Bruins Suffer Tough Upset Loss in Nevada

The No. 22 UCLA Bruins suffered a brutal upset loss on Friday night at the hands of New Mexico at a neutral site in Nevada. There were several points of improvement that led to the team's first loss of the season.

Nov 4, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) chases after a loose ball during the first half against the Rider Broncs at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. At left is UCLA Bruins guard Dylan Andrews (2). Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The No. 22 UCLA Bruins will leave Nevada with their first loss of the season. A 72-64 upset loss to New Mexico had a multitude of errors and improvements that must be made for Mick Cronin's group.

The Bruins fell down early and were unable to recover from the impressive sharpshooting performance that the Lobos put on. Shooting 51% from the field and 40% from three-point range, the Lobos could not have shot better as they improve to 2-0.

Regardless of the Lobos' shooting, 64 total points is not enough to win many ballgames. The Bruins turned the ball over 21 times, leading to 21 points off turnovers. Junior guard Dylan Andrews led the team with six turnovers.

The only Bruin to score in double figures was junior transfer forward Tyler Bilodeau. He earned a season-high in a pair of categories, scoring 23 points on 8-of-20 shooting while grabbing 15 rebounds. It marks the first double-double for Bilodeau in a Bruins jersey.

The next closest scorer was freshman guard Trent Perry, who finished with 8 points. Guards Skyy Clark and Kobe Johnson would add 7 apiece as well.

One of the biggest struggles for the Bruins was their rebounding ability. The Lobos picked up six more rebounds while senior center Nelly Junior Joseph pulled down eight boards, four on the offensive glass. He would pour in 16 points with 6 of those coming from the free throw line.

The Lobos' leading scorer was junior guard Donovan Dent, finishing with 17 points and eight assists. He did have eight turnovers, but the Bruins were unable to stop him from getting to the rim and finishing. Almost all of his buckets came at or around the basket.

As the season moves forward, the Bruins will need to find production from multiple other players besides Bilodeau. It is one of the deepest teams in recent years for Cronin, and he has the talent for multiple big-game scorers. If they are able to play complimentary basketball, this team will look much different.

The good thing for the Bruins is that they are able to identify the areas of improvement early in the year and can work throughout the month of November to fix those keys to be prepared for Big Ten play. It is much better to have the setbacks earlier in the year rather than late when it matters most.

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