UCLA hits a new low with 46-point loss to Utah – Daily News

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SALT LAKE CITY — That breakthrough UCLA basketball coach Mick Cronin hoped was on the horizon probably looks a bit more distant now.

Cronin had taken pride in the fact that his young, inexperienced roster had remained competitive despite their struggles. They had not lost a game by double digits all season, but that ended in dramatic fashion on Thursday night.

Cole Bajema and Keba Keita scored 14 points apiece, Brandon Carlson added a double-double and Utah ended its seven-game losing streak to UCLA by handing the Bruins a near-historic blowout loss, 90-44, turning a relatively close game into a blowout over the final 15 minutes.

The Utes (12-4 overall, 3-2 Pac-12 Conference) just missed handing the Bruins (6-10, 1-4) their worst conference loss in program history. That came on Jan. 9, 1997, when Stanford rolled to a 48-point victory (109-61).

“We got our ass kicked every way we could – coaching, playing, hustle, everything,” said Cronin, whose team has lost four in a row for the second time this season and eight of its past nine games. “I’ve got no positives for you as far as one guy.”

Utah collected a slew of offensive rebounds and went on a 23-2 run in the second half, eventually leading by 50 points. The Utes hit nine 3-pointers and outscored UCLA 57-21 after halftime.

Cronin didn’t believe his players gave up at any point, but suggested that they were “punch-drunk” after Utah’s lead grew out of control.

Dylan Andrews scored nine points to pace the Bruins. Andrews, Lazar Stefanovic and Sebastian Mack combined to make nine of 39 shots, the backcourt trio going just 2 for 12 from 3-point range despite plenty of open looks.

“If you want to win games,” Cronin said, “at some point when teams don’t guard you, you’ve got to make some shots.”

The Bruins finished just 3 for 17 from behind the arc and went 7 for 14 from the free-throw line.

Bajema shot 4 for 7 from 3-point range for Utah, which improved to 9-0 at home and defeated UCLA in the Huntsman Center for the first time since 2019. Keita, a backup center, came off the bench to shoot 6 for 10 from the field. Carlson finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds, blocking three shots. Gabe Madsen had 11 points and five rebounds, and reserve Deivon Smith hit three 3-pointers and had 11 points, eight assists and four rebounds.

Carlson did much of his damage (seven points, eight rebounds and all three blocks) in the first half as Utah took a 33-23 lead into intermission.

UCLA missed 10 of 12 shots during Utah’s early second-half run, including all four from 3-point range. Bajema hit a 3-pointer to give Utah a 50-point lead (87-37) with 3:03 remaining. Ilane Fibleuit hit a 3-pointer and Brandon Williams hit a jumper in a 5-2 game-ending spurt to help the Bruins avoid their worst defeat.

“We got to learn from it,” Stefanovic said. “We got to play tougher, rebound the ball. Our effort has to be better. We have to be better in every aspect of the game.”

Cronin deployed his two-bigs starting lineup, pairing Aday Mara alongside Adem Bona in an attempt to deal with Utah’s 7-footers. The Bruins rolled Kenneth Nwuba and Berke Buyuktuncel out as well, but their post players did little to slow the Utes and Bona and Mara had two fouls each before halftime.

“Trying to get some scoring with Aday, but he just keeps giving up layups, so it’s hard,” Cronin said.

Bona finished with just four points and two rebounds and his struggles are among the Bruins’ many issues.

“We’ve got no chance if we don’t get Adem playing better,” Cronin said. “Two straight games we have given up 14 offensive rebounds. That we can control – well, we should be able to control. Our mind is affected by lack of scoring.”

UP NEXT

UCLA hosts Washington on Sunday at 4 p.m.

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