Bruins Victim to Late-Game Comebacks Finally an Issue

The UCLA Bruins watched a 16-point lead vanish in the second half as the North Carolina Tar Heels upset them at Madison Square Garden this past weekend. They have had trouble in previous games letting teams back in, and it finally bit them.

Dec 21, 2024; New York, NY, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Dylan Andrews (2) drives to the basket while being defended by North Carolina Tar Heels guard Drake Powell (9) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images

The No. 22 UCLA Bruins (10-2) have been involved in some late-game comebacks, coming out on the right side of the coin up until this past Saturday when they blew a 16-point lead in the second half, falling to the North Carolina Tar Heels (8-6) at Madison Square Garden.

Two field goals in the final 9 minutes, coupled with nine missed free throws, led to the Tar Heels surging back to take a late lead and win the game. While the Bruins went cold, the Tar Heels made 10 of their final 15 field goals to pick up the upset victory.

This is not the first time the Bruins have allowed a team to come back on them in the final minutes. In their nail-biting win over the No. 12 Oregon Ducks three weeks ago, the Bruins had a 7-point lead with 2:30 remaining and would proceed to give up a 10-2 run until the game-winning 3-pointer.

Even though the Bruins came out on top of that game due to the clutch shooting of junior guard Dylan Andrews, the beast reared its ugly head once again this past weekend, and the Bruins came out on the opposite side.

In a 2-point win over the Arizona Wildcats two weeks ago, the Bruins were the ones making the comeback as they earned their eighth-straight win. It was their time to face some adversity, and they were unsuccessful in stopping the Tar Heels from coming back.

If anything is certain, it is that Bruins head coach Mick Cronin is going to heavily focus on late-game situations this week in practice. Free throws, limiting turnovers, and making the shots down the stretch will all be points of emphasis as they prepare for another ranked matchup this weekend.

The Bruins receive a much-needed week of rest to enjoy the holiday before they take on the No. 14 Gonzaga Bulldogs this Saturday afternoon. The game will take place at a neutral site at the Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers.

If the Bruins have a late lead, it will be very interesting to see how they respond after giving up substantial advantages in two of their last three games. Growth or regression will be shown by this group that is looking for a massive bounce-back win.

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