Pelle Larsson scores 22, No. 12 Arizona rallies from 19 down to beat UCLA 77-71
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) Arizona struggled early, rallied and dug another big hole.
The Wildcats scratched their way back by getting gritty, turning their Pac-12 home finale against UCLA into a desert version of a street fight.
Oumar Ballo had 17 points and 13 rebounds, Pelle Larsson scored 22 points and No. 12 Arizona rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat UCLA 77-71 on Saturday in the rivals' final Pac-12 game at McKale Center.
“The game literally fighting to eight hours for me,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “You don’t not necessarily want your team to be in that position, but when you’re in that position you've got to take advantage of it and our guys did today. I think it was a great experience.”
The Wildcats (14-4, 5-2 Pac-12) labored offensively against one of the nation's best defenses while falling into a 32-13 hole midway through the first half.
Arizona trailed by 13 midway through the second half before rallying behind full-court pressure. Making every UCLA possession a struggle, the Wildcats used an 12-2 run to pull within 55-52 and kept up the pressure.
Larsson scored on a putback with 52 seconds left and Ballo hit two free throws after Arizona survived three straight UCLA offensive rebounds to secure the hard-fought win.
“It was a really gritty win, a character win,” Larsson said. “We have things we can do better - we shouldn't be down like that at home.”
The Bruins (8-11, 3-5) got off to stellar start in their final desert trip before leaving for the Big Ten next season. The Pac-12's worst 3-point shooting team, UCLA used the arc to trigger a dominating first half, scoring 13 straight points as part of a larger run while building a 19-point lead.
Sebastian Mack scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half to lead UCLA and Lazar Stefanovic added 17.
“We were able to pass and move and run offense in the first half,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. “Then the game became an unofficiated street fight, and we had to spread it out and drive the ball. We couldn’t throw a pass.”
Shooting 29% from 3 on the season, the Bruins opened with 6 of 9 from the arc, including a 3 for 3 start by Stefanovic. Sparked by its perimeter shooting, UCLA went on 17-2 run to go up 32-13 as the Wildcats struggled offensively for the third straight game.
Arizona had a hard time getting good looks, missed numerous shots around the rim and had a scoring drought of more than 3 1/2 minutes during UCLA’s big run.
Then Arizona flipped a defensive switch.
Everything that had come easy for the Bruins suddenly became hard. UCLA went more than 5 1/2 minutes without hitting a field goal and Arizona went on an 11-1 run to pull within 37-28 by halftime.
“It was really smart on their part because we were winning a clean game, so they just went they just went and made it a whole grab fest,” Cronin said.
LEWIS' LIFT
Arizona freshman guard KJ Lewis had 11 combined points the previous three games, including 16 minutes against Utah without taking a shot. He had a bigger offensive role against UCLA, finishing with 13 points and four rebounds while playing stellar defense.
“KJ helped us in every facet,” Lloyd said. “I thought he played awesome and I’m really proud of him because it hasn’t been coming easy for him the past few games.”
THE TAKEAWAY
UCLA: The Bruins have had trouble closing out games and let another one slip away in their last trip to McKale Center as a Pac-12 team.
Arizona: A shaky start to both halves threatened to put the Wildcats in the crosshairs of an upset. They managed to pull it out behind their defense, which sparked the offense and the boisterous McKale Center crowd.
UP NEXT
UCLA: Plays at Southern California next Saturday.
