UCLA holds off Colorado 65-62 for 13th straight home win
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 14 points and UCLA held off Colorado down the stretch for a 65-62 victory on Saturday night, extending the Bruins’ home winning streak to 13 games.
The Bruins’ (7-2, 3-0 Pac-12) streak includes six wins this season, and they’ve also won 10 straight league games at home.
It was a tight all the way, with the Bruins never leading by more than seven in the second half.
McKinley Wright IV’s 3-point play tied the game for the last time at 54-all.
Cody Riley muscled inside for consecutive baskets, got fouled on the second one and made the free throw, putting UCLA back in front 58-54. All of the Bruins’ crucial baskets over the final 10 minutes were scored in the paint, where they owned a 38-28 edge.
Tyger Campbell scored inside and Riley got fouled, making both shots, for a 62-55 lead.
Campbell had 11 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Jules Bernard added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Bruins, who found out before the game that starting guard Chris Smith is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
Wright and Maddox Daniels scored 12 points each, and Jeriah Horne and Eli Parquet added 10 points each for the Buffaloes (7-3, 1-2).
Wright’s jumper pulled the Buffs within three points with a minute remaining. Wright blocked Campbell’s jumper and the Buffs called timeout. Daniels then missed two 3-pointers that potentially would have tied the game.
UCLA got the ball back and the Buffs were forced to foul with five seconds remaining. Johnny Juzang made both.
Daniels hit a 3-pointer to pull the Buffs within two, but he got called for a foul as the final buzzer sounded. The referees put four-tenths of a second back on the clock and Bernard made one of two free throws for the Bruins. The Buffs inbounded from the opposite baseline, but couldn’t get a decent shot off in time.
BIG PICTURE
Colorado: The Buffs gained a split during their weekend in Los Angeles, having beaten USC by 10 points on Friday for their first Pac-12 victory. They’ve won five of seven.
UCLA: The Bruins took a huge hit before the game when it was announced that Smith has a torn left ACL and will miss the rest of the season. They’ll need to step up to replace the lone senior who averaged 12.6 points and 6.4 rebounds, both second-best on the team. Smith got hurt in the first half against Utah on Friday, when he scored a team-leading 16 points.
UP NEXT
Colorado: Hosts No. 21 Oregon on Thursday in the first of four straight home games.
UCLA: Visits Arizona State on Thursday. The Sun Devils are currently dealing with COVID-19 issues and have had to postpone their last two games.
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