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UCLA Basketball: Bruins Drop Another Non-Conference Game in Close Loss to Villanova

Mick Cronin's team is 0-for-3 against high-major competition thus far.

Jason Fray

UCLA Basketball: Bruins Drop Another Non-Conference Game in Close Loss to Villanova
UCLA Basketball: Bruins Drop Another Non-Conference Game in Close Loss to Villanova /
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Still in search of a signature non-conference win, Mick Cronin hoped his Baby Bruins could get over the proverbial hump on the road versus a reeling Villanova squad. 

However, as the Wildcats demonstrated, home cooking has a way of raising your spirits. 

Getting five threes combined from bench players Brendan Hausen and Hakim Hart, the Villanova Wildcats (7-4) were able to clip the UCLA Bruins (5-3) by a score of 65-56. 

It was a major struggle for both teams when it came to shooting the basketball. UCLA held Villanova to 32.8 percent from the field and 31.4 percent from three-point range (on 35 attempts). 

The Bruins actually did shoot the ball better -- connecting on 36.7 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from three. However, the game was lost at the free throw line. 

UCLA only had six attempts the entire game compared to 21 for Villanova. 

Power forward Adem Bona and center Aday Mara were quite effective in this game for the most part. The two combined to go 8-of-15 from the field with 19 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Will McClendon chipped in with nine points off the bench. 

However, guard Sebastian Mack and wing Lazar Stefanovic went a combined 8-of-28 from the field. Neither could get into any sort of a rhythm, and matters weren't helped when starting point guard Dylan Andrews sat out a big portion of the second half reportedly with cramps. 

Though UCLA dropped a very winnable game, not all is lost. The Bruins will head to Atlanta next weekend for another nationally televised game versus Ohio State in the CBS classic. 

The hope is for starting forward Berke Buyuktuncel to be available for that contest after spraining his ankle last week. A win versus the Buckeyes would be a nice win on UCLA's tournament resume. 

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Jason Fray
JASON FRAY

Jason Fray is a proud native of Los Angeles. After graduating from UCLA in 2011, he's written for a number of publications -- including Bleacher Report, FOX Sports, Saturday Down South, and New Arena. In his downtime, he enjoys writing scripts, going to shows, weekly pub trivia with the boys, trying the best hole-in-the-wall food spots around town, and traveling (22 countries & counting).