Arizona: Plays at Oregon State on Thursday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Berke Buyuktuncel vs. Oumar Ballo (Caleb Love gains possession) | |||
19:50 | Berke Buyuktuncel personal foul | |||
19:47 | +3 | Pelle Larsson makes three point jump shot (Kylan Boswell assists) | 0-3 | |
19:26 | +3 | Lazar Stefanovic makes three point jump shot (Adem Bona assists) | 3-3 | |
19:21 | Kylan Boswell turnover (lost ball) | |||
19:13 | +2 | Sebastian Mack makes two point layup | 5-3 | |
19:02 | +2 | Pelle Larsson makes two point jump shot | 5-5 | |
18:40 | Sebastian Mack misses two point jump shot | |||
18:38 | Caleb Love defensive rebound | |||
18:21 | Adem Bona blocks Keshad Johnson's two point layup | |||
18:19 | Lazar Stefanovic defensive rebound | |||
17:54 | +3 | Berke Buyuktuncel makes three point jump shot (Sebastian Mack assists) | 8-5 | |
17:43 | Sebastian Mack blocks Oumar Ballo's two point layup | |||
17:41 | Adem Bona defensive rebound | |||
17:31 | Sebastian Mack misses three point jump shot | |||
17:29 | Oumar Ballo defensive rebound | |||
17:20 | Oumar Ballo turnover (lost ball) (Adem Bona steals) | |||
17:13 | +2 | Adem Bona makes two point dunk | 10-5 | |
16:49 | Caleb Love misses three point jump shot | |||
16:45 | Bruins defensive rebound | |||
16:27 | Sebastian Mack misses three point jump shot | |||
16:25 | Adem Bona offensive rebound | |||
16:18 | Adem Bona turnover (traveling) | |||
16:09 | Adem Bona personal foul | |||
15:53 | +2 | Keshad Johnson makes two point jump shot (Jaden Bradley assists) | 10-7 | |
15:19 | Will McClendon misses two point jump shot | |||
15:17 | Keshad Johnson defensive rebound | |||
15:09 | Pelle Larsson misses three point jump shot | |||
15:07 | Keshad Johnson offensive rebound | |||
15:01 | Jaden Bradley misses three point jump shot | |||
14:59 | Lazar Stefanovic defensive rebound | |||
14:36 | +2 | Lazar Stefanovic makes two point jump shot (Sebastian Mack assists) | 12-7 | |
14:29 | +2 | Motiejus Krivas makes two point layup (Keshad Johnson assists) | 12-9 | |
14:08 | +3 | Lazar Stefanovic makes three point jump shot (Sebastian Mack assists) | 15-9 | |
13:49 | Caleb Love misses three point jump shot | |||
13:47 | Sebastian Mack defensive rebound | |||
13:30 | Sebastian Mack misses two point layup | |||
13:29 | Wildcats defensive rebound | |||
13:29 | TV timeout | |||
13:19 | Motiejus Krivas offensive foul | |||
13:19 | Motiejus Krivas turnover (offensive foul) | |||
12:54 | Brandon Williams misses three point jump shot | |||
12:52 | Caleb Love defensive rebound | |||
12:34 | Caleb Love misses two point jump shot | |||
12:32 | Kenneth Nwuba defensive rebound | |||
12:16 | Jaden Bradley personal foul | |||
12:12 | Keshad Johnson blocks Adem Bona's two point hook shot | |||
12:10 | Oumar Ballo defensive rebound | |||
11:54 | +2 | KJ Lewis makes two point dunk (Keshad Johnson assists) | 15-11 | |
11:22 | +2 | Brandon Williams makes two point jump shot (Dylan Andrews assists) | 17-11 | |
11:11 | Kylan Boswell turnover (bad pass) (Will McClendon steals) | |||
11:04 | +2 | Will McClendon makes two point jump shot | 19-11 | |
10:50 | +2 | Keshad Johnson makes two point layup (KJ Lewis assists) | 19-13 | |
10:32 | +3 | Lazar Stefanovic makes three point jump shot (Adem Bona assists) | 22-13 | |
10:11 | Keshad Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
10:09 | Lazar Stefanovic defensive rebound | |||
9:49 | +3 | Will McClendon makes three point jump shot (Lazar Stefanovic assists) | 25-13 | |
9:46 | Wildcats 30 second timeout | |||
9:46 | TV timeout | |||
9:30 | Kylan Boswell misses three point jump shot | |||
9:28 | Berke Buyuktuncel defensive rebound | |||
9:15 | Adem Bona misses two point jump shot | |||
9:13 | Sebastian Mack offensive rebound | |||
8:54 | +3 | Sebastian Mack makes three point jump shot | 28-13 | |
