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It wasn’t a banner performance for the UCLA Bruins offense on Thursday but the Bruins were able to advance to the Big Ten Conference tournament quarterfinals against No. 8 Michigan State Spartans with a 72-59 win over Rutgers.
While the Bruins offense totaled just the 72 points against 14-19 Rutgers but UCLA point guard Donovan Dent posted a triple double. Dent’s triple-double was the first in Big Ten tournament history, scoring 12 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds even though he went just 6-14 from the field.
Tyler Bilodeau stayed Mr. Consistent for the Bruins, leading the way with 21 points. Bilodeau’s 5-11 shooting from the field was a pleasant sign for UCLA as they shot just 38% in the game. UCLA’s efficiency from three wasn’t eye-popping either, as the Bruins went 7-23 from deep, as Bilodeau knocked down three of UCLA’s seven himself.
UCLA will certainly take the tournament-opening win but it was significantly closer than the Bruins win over Rutgers last month. The Bruins got a 98-66 win in their first meeting against the Scarlet Knights, with Rutgers’ defense faring much better against the Bruins the second time around.
There’s no easy wins in March but Thursday’s win wasn’t an ultra-convincing one for the Bruins. UCLA surely went into the game looking for a spark to begin a lengthy tournament run but merely holding off the below .500 Scarlet Knights wasn’t all that electric.
Mick Cronin will be pleased about his team’s defensive performance. Rutgers also shot 38% from the field and had nearly as many turnovers (13) than assists (14). Now the Bruins will have less than a day to prepare for 25-6 Michigan State and attempt to pull off a massive upset.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Donovan Dent, Tyler Bilodeau lead the way Big Ten tourney opening win
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Donovan Dent is a true point guard
While the Bruins offense totaled just the 72 points against 14-19 Rutgers but UCLA point guard Donovan Dent posted a triple double. Dent’s triple-double was the first in Big Ten tournament history, scoring 12 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds even though he went just 6-14 from the field.
Tyler Bilodeau's scoring stays reliable
Tyler Bilodeau stayed Mr. Consistent for the Bruins, leading the way with 21 points. Bilodeau’s 5-11 shooting from the field was a pleasant sign for UCLA as they shot just 38% in the game. UCLA’s efficiency from three wasn’t eye-popping either, as the Bruins went 7-23 from deep, as Bilodeau knocked down three of UCLA’s seven himself.
Rutgers showed more fight on Thursday than they did last month
UCLA will certainly take the tournament-opening win but it was significantly closer than the Bruins win over Rutgers last month. The Bruins got a 98-66 win in their first meeting against the Scarlet Knights, with Rutgers’ defense faring much better against the Bruins the second time around.
Did the win look like the beginning of a memorable March?
There’s no easy wins in March but Thursday’s win wasn’t an ultra-convincing one for the Bruins. UCLA surely went into the game looking for a spark to begin a lengthy tournament run but merely holding off the below .500 Scarlet Knights wasn’t all that electric.
UCLA's defense showed up for the conference tournament
Mick Cronin will be pleased about his team’s defensive performance. Rutgers also shot 38% from the field and had nearly as many turnovers (13) than assists (14). Now the Bruins will have less than a day to prepare for 25-6 Michigan State and attempt to pull off a massive upset.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Donovan Dent, Tyler Bilodeau lead the way Big Ten tourney opening win
Continue reading...
