard hit a three to put UCLA ahead 24-22 with 6:31 to go in the half.
The run continued with a Johnny Juzang basket in the lane, and suddenly the Bruins' lead was up to 30-22. The Bruins defense was getting stops, too. During the 17-2 run, Saint Mary's was 0-for-10 shooting with three turnovers in that seven-minute stretch. UCLA went to the half leading 36-29.
Saint Mary's cut the lead to one after a pair of Alex Ducas baskets, including a three-pointer, but then UCLA took off on another run. Jules Bernard hit a pair of three-pointers and Juzang scored twice inside, pushing the lead out to 54-44 with 9:51 to go. Another 10-2 followed a few minutes later and the lead was up to 15 at 64-49 with 3:52 to go.
Bruins point guard Tyger Campbell had 16 points, Jaquez had 15, Bernard and Juzang added 14.
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Tom Brew is an award-winning journalist who's worked at some America's finest newspapers, including the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Indianapolis Star. He also owns the book publishing company, Hilltop30 Publishing Group, and he has written four books and published 16 others.