8:42 | Berke Buyuktuncel personal foul (Caleb Love draws the foul) | |||
8:35 | Kylan Boswell misses three point jump shot | |||
8:33 | Will McClendon defensive rebound | |||
8:14 | +2 | Adem Bona makes two point jump shot | 30-13 | |
8:03 | Caleb Love turnover (lost ball) (Will McClendon steals) | |||
7:55 | Dylan Andrews offensive foul (Pelle Larsson draws the foul) | |||
7:55 | Dylan Andrews turnover (offensive foul) | |||
7:55 | TV timeout | |||
7:44 | Caleb Love turnover (bad pass) (Lazar Stefanovic steals) | |||
7:40 | Pelle Larsson shooting foul (Lazar Stefanovic draws the foul) | |||
7:40 | +1 | Lazar Stefanovic makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 31-13 | |
7:40 | +1 | Lazar Stefanovic makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 32-13 | |
7:21 | Caleb Love misses three point jump shot | |||
7:19 | Caleb Love offensive rebound | |||
7:13 | Caleb Love misses two point layup | |||
7:11 | Oumar Ballo offensive rebound | |||
7:07 | +2 | Oumar Ballo makes two point layup | 32-15 | |
6:58 | Sebastian Mack turnover (lost ball) (Oumar Ballo steals) | |||
6:54 | Lazar Stefanovic shooting foul (Jaden Bradley draws the foul) | |||
6:54 | Jaden Bradley misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
6:54 | Jaden Bradley misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
6:54 | Adem Bona defensive rebound | |||
6:23 | Bruins turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
6:18 | Oumar Ballo misses two point layup | |||
6:16 | Lazar Stefanovic defensive rebound | |||
5:50 | Oumar Ballo personal foul | |||
5:36 | Sebastian Mack turnover (lost ball) (Jaden Bradley steals) | |||
5:23 | Pelle Larsson misses three point jump shot | |||
5:21 | Oumar Ballo offensive rebound | |||
5:20 | Sebastian Mack personal foul (Oumar Ballo draws the foul) | |||
5:13 | Oumar Ballo misses two point layup | |||
5:11 | Kenneth Nwuba defensive rebound | |||
4:49 | Dylan Andrews misses two point jump shot | |||
4:47 | KJ Lewis defensive rebound | |||
4:36 | Kenneth Nwuba personal foul (Jaden Bradley draws the foul) | |||
4:36 | +1 | Jaden Bradley makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 32-16 | |
4:36 | +1 | Jaden Bradley makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 32-17 | |
4:12 | Lazar Stefanovic turnover (bad pass) (Pelle Larsson steals) | |||
3:54 | +3 | Pelle Larsson makes three point jump shot (Caleb Love assists) | 32-20 | |
3:31 | Dylan Andrews misses two point jump shot | |||
3:29 | Motiejus Krivas defensive rebound | |||
3:16 | Ilane Fibleuil shooting foul (Caleb Love draws the foul) | |||
3:16 | TV timeout | |||
3:16 | Caleb Love misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
3:16 | +1 | Caleb Love makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 32-21 | |
3:04 | Kylan Boswell shooting foul (Dylan Andrews draws the foul) | |||
3:04 | +1 | Dylan Andrews makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 33-21 | |
3:04 | Dylan Andrews misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
3:04 | Wildcats defensive rebound | |||
2:44 | +3 | Caleb Love makes three point jump shot (Pelle Larsson assists) | 33-24 | |
2:19 | +2 | Adem Bona makes two point layup | 35-24 | |
1:59 | Paulius Murauskas misses three point jump shot | |||
1:57 | Wildcats offensive rebound | |||
1:49 | +2 | Oumar Ballo makes two point layup (Caleb Love assists) | 35-26 | |
1:23 | +2 | Adem Bona makes two point hook shot | 37-26 | |
1:10 | Caleb Love misses three point jump shot | |||
1:08 | Bruins defensive rebound | |||
0:52 | Sebastian Mack turnover (bad pass) (Caleb Love steals) | |||
0:48 | +2 | Caleb Love makes two point dunk | 37-28 | |
0:48 | Bruins 30 second timeout | |||
0:31 | Adem Bona offensive foul | |||
0:31 | Adem Bona turnover (offensive foul) | |||
0:07 | Caleb Love misses two point layup | |||
0:05 | Kenneth Nwuba defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |